Digitization as the key to success
Project competition 2021
Digitization as the key to success: this motto no longer applies only to companies, but also to educational institutions and associations. They offer children and young people as well as senior citizens the opportunity to get to know digital technologies in a fun way or to find creative solutions to everyday problems. We are supporting this development with this year's project competition. "As a system provider for packaging solutions, we work with our customers every day on complex automated and networked industrial applications," explains Managing Director Simone Mosca. "That's why we know exactly how important it is to work confidently with digital technologies. We want to specifically promote this with the seventh edition of our project competition." Although the focus of the project competition has changed, one thing remains the same: the €10,000 prize will once again be awarded to projects from the local area this year.
Funded projects
Friends of the Bildungshaus Am Römer
Media education
The Förderverein Bildungshaus Am Römer e.V. has set itself the goal of promoting the education and upbringing of children in such a way that they are optimally prepared for the challenges of life. This also includes media education - the children are taught that media and media reality exist and they learn to deal with media in a playful way. There are many different ways to teach them about media: painting on the computer, taking photos with a digital camera and then editing the images, creating a slideshow, recording group songs, computer crafts and much more. In order to be able to implement these measures, however, the appropriate technical equipment is required. A new learning tablet and a smartphone for using apps are intended to support educational activities. A new router will also ensure faster internet.
Clemens Brentano School
Technical accessories
The Clemens Brentano School in Neckarelz had already embarked on a journey towards digitalization before the pandemic: a smartboard is already in frequent use in the elementary school, as is a class set of iPads, which ensured the availability of digital learning opportunities, tasks and online conferences for the children in emergency care even in times of school closures. However, in order to be able to continue using the iPads in lessons, there is a lack of accessories: keyboards for writing exercises in the upper classes, pens for writing exercises in the first classes and headphones for learning apps with sound are of great importance. These could now be purchased thanks to the support of the project competition.
Rainbow Protestant Kindergarten
Digital media & nature experiences
The Regenbogen Protestant Kindergarten Eberbach has set itself the goal of promoting children's language development through play and encouraging them to use media responsibly in the project "Children, digital media and experiencing nature". Nature is the ideal development space for children: here they can use all their senses to experience their environment. The kindergarten would like to use tablets to record these sensory impressions. The pictures will then be used for language development afterwards. For example, in the "Change of perspective" project, in which objects are viewed from different perspectives and described using prepositions. In this way, the children have the opportunity to experience individual language development in small groups.
The Hector Children's Academies offer particularly gifted and highly talented primary school children a support program developed for them in addition to regular school lessons, which goes far beyond the regular lesson content. The courses focus on the STEM subjects (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology). The courses on offer are designed to promote the interests and talents of the children and create intellectual and social challenges.
The "flying computer room" project focuses primarily on the subject of computer science. With the help of laptops, it should be possible to offer the courses anywhere in future and to flexibly design projects such as "programming Lego robots".
Diedesheim elementary school
iPads
As a reference school for media education, the Diedesheim elementary school has been integrating digital media into lessons since 2016. Until now, a computer room has been used for this purpose. However, in order to be able to use digital media even more flexibly in lessons, the school would like to purchase two iPads. This will allow teaching projects to be carried out outside of the computer room, such as the use of self-created images, video recordings or audio recordings.
Minneburg School Neckargerach
Bee-Bot Sets
The Minneburg School in Neckargerach is already well advanced in terms of digitalization: All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards and document cameras, each teacher has their own laptop and the school has a stable WLAN as well as 32 student tablets or laptops. In the area of programming and robotics, more than four kits are available with which classes 3 and 4 can build simple robots and program their movements using an app. However, as programming using the "Scratch" programming language is still too difficult for Years 1 and 2, but they still want to be introduced to the subject, the school would like to purchase so-called Bee-Bot sets. These are small robots in the shape of a bee that can be programmed to move by pressing buttons. In this way, the children are introduced to programming in a simple way and are well prepared for later projects in the field of programming.
NOK traffic watch
Laptops & projectors
The "Helle Köpfe - Mir geht ein Licht auf" project is now in its tenth year. Pupils in year 4 meet up with their own bicycles, parents and teachers at the Neckarelz or Buchen traffic training area. In the dark, the children complete a skills course to make them aware of how little they can see in the dark despite having a bicycle light. This is followed by a demonstration by the employees of the NOK traffic watch in which the important role of reflectors on bicycles, clothing and helmets is impressively demonstrated. By using a laptop and a projector, the children could be presented not only verbally and practically - as before - but also visually.
Losing your fear of the Internet and technology and gaining confidence in using computers and smartphones - that is the aim of the "Online mentors - seniors and the Internet" project run by the multi-generation house in Mosbach. The coronavirus pandemic in particular has shown that the internet can be an important means of keeping in touch with the outside world. Through a mentoring program, senior citizens receive direct and individual 1:1 support with questions relating to digital media. In addition to this program, the multi-generation house is planning further interactive training sessions, with a smart board providing valuable support.