MuRem

Content /Topic:

Learning App: Fleeing the Holocaust

“Fleeing the Holocaust. My encounter with refugees” – is an interactive app for teenagers (students). The app gives young people access to these historical experiences through the medium of film. It can be used both in the classroom and in youth work or individually. An informative manual is available for teachers. The app enables individual learning: students select a person, delve into individual aspects that interest them and create a personal album of their encounter. By sharing these results with someone and/or exchanging them in class, they learn from each other. They learn to bring memories together with historical documents as well as to look at both source-critically.

Function of the app

Students download the app onto their computer, tablet or smartphone. They are introduced to the topic and the upcoming encounter with one of five contemporary witnesses through a trailer. All the stories evolve around an escape from the Holocaust. The stories of escape vary widely: a precautionary escape, an escape out of persecution, or even during the death march of concentration camp prisoners. The escape may be brief or may be an odyssey leading all the way to China.

Students watch a video interview of about 20 minutes duration. The narrative is accompanied by short explanations and is divided into four aspects. Students choose two aspects that they want to explore in more depth. After watching the film, this leads them to documents and further information, with the help of which they open up the interview for themselves and formulate their own reflections on it.

The student’s engagement with the video interview and the documents is stored in a personal album. At the end of their work, after about two hours, they send their document to a person of their choice in the classroomand to their teacher. This album also serves as a basis for a joint evaluation and an exchange of thoughts.

Mode of use

The app can be used individually or in a class or group, outside or inside a framework given by the classroom. There it can be used in face-to-face lessons, in plenary (with a whiteboard) or in individual or partner work, furthermore in the “flipped classroom”, a combination of home and school work.

The versatile use is facilitated by an uncomplicated access. No internet connection is required during use. The documents for the teacher can be downloaded as PDF. They can also be made available to students. Furthermore, a French version of the app is also available.

Awards

In 2018, the app was awarded the “Worlddidac Award”. The jury of the Worlddidac Award wrote that “the history app is a particularly commendable product that is highly recommendable for use in schools”.

In 2022, the Austrian Ministry of Education awarded the app “Fleeing the Holocaust” the seal of approval for learning apps. With this proof of quality, the Ministry of Education recommends digital mobile learning apps to teachers, pupils and guardians. The award is based on an elaborate evaluation and certification process.

Target groups:

Students from the age of 14.

Method / Format:

Learning App.

Language(s) of the project:

German, French.