Background of the project: The vocational college BK Südstadt is an institution with a focus on business and languages. The use of new media is also a part of our didactic everyday life, especially because the new media are extremely motivating and increase the active participation and creativity of pupils. In order to be able to cope with today's fast-changing world internet skills are essential for learners and teachers. Teachers face the challenge of staying up to date with social networks, learning platforms, mobile learning devices, cyberbullying, data security, digital rights, and many other aspects. On top of that, teachers are expected to teach learners how to use the internet responsibly. For this reason the BKS has realized that teachers need to be trained in this area. Training courses were therefore chosen that deal with the topic from various perspectives. Aims of the project: - consolidation of the media competencies (responsible use of online media: recognition of dangers and understanding of legal pitfalls) - improved way of teaching by integrating media to support the learning processes of pupils - increased pupils’ motivation through computer-based games; reduction of the dropout rates Course name; participants; description of the courses: 1) MEDIA COMPETENCIES FOR TEACHERS Number of participants: 1 Profile: Teacher for English and Italian in different courses of education; coordinator of the Italian teachers’ pool; responsible for the organization of external language exams (such as TOEIC, CIC and Ele.IT) and of the EU competition for young translators “juvenes translatores”. Description of the course: - intelligent use of new media - integration of digital technologies in teaching activities - improvement of media competencies (for teachers and pupils) 2) INTERNET SECURITY FOR TEACHERS Number of participants: 1 Profile: Teacher for English and Spanish in different courses of education; coordinator of the English teachers’ pool; member of the examining board of the final English exam of the commercial college; responsible for the organization of the Spanish external language exam DELE; coordinator of the English didactic curriculum. Description of the course: - improvement of media competencies in terms of a responsible use of the internet, social networks, learning platforms and mobile learning devices - prevention of cyberbullying 3) GAME-BASED LEARNIG - A HANDS-ON APPROACH FOR MOTIVATING LEARNERS Number of participants: 1 Profile: Teacher for business administration, accounting and IT in different courses of education; responsible for the preparation and coordination of the practical exam (integral part of the foreign language assistants' final exams) and for the organization of the "University Day". Coach of a group of grammar school pupils who take part in the Founder's Prize of the German bank "Sparkasse Köln". Description of the course: - bridging the gap between personal interest and learning contents through game-based learning - benefitting from the natural interest in games - using learning techniques which are familiar, motivating and important to the pupils - active learning through experimentation and risk-taking Desired results: Long-term use of the achieved competencies in the lessons; transmission of the competencies achieved to the colleagues (multiplier function) 1) MEDIA COMPETENCIES FOR TEACHERS - developing skills to convey a "critical" approach to the use of digital media - improvement of the technical competencies relating to the new media - designing motivating and manifold lessons 2) INTERNET SECURITY FOR TEACHERS - acquisition of expertise relating to the legal aspects connected to internet-security and data privacy - teaching of a responsible use of the internet and social networks 3) GAME BASED LEARNING - a hands-on approach for motivating learners - improvement of the didactic use of internet - improvement of the pupils' motivation and school results thanks to game-based learning; reduction of the dropout rates among pupils - acquisition of didactic tools for game based teaching Expected long-term results - promotion of the use of new media in class - lower fluctuation of the pupil numbers thanks to improved motivation and teaching quality - development of a more critical approach of the pupils towards the new media - establishment/creation of a pool of "media-literate" teachers, who are willing to continue to extend their knowledge (life-long learning) and to act as multipliers for the colleagues