“They can swipe and click” was the headline of an interview in the German Magazine DIE ZEIT with Prof. Dr Birgit Eickelmann, scientific director of the German branch of the ICILS 2023 (International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2023), published on 12 November 2024.

As the title indicates, a concerning finding of this survey is that over 40% of participants struggled to handle digital media and information competently and reflectively. In other words, today’s grade 8 learners can mainly "swipe and click”, but lack true competence in using digital media.

Teaching skills for a digital world has long been a priority at DHPS, not just since the survey results were published in November 2024. Digital tools are not only integrated into subject lessons, but a reflective and responsible approach to their use is actively taught.
In the past school year, significant steps were taken toward digital transformation, including the following:

Introduction of Media Education for Grade 5 (from the 2025 School Year)
Starting next year, a new subject will be added to the timetable for grade 5. The media education course will focus on teaching basic digital skills and fostering responsible media use. Learners will be trained to critically evaluate information, create digital content, and navigate the internet safely. This will complement the existing media literacy offerings, which include Computer Studies, various study groups, and integration into daily lessons.

AI at DHPS
In the past school year, DHPS made significant strides in addressing the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). Building on a guideline for handling AI introduced in 2023, several workshops were conducted for interested teachers. Since December 2024, the fobizz platform, which includes comprehensive AI tools, has been available to teachers. AI is expected to be a defining feature of the future for today’s learners, regardless of personal opinions on the topic. Schools have a vital role in equipping learners to use these tools effectively. fobizz offers a safe platform for teachers and learners to work with AI collaboratively. This ensures that all learners gain hands-on experience with AI tools under teacher supervision, developing the necessary skills to use these technologies competently.

Sources:
https://www.zeit.de/2024/48/icils-studie-digitalis...
https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/schule/2024-11/ic...
https://kw.uni-paderborn.de/institut-fuer-erziehun...

Images: created with OpenAI DALL-E 3 via www.fobizz.com.
Prompt: Abstract image of a school entrance featuring a large palm tree and a statue of the ‘Berliner Bär.’