Nicht die Technologie, sondern die Inhalte bestimmen das Ergebnis.

cartoon von www.gapingvoid.com

In vielen Ländern gab und gibt es breite regierungsgestützte Intitiativen, die die Einführung von Computern in Schulen und Klassenzimmern inklusive Internetzugang sowie die Aus-und Fortbildung von LehrerInnen vorantreiben, so natürlich auch in Österreich. Die Einführung von Computern im Klassenzimmer führt jedoch nicht automatisch zu besseren Lernergebnissen – dies ist die Erkenntnis, zu der etliche vom EPPI – Centre in London durchgeführten Vergleichsstudien kamen. Das vielleicht nicht so ganz überraschende Ergebnis: LehrerInnen sind wichtiger als Technologie. Die Wirkung und Resultate bezüglich IKT und Literalität (Sprache/Lesen/Schreiben/Literatur) hängen von den Ideologien, Wertvorstellungen und Methoden ab, die die LehrerInnen einbringen. Well, duh!

Interessant aber ist eine Vergleichsstudie, die sich mit der Beschäftigung und der Produktion von Moving Image Text im Klassenzimmer, also mit Film- und Medienbildung im weiteren Sinn im Unterricht beschäftigt. Diese Film- und Medienbildung beruht auf einem erweiterten Begriff dessen, was “Lesen/Schreiben” eigentlich ausmacht und bezieht sich explizit auf populär-kulturelle Praktiken und die Anwendung digitaler Medien auch ausserhalb der Schule.

Etliche Studien fanden, dass der Unterricht, in dem ein Zusammenhang zwischen media literacy und den Medienerfahrungen und Interessen junger Menschen hergestellt wird, höhere Motivation und mehr Qualität in der Arbeit hervorbrachte. Die Auseinandersetzung mit audiovisuellen Medien führte zu positiven Ergebnissen in Hinblick auf eine breit definierte Literalität - ein “Lesen/Schreiben/Sprechen/Verstehen”, welches multimodale Kommunkation (multimodal literacy) mit einschliesst.

Multimodal literacy ist ein Begriff, der in angelsächsischen Ländern sowohl in der Forschung, aber auch in der pädagogischen Anwendung, zum Beispiel in Lehrplänen, Empfehlungen und Richtlinien bereits Eingang gefunden hat. Die social semiotic theories of multimodal communication, die Theorie der Multimodalen Kommunikation, so der EPPI-Report, bietet nützliche Werkzeuge, um Lernprozesse im Zusammenhang mit audiovisuellen Medien zu untersuchen und verstehen.

Hier ein paar Original-Auszüge aus den EPPI-Vergleichsstudien:

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of ICT on literacy learning in English, 5-16

There is a growing concern internationally that the investment in ICT in schools is not impacting on literacy development. This concern arises from a belief held by many – including governments as well as schools – that ICT is beneficial to learning, and specifically literacy learning. This review addresses the effectiveness of ICT on literacy learning.

What did we find? The studies found little evidence of benefit.

A systematic review of the impact of ICT on literacy learning in English of learners between 5 and 16, for whom English is a second or additional language

The main result was that it was impossible to find a clear impact pattern. There was some evidence that, under certain conditions, word processing could improve writing and editing quality. There was a general trend towards students finding computer-assisted sessions enjoyable and helpful, and teachers reported their role changing towards being facilitators. There were some suggestions that integration of ICT into regular class procedures and activities, a high-support user-friendly environment and the use of collaborative work with the goal of a concrete end-product aid learning and motivation, but the evidence was not clear-cut or conclusive.

The effectiveness of different ICTs in the teaching and learning of English (written composition), 5–16

No conclusive answer was found; the studies reviewed were too varied in their understanding of writing and ICT.

A systematic review of the impact of ICT on literature-related literacies in English, 5-16

A common theme emerging from the research studied is that teachers matter more than technology. ‘Impact’ is mediated by teachers, and specifically by the discourses that teachers and students use. The actual outcomes of the two-way relationship between ICT and literature-related literacy learning are determined by the ideology, values and practices of the teacher or teachers who set up the interaction.

A systematic review of the impact of ICT on the learning of literacies associated with moving image texts in English, 5-16

There has been a growth in schools of engagement with and production of moving image texts using digital technologies. This has been conceived both as a form of expanded literacy and, in wider terms, as a set of cultural practices drawing on popular cultures and the use of digital media beyond school. This review investigates how the use of ICT impacts on the development of moving image literacy.

Several of the studies find a connection between media literacy and the cultural experience of young people, suggesting that curriculum content which recognises this factor is more likely to motivate high-quality work, to locate learners as determiners of their own meanings, and to be aware of ways in which the developing social identities of young people are implicated with their media cultures.

Several studies find that the incorporation of moving image media in curriculum programmes leads to gains in literacy, broadly defined. Five of the studies report enhanced motivation in working with moving image media, while one finds a negative effect in the case of girls and computer games.

It was difficult to distinguish between the impact of digital and analogue media technologies.
There does appear to be some evidence that social semiotic theories of multimodal communication offer useful ways to understand learning processes related to the moving image.