Media education in Austria is a teaching principle which is embodied in the law. Slowly it is beginning to establish itself with the teaching profession; more and more teachers are now recognising the great social significance of the media, as well as the necessity of helping school children both to understand how the media function and to learn to use them for themselves in a meaningful way. In doing so some surprising discoveries have already been made, but sad limitations have also been recognised. On the one hand the media principally affect leisure time but, on the other, many of the activities of media education which relate to the school curriculum take place in the sphere of leisure time. Exploration of this problem area, as well as a clear definition of the concept of 'leisure time' is absolutely essential. It also requires an investigation into the relation between leisure time, the media, and school. For the purpose of an interdisciplinary scientific understanding, extending beyond the specific subjects concerned, it will become essential that in future the two pedagogic branches, leisure education and media education, work together, for example by active participation in the use of the media.
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