7. AnalysisF<strong>in</strong>land, Sweden, and the UK all have a national curriculum, mean<strong>in</strong>g that school adm<strong>in</strong>istratorsand teachers have a great deal of leeway <strong>in</strong> determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the actual content of lessons. They areless tied to specific objectives than <strong>in</strong> <strong>countries</strong> with detailed and sometimes obligatory learn<strong>in</strong>gpathways, for example the Netherlands. As a result, they have the scope with<strong>in</strong> their own <strong>education</strong>alpractice to freely go <strong>in</strong> search of ways of provid<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g media <strong>education</strong>.The strength of the Netherlands is the way it attempts to <strong>in</strong>tegrate media <strong>education</strong> at schools <strong>in</strong> astructured manner, and based on a well-grounded theoretical framework. The ma<strong>in</strong> organisations<strong>in</strong>volved are collaborat<strong>in</strong>g to develop “learn<strong>in</strong>g resources banks” with<strong>in</strong> which high-quality learn<strong>in</strong>gpathways are categorised and made available. These learn<strong>in</strong>g resources banks comprise materials<strong>in</strong>tended for regular teachers, student teachers, and <strong>in</strong>-service tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g. The step-by-step plansthat are developed <strong>in</strong> order to <strong>in</strong>tegrate media <strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong> a structured manner are useful, as arethe “media coaches” who are tra<strong>in</strong>ed to take responsibility for coord<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g media <strong>education</strong> at aschool or library. All <strong>in</strong> all, the comb<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong>itiatives offer the prospect of systematic, high-qualitymedia <strong>education</strong>, without the curriculum be<strong>in</strong>g revised for that purpose.The strength of almost all these <strong>countries</strong> – but to a lesser extent of the UK – is their positive andproactive approach to media <strong>education</strong>, with the focus be<strong>in</strong>g less on safety and protection thanon creativity and empowerment. With<strong>in</strong> Europe, the defensive attitude towards media – whichconsiders them to be “nasty and threaten<strong>in</strong>g” – is becom<strong>in</strong>g a th<strong>in</strong>g of the past, as is apparentfrom the curricula. Individual <strong>in</strong>structors naturally have their own attitude, but there is anunmistakable reduction <strong>in</strong> the amount of attention paid to safety and protection.Another very positive development at European level is the advent of <strong>in</strong>formal networks of medialiteracy professionals who meet <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly frequently and exchange practices and ideas. Thepresent report is a product of that development. Although it is still too early to speak of a realconvergence of media <strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong> different <strong>countries</strong>, the first steps <strong>in</strong> that direction have <strong>in</strong> factbeen taken.Weaknesses• Even <strong>in</strong> F<strong>in</strong>land – that <strong>education</strong>al paradise – teachers are not systematically tra<strong>in</strong>ed as regardsmedia literacy.• In F<strong>in</strong>land, Sweden, and the UK, the position of media literacy is an uncerta<strong>in</strong> one. Those whodo not want to be <strong>in</strong>volved do not need to be. That is the downside of the leeway offered bythe curriculum.• The coord<strong>in</strong>ated approach that is be<strong>in</strong>g developed <strong>in</strong> the Netherlands is still at a very earlystage and depends on the vagaries of politics and those directly concerned with <strong>education</strong>,with numerous organisations attempt<strong>in</strong>g to claim a pioneer<strong>in</strong>g role. If the ma<strong>in</strong> organisationsare the subject of cutbacks, then major ambitions may be put at risk.• The biggest problem of the British tradition is that it reaches only a relatively small number ofpupils.The ideal media <strong>education</strong> countryIn an ideal media <strong>education</strong> country, media <strong>education</strong> would be taught by outstand<strong>in</strong>g teachers,as <strong>in</strong> F<strong>in</strong>land. The country would have a long tradition of media studies, as <strong>in</strong> the UK. There wouldbe a focus on <strong>in</strong>culcat<strong>in</strong>g critical skills from an early age, as <strong>in</strong> Sweden. And the teach<strong>in</strong>g materialswould be catalogued and made available centrally and on the basis of a s<strong>in</strong>gle theoretical framework,as <strong>in</strong> the Netherlands. Wouldn’t we all like to live <strong>in</strong> such a country!<strong>Media</strong> Education <strong>in</strong> <strong>Four</strong> EU Countries How do F<strong>in</strong>land, Sweden, and the UK tackle media <strong>education</strong>?And how does that compare to the Netherlands? Mijn K<strong>in</strong>d Onl<strong>in</strong>e / <strong>Kennisnet</strong>, October 201339
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