A new foundation for media literacy based on free knowledge

Wikimedia CH launches new teaching and learning resources in the German-speaking education sector and makes them available to teachers on the most commonly used online platforms. Thus, our association promotes access to free knowledge and raises awareness of the challenges of the digital world. 

On the occasion of Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary, Wikimedia CH thus highlights the importance of media literacy: neutral, human-curated knowledge sources are essential in an era shaped by artificial intelligence, fake news and algorithms driven by political or commercial interests. 

 

Media literacy in the age of AI  

Anyone who obtains information through search engines, social media or AI tools needs to be able to check sources, understand how content is created and critically assess the information they find. PISA 2029 also addresses this area of competence under the term “Media and Artificial Intelligence Literacy (MAIL) 

Wikimedia CH’s new teaching and learning resources address this very need: they help students critically assess digital information and use it responsibly. Wikipedia serves as a practical example of a knowledge source collaboratively developed by people and documented with complete transparency. 

 

Wikimedia CH develops new teaching and learning resources for schools 

Wikimedia CH is expanding its education programme: building on the experience gained from previous visits to school classes, the organisation has developed Open Educational Resources (OER) and learning tools together with experts from the Swiss education sector. Teachers can use these resources independently in the classroom, enabling them to reach significantly more students.

The resources are methodologically and subject-specifically designed to promote cross-curricular competencies in the areas of media and computing. Initially, they are aimed at students aged 12 to 16 in Cycle 3 in German-speaking Switzerland. In the longer term, the materials are intended to be suitable for use in all cantons. 

These educational resources:  

  • are aligned with the Lehrplan 21 (Curriculum 21): their content is aligned with the competency objectives set out in the German-speaking Swiss curriculum in the area of media and computing. 
  • are easily accessible: the teaching and learning resources are integrated into established educational platforms surch as Classroom.ch, myMoment, Schabi.ch, Schularena and zebis.digital. Thus, teachers can access them directly through the platforms they use.  
  • promote critical engagement with digital information: they help students develop the skills to check sources, assess content, and use information from digital media and AI applications critically and responsibly. 

 

“Media literacy is not an option for us, but a necessity. We need to equip people of all ages with the skills and critical thinking needed to navigate the digital world safely and independently,” emphasises Jean-Marc Wyss, Education Programme Lead at Wikimedia CH. 

 

Free knowledge as the foundation of media literacy 

As the Swiss supporting association of the global Wikimedia movement, Wikimedia CH is committed to strengthening access to free knowledge and raising public awareness of its importance. Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary is therefore not only an opportunity to look back, but also to look ahead.

“In a world shaped by artificial intelligence, disinformation and information services driven by commercial interests, the ability to critically assess sources and put knowledge into context is becoming increasingly important. Free, collaboratively created knowledge makes a vital contribution to this,” says Jenny Ebermann, Executive Director at Wikimedia CH. 

Wikipedia and its sister projects, such as Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata, differ from many other major online platforms in that they are non-commercial and non-profit. Wiki content is created collaboratively through a transparent process and is freely accessible to all. 

 

Overview of Wikimedia CH’s new online educational resources and online tools on the following platforms – more to follow shortly: 

  • Schabi: online tool “KI-pedia”: KI-pedia makes it easier to understand Wikipedia articles with the help of artificial intelligence. The application displays the original text at different reading levels and uses AI to answer questions about the content of the article.
    More about this 
  • MIA 21: “Pincho”: Pinchos cover media and computer science topics in easily digestible bite-sized chunks, ideal for short professional development sessions for teachers in between other activities.
    More about this
  • myMoment.ch: “Netiquette / Stop Hate Speech”: A practical guide for use in the classroom to help students practise respectful online communication, critically analyse comments and take targeted action against hate speech.
    More about this

 

Further links  

  • Lehrplan 21 (Education system in German-speaking Switzerland)