Stadtraum!Plus: Trends & co. – Medien as a tool for youth work

  • November 1, 2022
  • by Anne Schmedding

The Anna-Freud-Schule at URBAN NATION

The project “Trend und co – Medien als Werkzeug” is part of the teaching at the Anna-Freud-Schule, a general and vocational school with a psychological-educational focus. The prospective educators from all over Berlin are between 20 and 25 years old. The topic-based project teaching takes place during one year for five hours per week and started in September 2022.

Photo: Oluwaremi Dasho-Stierand

Media education is at the heart of the project. The students are to learn how to use various media in order to pass on their knowledge in their work with children and young people. This includes reflecting on their own handling of the media they use. To this end, experts from the media industry are invited to interact with the participants. The aim is not just to learn practical knowledge about using equipment, but above all to analyze the content and reflect on one’s own actions. For example, how can content such as diversity and inclusion be communicated, and media trends are also critically examined.

On a Friday at the end of October 2022, the students of the Anna-Freud-Schule – partner of Stadtraum!Plus – visited the URBAN NATION as part of their project lessons. Here they received a guided tour of the exhibition TALKING… & OTHER BANANA SKINS. The tour focussed on specific works of art inside of the eight chapters. Works that deal with the issues of discrimination, environment and climate as well as the real/digital world and Deep Fake. In doing so, the artists critically question the role of the media. Another highlight was the Martha Cooper Library, located in the museum. The class experienced a comprehensive and interesting introduction by the librarian. Finally, there was a joint discussion about the curator’s choice of works, the question of how to interpret art, and how to contextualize the exhibits. In the end and as part of Stadtraum!Plus, the class was able to meet an expert from the media industry after the visit.

Photo (Header): Hijack | Aurelio Schrey