On February 24, 2026, Sonja Gabriel (coordinator) and Jasmin Wallner (doctoral candidate) attended the 9th Annual Conference on Research at the North-East Association of University Colleges of Education at the University College of Agricultural and Environmental Education (HAUP). The theme of this year’s conference was: Science / Environment / Health. Complexity – Interconnectedness – Sustainability.
Together they presented the contribution “AI Literacy and Democracy: The Ability of School and University Students to Act in the Digital Information Space” (title translated from German into English). Building on Jasmin Wallner’s dissertation they discussed how generative AI is fundamentally changing the digital information space and thus the search for information and what risks this poses for democracy.
In addition, Jasmin Wallner together with Helmut Pecher and Barbara Römisch presented findings from the Schooltools research and development project. In their presentation entitled “Teacher training for a resilient future: How media education promotes reflective skills” (title translated from German into English) they provided empirical insights into professionalization processes and emphasized the importance of reflective skills for sustainable teacher training in the context of media education.
Sonja Gabriel also contributed two further presentations: Together with Pauline Zabransky and Lisa Bruckner she presented the research project “Co-DesAIgn! Students as protagonists in the discussion about AI in schools” (title translated from German into English). Together with Jennifer Jakob (Vice Rector for Teaching and Studies at KPH Vienna/Lower Austria), Michaela Liebhart-Gundacker and Elisabeth Zissler she presented the project “AI:Media: Ethics: University College Teachers between Opportunities, Fears and Responsibility” (title translated from German into English).
The contributions will be published in a conference proceedings volume. This will make the discussions initiated at the annual conference accessible to academia and practitioners beyond the event itself.
