n-tv online, 27. September 2002  (translated from German)

"SaferSurf" at School
Pilot project in Leipzig

Leipzig is the first city in Germany that has tested a system that enables all schools to use the internet during lessons. "The pilot project showed that students can surf freely without being able to access morally damaging internet pages", said Thomas Hickfang of the media-pedagogical center (MPZ) when he presented the results of the test phase.

28 schools of all educational levels took part in the project "SaferSurf@School". The project is based on a real-time data filter for the net and an internet portal for the exchange of link collections that have been tested and documented. "Teachers were provided with a teaching aid that enables them to use the internet in a controlled and selective way", says Hickfang. Possibilities of use include free surfing as well as a topical use of the internet, filtering out viruses and certain files at the same time.

When "SaferSurf" was used for learning, students reached their objectives faster. After being sceptical at first, students accepted the system, says vocational school teacher Uwe Schubert. All colleagues at his school familiarized themselves with the system within a short time. "For the teachers it was important that they could decide which internet contents to release for the students", says Schubert.