How the required skills of future employees are trained is hardly anchored in the rigid German education system. Meanwhile implementation of individual competences in connection with media use or in connection with STEM subjects has already taken place. However, STE(A)M education is still in its very early infancy in the German education system. Some actions and initiatives are already visible for kindergarten and pre-school, but for primary, secondary and high school STEAM is not anchored in German educational system. In contrast, a considerable number of non-formal educators and initiatives offer a wide range of STE(A)M educational opportunities.

Nationwide initiatives on STEM and Arts

The digitisation is already demanding that education policy focuses on broader skills – especially the 21st Century Skills – communication, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration.

Even if the education policy level has not yet shown any efforts for the implementation of a STE(A)M framework, some initiatives that can be linked to STE(A)M education are visible in Germany.

In the nationwide initiative “Code your Life“, children and young people experience the connection between algorithms and artificial image creation or create music. “We encourage the imagination and creative use of programming tasks by teaching children and young people to use our Turtle application to define geometric shapes and algorithmic sequences that produce artistic images,“ explains Jutta Schneider, Project manager of “Code your Life”. In recent years, around 300,000 children and young people were involved in activities as well as their teachers and educators which are trained in using and preparing the coding activities. A comprehensive range of teaching materials, online tutorials and teacher training courses are part of the offer.

The combination of art with technology, mathematics and computer science is made visible every year by the award and the associated exhibition Der Deutsche Multimedia Preis mb21 (German multimedia Award mb21). Children and young people from different age groups submit their own creative multimedia ideas and products like creative blogs, sound combinations for the city of the future or painting music by using artificial intelligence. At the annual media festival, the winners’ objects are exhibited, they can be viewed and tried out by the audience. For example, 3D printers can be used to make imaginative or useful things, soldering irons can be used to repair or reassemble technology, and artistic designs can be created.

Helpful STEM structures

STE(A)M education is not yet structurally anchored in the German education system, but for more than 14 years, STEM education has been a central issue in Germany at civil society and political level. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research published the STEM Action Plan in 2019 and defined four fields of action: STEM education for children and young people, STEM professionals, opportunities for girls and women in STEM, and STEM in society.

It would also be possible to access the structure of the previously established STEM networks, which have already created local bodies for STEM education and training and support educational institutions such as kindergartens and schools in exploring and discovering the world of mathematics, IT, science and technology with children and young people.

The aim of these measures is to secure skilled workers in Germany and to promote female employees in technical and scientific fields. There are already numerous civil society initiatives, ranging from the early childhood sector – Stiftung Haus der kleinen Forscher (House of Little Researchers Foundation), through pre-schools and primary schools – awarding STEM-friendly schools – to STEM regions for secondary schools.

STEM Education in Germany

The foundation “Haus der kleinen Forscher” promotes STEM activities for very young children and promotes the natural urge to research. With local players in over 200 local networks, it supports educational professionals in kindergartens with ideas and training to support and awaken interest for STEM education in children.

But even in the area of STEM education, German secondary schools do not provide cross-curricular schooling on the one hand and do not anchor individual STEM subjects on the other. The disciplines of engineering and computer science are not or only rudimentarily included in the educational plans of the Länder. Interdisciplinary lesson planning between several teachers takes place only rarely. The German learning and school structure, in which teachers conduct and organise lessons, leaves little room for interdisciplinary exchange between colleagues. “In an international comparison, Germany has a relatively high number of teaching hours – up to 28 compared to 15-18 hours in China, for example. This leaves little room for further training or for the development and implementation of interdisciplinary learning opportunities in German schools,” said Dr. Ekkehard Winter, Co-speaker of Nationales MINT Forum (National STEM Forum).

Dr Ekkehard Winter (image – Andres Süß/NFM)

National STEM Forum

One of the central tasks of the National STEM Forum (Nationales MINT Forum, NMF) is to provide impetus for strengthening STEM education in Germany at federal, state and municipal level. The members of the NMF – 30 renowned institutions from science, business and the foundation sector – are involved, for example, in linking school and extracurricular activities in more than 130 STEM regions. These are networks that create locally appropriate, centrally coordinated and sustainably effective offers along the entire education chain in the STEM subjects. Project days, researcher workshops and labs, teacher training and teaching materials are common offerings for those responsible for education. With Parliamentary Evenings or the annual National STEM Summit, the NMF stimulates political debates and addresses key demands to education policy decision-makers. But what about the connection between Art and STEM? Dr. Ekkehard Winter sees this as a broadening of perspectives also with regard to the demands on the workforce in a digitalised working environment. In a working group, the NMF now wants to develop recommendations on how cooperation across subject boundaries can be successful and thus stimulate the debate on STE(A)M education in Germany.

