— Overview
Programme Education saw important developments in early 2024 with the hiring of a new Programme Lead and the development of a three-year implementation plan aligned with our education strategy for 2022-2026.
The programme made significant strides in reaching future educators through new partnerships, such as the signing of the MoU with MIA21, as well as strengthened collaboration with various higher education institutions, such as training for lecturers and students at HEP Vaud and HEIG-VD. We also concentrated on making our educational tools more accessible across Switzerland's language regions and user groups, notably through a new development of Wikeys for children (junior version).
— Highlight activity
Memorandum of Understanding with MIA21
One of Programme Education’s most significant achievements was signing a Memorandum of Understanding with MIA21, a collaborative project uniting twelve pedagogical universities and specialised agencies across German-speaking Switzerland. The partnership marks an important step forward in our mission to prepare teachers for working with media and computer science (Medien und Informatik) in their classrooms.
MIA21's objectives align perfectly with our goal of equipping teachers with the skills and resources they need to effectively implement the Lehrplan 21 curriculum in German-speaking Switzerland. The project develops subject-specific didactic materials and pedagogical frameworks that form the foundation for both initial teacher training and continuing education programmes.
The partnership was strengthened through our participation in Rigitagung 2024, a conference bringing together university staff and cantonal specialists in media and information technology. While currently focused on German-speaking Switzerland, the conference provided an invaluable platform for discussing the future of media and computer science education, with potential for expansion to other language regions.
By partnering with MIA21, we gain direct access to the institutions and individuals responsible for training future teachers, allowing us to support and promote digital literacy and free knowledge principles in Swiss schools. The partnership also creates opportunities to integrate Wikimedia projects into teacher training programmes, potentially reaching thousands of students through their future teachers.
The timing of this partnership is particularly valuable. As society undergoes rapid technological change, schools must adapt their curricula to prepare students for an increasingly digital world. Through this collaboration, we can help ensure that principles of free knowledge and digital literacy are embedded in teacher training from the start, creating a more sustainable approach to digital education in Switzerland.
The success of this initiative has already prompted discussions about expanding similar partnerships to other language regions, demonstrating how strategic collaborations can help us multiply our impact across the country.
— Key programme activities
- Helped reimagine and adapt the board game Wikeys for children (junior version), which teaches players the foundational concepts of Wikis.
- Presented the original version of Wikeys at the Open Education Day for digital-learning educators and at an Explorcamp at the Ludovia#CH conference.
- Delivered workshops and trainings at TecDay 2024 at CO Goubing Sierre/Sieders.
- Organised and led a series of workshops for the 20th edition of the Semaine des Medias to teach librarians to use Wikimedia projects, such as Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata.
- Launched student training at the Haute École d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud about copyright laws, the Creative Commons licence and contribution on Wikimedia Commons.
- Provided the training “Wikimedia Lab” for PhD students and Lecturers at HEP Lausanne. A second edition of the Wikimedia Lab is planned for 2025.
- Worked with Programme Innovation to deepen our partnership with Science et Cité to promote the use of Wikipedia among scientists and master's students through a series of workshops.
- Conducted case studies for the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland license transfers to Creative Commons.
- Saw the fruition of a partnership with SRF with the first uploads of videos from the Swiss Radio and TV company's archives to Wikimedia Commons.
- Supported The Chinderzytig, an online newspaper for children and young people.
- Networked with key organisations from the education and film sectors at the awards ceremony for the Film in Education competition organised by the Swiss initiative Film at School.
- Began producing explanatory videos for educational wiki tools Dico des Ados, Wikimini, and Wiki2Map, scheduled for launch in Q1 2025.
- Presented at the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden’s kick-off event for the "Digital Literacy and Multimedia Didactics” course in Basel.
— Programme impact
- Successfully established partnerships with key teacher training institutions, creating direct channels to influence how digital literacy and free knowledge are taught in Swiss schools.
- Expanded the reach of our educational tools across language regions through strategic translations and presentations at important educational events.
- Strengthened our position in formal education through new training programmes at various institutions, from secondary schools (I+II) to universities.
- Developed new multimedia resources to support our educational tools, preparing for wider distribution in 2025.
— Looking ahead
In 2025, Programme Education will focus on implementing our Education Strategy 2022-2026, furthering our aim to become a reliable partner in education and digitalisation across Switzerland.
A key priority will be developing standardised training courses aligned with Lehrplan 21, ensuring our educational offerings are fully compatible with the Swiss education system. We will also expand and develop our educational tools portfolio, which will be supported by new infrastructure and enhanced features to improve user experience and accessibility.
Partnership development remains crucial, with special attention to the 10th anniversary edition of Media in Piazza. We will establish new criteria for educational grants and sponsorships, working closely with the other programmes to ensure alignment with our strategic goals.
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Photo credits
- Picturesque alpine flowers in the Gällihorn region of Kandersteg. An entry in Wiki Loves Switzerland 2020. Photo by Dghosal - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Bumblebee on a goldenrod flower. Entry in the Wiki Science Competition 2023, a global photo contest. Photo by Lavandulifolia - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Human looking at the stars during the Perseids. Entry in the Wiki Science Competition 2023, a global photo contest. Photo by By Giles Laurent - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Wild baby fawn. Entry in the Wiki Science Competition 2023, a global photo contest. Photo by Giles Laurent - own work, CC BY 4.0.
- The Wikeys workshop at LudoviaCH 2024. Photo by Vivian (WMCH) - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- University of Zürich main building as seen from the southwest. Photo by Roland zh - own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Participants at Wikipedia Day playing Wikeys. Photo by Kerstin Sonnekalb (WMCH), CC BY-SA 4.0.
- A wildlife photographer in a ghillie suit. Swiss submission to the Wiki Science Competition 2023, a global photo contest. Photo by Giles Laurent - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Lauterbrunnen. Entry in Wiki Loves Switzerland 2022. Photo by Dini78 - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.