Symposium on the use of mobile devices in school contexts with workshops on Schullogin and password managers

The use of mobile devices such as tablets is becoming increasingly important in schools. In order to support advisors and teachers in elementary and special schools in the sensible use of these devices, the Saxon State Ministry of Education and Culture (SMK) organized the third Tablet Day at the Media Education Center in Meißen.

This took place on March 9 under the direction of Ute Pfeil from the SMK and aimed to support teachers and subject advisors in testing mobile devices and to provide them with basic knowledge in the area of data protection and data security as well as the handling of the Schullogin. On-site instructors were Dr. Gregor Damnik and Malte Krone from the Center for Teacher Education and Educational Research at the TU Dresden.

In a workshop on the Saxon identity management system Schullogin, the central entry portal for digital services at Saxon schools was first presented. Afterwards, the participants were able to try out the connected services (e.g. file storage [Nextcloud], Etherpad, MUNDO) and discuss possible application scenarios using mobile devices in small groups. Finally, the participants discussed the necessary prerequisites for the success of a digital transformation of school and classroom activities in a larger group.

In another workshop on data protection and data security, participants were introduced to the use of password managers and their advantages over insecure methods of securing passwords. For example, using such a tool for various online services allows to create and manage strong and unique passwords. The participants then installed and configured a password manager on their mobile device under guidance and then familiarized themselves with its operation.

The response of the participants and the still great demand for application-oriented, practical training on digital media in the classroom mean that the SMK, in collaboration with the MPZ Meißen, is planning a new edition of the tablet specialist day for the coming year.