The Groß-Gerau vocational schools are recognized as a digital school by the “MINT – Creating the Future” initiative.
A look into a tablet class at the Groß-Gerau vocational school, which has been recognized as a digital school.
(Photo: Gruen / Berufliche SchulenGG)
GROß-GERAU – The important role that innovative digitality plays in the German education system became clear at the latest due to the corona pandemic. In order to motivate schools to further expand their digital profile, the “MINT – Creating the Future” initiative has launched the “Digital School” award. Under the patronage of the Minister of State for Digitization, Dorothee Bär, 19 schools from Hessen were awarded this title in an online event at the end of October, including the Gross-Gerau vocational schools (BSGG).
“As vocational schools, we have the task of preparing our students for the professional world, in which digitization is indispensable,” agree school director Martin Gonnermann, educational director Sylvia Mazurek and director of studies Sabine Kämpf. “Digitization does not only mean equipping the students with hardware, but also using things sensibly and teaching them how to handle them critically,” says Kämpf. The BSGG have set “Education in the digital world” as a focus in their school program and set themselves the goal of achieving uniform digital equipment for all teachers and students.
Due to the lockdown in March, people learned more digitally and were prepared for another lockdown with the provision of 220 tablets as part of the Corona immediate equipping program.
FURNISHING
Each classroom has a computer, projector and a document camera. (cel)
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In the 2019/20 school year, the first tablet class started at the vocational high school. Up until now, the pupils had to bring their own devices with them. “It would be desirable for all pupils to have a device with the electronic school bag provided by the school administration that they can take home with them,” says Sabine Kämpf. For the students, digital learning represents added value, but it still has to be carefully tested and monitored.
“Not everything goes digital, for many competencies you still need face-to-face interaction,” Kämpf is convinced. Working groups in the fields of robotics, 3D printing, web programming, website development and participation in IT competitions are additional offers in the field of digital education that the school creates.
Those responsible note that the role of teachers has changed over the years. Teachers would go from imparting knowledge to learning coaches, as knowledge is now freely available on the Internet and the teacher no longer has a monopoly on knowledge, ”explains Kämpf. Current challenges in digitization are primarily the lack of resources for maintaining and servicing the existing devices. The transition from the classic teaching media textbooks, worksheets and blackboard to explanatory videos, document sharing, podcasts and video chats also require a lot of motivation, time and training. Nevertheless, the school management and department heads are certain: “The paperless school is the future”.
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