In the context of family support programmes, digital media is currently seen as having great potential to increase the accessibility of families, to stabilize a trusting partnership and to make educational services for families more flexible. In terms of educational practice, however, it is clear that digital media in German daycare centers is still comparatively rarely used. In addition to an inadequate digital infrastructure, a possible lack of skills among professionals with regard to the use of digital media must be taken into account. Due to these points, the Standing Scientific Commission of the KMK recently recommended comprehensive qualification strategies for digital media education in early education (SWK, 2022).

The Chair of Early Childhood Education at the University of Bamberg is therefore developing an advanced training course with the aim of enabling stakeholders in the early childhood education system to recognize the potential of digital media for effective parent collaboration in everyday life, to gain confidence in using digital devices and to reduce the workload through the efficient use of digital media. Components of the curriculum include digital variants of traditional methods of collaboration, such as development discussions or parents' evenings, as well as additional digital options (e.g. the virtual daycare center) and digital variants of parent education in the sense of a digital family center (e.g. the dissemination of apps for parents to support the linguistic development of their children). In addition, the motivational requirements of the participants are addressed and reflected upon in order to overcome fears and barriers to using digital media in particular. Technical knowledge is imparted on how to use digital media sensibly. The project also addresses the connection between (unsuccessful) cooperation with families and emotional exhaustion of professionals and integrates components of the prevention of mental exhaustion. The defined target group is made up of various players in early education practice. As far as possible, specialist advisors at the provider level as well as daycare center managers and early childhood education specialists at the facility level should take part so that networking between the participants can be facilitated in the form of working groups.

In the beginning, a 1.5-day workshop is held to develop key content and analyze the initial situation of the professionals, the facilities and the provider. Based on this analysis of the initial situation, a guided practical and testing phase follows in which the participants develop and implement a method of digital parent collaboration or a parent education approach. This phase is supported by individualized feedback and reflection and exchange phases via a digital platform. Progress is documented in parallel via a project diary. The project diary is also used to monitor work-related well-being. Finally, a further 1.5-day workshop takes place in which the practical phase is evaluated, methods of participatory evaluation are developed and further methods for the sustainable anchoring of digital parent collaboration and parent education in daycare facilities (e.g. implementation in the pedagogical concept of the facility) are developed.

In total two years: May 2023 until April 2025.

The project "Do it digital and healthy!" is funded by the European Union.