Consumer education

The aim of the theme of media and technology literacy is to enhance learners' understanding and broader perception of the role and significance of media and technology in society.

Media literacy is an individual's ability to read and interpret and create texts using various media. It is part of life management skills, such as conscience, awareness and autonomy, and includes media cultural understanding and the ability to think independently and critically. Media literacy is a skill that develops throughout life.

Technological literacy is the ability to quickly adopt new technologies and understand the actual benefit offered by them as well as the ability to select those technologies which best correspond to one's own needs. 

Together, these skills encompass the consumer's ability to use and select technology in a critical manner for communication, work and travel, at home and during leisure time. They include the ability to participate and to understand and critically evaluate processes. They also cover the individual’s ability to navigate media environments skilfully and responsibly and to produce own content. 

Objectives

The learner selects, uses and critically evaluates technology and media and has a critical and responsible approach to new innovations, thus only adopting products and services that support sustainable development and general welfare. 

Learners will

• Understand consumers' dependency on technology and media and be able to critically evaluate their influence on lifestyle, society and the environment.
• Be aware of the economic and social factors influencing the media and the ways in which communication channels and the media operate.
• Interpret the different forms of media and be aware of commercial persuasion and new marketing techniques involved in the development of media and new digital solutions.
• Form justified opinions on the technological alternatives available to them.
• Be able to exercise the consumer’s freedom of choice, make use of open source software and understand the cost of technology and media.
• Be familiar with the basic characteristics of computer software, including the user interface, communication aspects and the programmability/adaptability of software.
• Know the consumer's rights and responsibilities, including copyright issues, and know how to act in a responsible and safe manner online. 

Core contents

• Consumer technology and the media environment
  • Consumers' position in society
  • Consumer-oriented innovations, consumer participation in the development and assessment of media and technology, consumer feedback, networking
  • Participation: equality between genders and age groups, forms of participation
  • Online media phenomena, social networking, networking services, micromedia, virtual worlds and games
  • Use of electronic communication as a tool of commerce and marketing and the marketing of media and technology, commercial persuasion / new marketing techniques
  • A critical approach towards the alternatives on offer and the interpretation of media content and consumer skills such as obtaining social information
     
• Choosing and using technology and media, participation
  • Critical assessment
  • Own needs vs. manufacturer/seller/advertiser needs
  • Consumer's freedom of choice (open source software, competition between suppliers)
  • Online shopping
  • Evaluating one's own technological environment, the compatibility of systems and different alternatives
  • Instructions for use and maintenance
  • Contracts
  • Copyright issues
  • Loss in value when buying trend technology
  • Use of technology and media in sustainable consumption (ecological footprint, reuse and recycling, energy labels, exporting waste)
  • Price awareness, carrying out transactions more effectively and conveniently
     
• Safety and control
  • Identifying online risks and responsibilities (fraud, identity theft, harassment)
  • Unsolicited marketing
  • Transactions and use of money online, data security, privacy protection
  • Binding contracts and entering into long-term contracts inadvertently (data transfer for e.g. downloading games or videos from the Internet on a mobile phone)
  • Budgeting, invoicing, long-term costs, balance limits, blocking services, itemised invoices, prepaid cards, cancelling a subscription for a connection or service
  • Additional services for devices, free services, liability services, blocking services, safety considerations
  • Keeping services and technical equipment up to date, time limits and costs