ZB Library of Zeeland has been organising Meet Ups in various forms, both physical and digital, for many years. In these Meet Ups, ZB highlights current developments and relevant social themes, which it discusses with experts and interested, engaged citizens. This is done in collaboration with the TV programme VPRO Tegenlicht, among others.
Initially, these Meet Ups focused on (young) adults and took place physically at various locations in Zeeland. Since the coronavirus pandemic, ZB has switched to a digital version of this format. During the same period, it entered into a collaboration with the television programme Het Klokhuis, as live streams have proven to be a valuable tool for both educational and social engagement.
The current format consists of a Klokhuis Meet Up via a live stream in which grades 6, 7 and 8 from schools throughout the Netherlands can participate. The collaboration with Het Klokhuis (NTR) is exclusive to ZB and unique in the Netherlands. For each edition, a presenter from Het Klokhuis visits ZB’s pop-up studio in Middelburg. Together, they invite relevant experts who, via a Teams connection, engage in conversation with the classes on a variety of topics, interspersed with excerpts from episodes of Het Klokhuis.
The interactive component is central. Children not only watch via the digital whiteboard, but also actively participate in the Meet Up. This is done through the participation of classes on the video wall in the studio, where they are visible on screen, or by submitting questions via videos or WhatsApp. All broadcasts guarantee high quality, both in terms of content and technology.
Reason and purpose of the project: the hybrid variant
With the development of a hybrid variant of the Klokhuis Meet Ups, pupils in grades 7 and 8 in Zeeland are given the opportunity to attend a live recording of the Meet Up in the ZB library studio. The aim of this project is to strengthen pupils’ media literacy and stimulate critical thinking, opinion forming and debate.
By actively involving pupils in the creation of a live recording, they gain insight into how media and journalism work. At the same time, they experience first-hand how a television programme is made and what choices play a role in this.
Implementation of the project
Thanks to a financial contribution from the Hurgronje Family Fund, seven school classes from Zeeland were able to participate in a Klokhuis Meet Up in the ZB studio in Middelburg. The contribution was used to provide bus transport for the participating schools and to adapt the studio technology so that a live audience could be present at four recordings in 2025. This support was essential to enable schools from all over Zeeland to participate and to ensure that the hybrid form of the Meet Ups could be realised technically and organisationally.
During the recordings, the pupils actively participate in the broadcast. They also get a behind-the-scenes look at television production: they meet the Klokhuis presenter, can ask questions, are given a tour of the studio and take a look inside the control room. The live visit ties in with subjects such as media literacy, orientation on yourself and the world (people and society) and Dutch language.
Participating schools and reach
The participating schools came from different parts of Zeeland. Classes from Sint Jansteen, Goes, Zaamslag, Middelburg, Nieuw- en Sint Joosland and Breskens, among others, took part. A total of seven school classes participated in the Klokhuis Meet Ups in the studio. In addition, many other classes watched via the live stream for each Meet Up. In total, more than a hundred classes followed the Meet Ups remotely.
Objectives and results
With the Klokhuis Meet Ups, ZB fulfils its library function of stimulating discussion and debate. By offering the programme to school classes, children from all over the Netherlands can engage in conversation with experts, actively contribute ideas and form their own opinions on current and social issues.
Topics that have already been covered include Keti Koti, AI, Peace of Mind, Democracy, Poverty, Stereotyping, Incentives, Journalism, Sugar, Learning to Learn and Screen Time. This helps pupils discover that a library is more than just a place to borrow books. On the ZB website, they can also find book titles that offer more in-depth information on the topics covered in the Meet Ups.
Feedback from schools and pupils
The feedback from participating schools has been very positive. Inghelosenberghe Primary School in Sint Jansteen reports that pupils learned a lot from the Meet Up on journalism and found it very enjoyable. De Aventurijn Primary School in Middelburg says that the class found the Meet Up on the theme of sugar an unforgettable experience.
Enthusiastic responses were also received about the Meet Ups on the themes of Learning to learn and Screen time. In addition, the rapid sign-ups — the available places are often fully booked within a short period of time — show that there is great interest in participating in this project.
Sustainable results
All Klokhuis Meet Ups remain available on the website of Het Klokhuis and ZB Library of Zeeland, where they can be viewed again. Schools and teachers regularly use these recordings, both for in-depth study and as supplementary teaching material. As a result, the reach and impact of the project continues to grow and the project has lasting educational value even after it has ended.
The Hurgronje Family Fund has made a financial contribution to this project.
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