Paper 2: The Integration of Media-Related Studies and Competencies into US and German Initial Teacher Education

Abstract

Many institutions of initial teacher education have realized the necessity to integrate media-related studies into their curricula. However, there are no binding regulations for these processes. As a result, the shape and extent of respective activities varies considerably, not only between different countries, but also within countries with decentralized educational structures such as Germany and the USA. The following paper will present the results of 11 interviews with experts from Germany and the USA which explored current practices and trends in the integration of media-related studies and competencies into initial teacher education. The data collected focus on models of media-related educational competencies, on possibilities and varieties of integrating media-related studies into teacher education curricula, on the outcomes of such efforts and on stakeholders who influence these processes. The cross-national comparative perspective will help contextualize the findings and draw conclusions on the status quo.

Keywords

• initial teacher education
• teacher education curricula
• media literacy
• educational technology
• media pedagogy
• media education
• competency-based teaching
• cross-national research
• expert interviews