The European project STEAMonEdu

The current project STEAMonEdu initiates a discussion on the STE(A)M educational and competence framework for pedagogical training. In addition, a MOOC and an online-supported in-service training course will illustrate examples of good practice and STE(A)M learning activities to educational staff, teachers. A European STE(A)M community provides impulses for the establishment of STE(A)M education. Helliwood media & education (21^st CCC) is the German consortium partner and is responsible for the implementation of the project in Germany. With its experience in implementing media education and offering activities for children and youth within nationwide educational initiatives, it will create and support the German STE(A)M Community.

by Katrin Schuberth, Helliwood media & education

While the world is affected by COVID-19 lockdowns and physical distancing, online communication and its content are growing. For many it is the only way to stay in contact with friends, family, and colleagues. The goal is to work together and to show that something is happening in times when it is essential to share social proximity to respect distance rules. Thus, media usage has increased worldwide since the corona virus spread to all continents. 45% of people spend more time on messaging services such as WhatsApp, Facebook, etc. and, according to Statista, 67% see more news coverage.

In the meantime, the educational sector has had to react to closures and the abandonment of personal activities. For many responsible institutions like schools and learning centres or persons like teachers, students and parents, it is challenging to find a way to adapt to the individual situations of the learners.

In the field of STE(A)M education, many activities for children have been put online in Germany. The German STEM Alliance, including more than 50 strong STEM partners, provided online games and educational ideas to promote children’s STEM skills during the corona shutdown. For the first time, these STEM organisations join their educational forces online under the umbrella of the Federal Ministry of Research and Education.

Our STEAMonEdu partner Helliwood media & education participates in the STEM Alliance with coding activities, which are offered several times a week in video streams for children. They also provide many videos about artificial intelligence and future skills and gave teachers tips for remote learning.

Currently, German pupils can participate in the Blockhelden award of the Code Your Life initiative, where groups can code together in the digital world of Minecraft Education. The aim of the award is to promote the students’ ideas for innovative solutions to pandemic crises. The best ideas will be awarded at the end of June.

By Helliwood media & education

Featured image – Greenwall video shoot at Helliwood media & education

The lockdown caused by COVID-19 in spring 2020 in Germany posed big challenges for everyone, including the education sector, and brought many changes for children and youth: distance regulations, meeting only a few friends, hardly any sports, etc. In May and June 2020, STEAMonEdu partner organisation Helliwood media & education looked ahead with the world’s first Minecraft Award Block Heroes and asked children and young people to transform the future with the help of Minecraft: Education Edition.

The task was to develop innovative, creative ideas that encourage and make our lives – with Coronavirus and in the future – easier and more enriching. A total of 141 children and young people aged 10-18 took part in the competition, organised between 25 May and 14 June 2020. Alone or in a team, the participants built their own Minecraft world and courageously created their future ideas with clever codes. However, it was not only about building with blocks, but also about programming agents. Agents are personal robots that only exist in the Minecraft: Education Edition and support the users in programming.

In the end, seven finalists managed to convince the jury with their ideas. For example, a game was built and programmed, in which you can create useful equipment, such as a protective mask, with small mini-games or tasks. In a submission by the youngest participant, a digital classroom was built, as well as parks, playgrounds, and buses, where the distance regulations can be observed.

On 24 June 2020, the Block Hero Final took place live with the finalists and the jury. You can check it out on YouTube

The Turtle Coding Box was released in June 2020 under the motto “Anyone can code”. Educators and teachers from German speaking countries will have the opportunity to use the already piloted teaching materials to carry out activities with students. The inclusive approach has been tested since 2015 and creates the prerequisites for all children – regardless of any impairment or special ability – to learn programming together. With the teaching material, teachers and other education managers start a basic course in computer science education with learners of eight years and older and discover the basics of programming using the programming language LOGO and the programming environment TurtleCoder.

The Turtle Coding Box consists of:

• the Turtle book as a manual with elaborated teaching units for programming
• the digital Turtle-Book supplemented with additional media, videos and templates for download and digital whiteboard pictures in a whiteboard player for teaching purposes
• an introduction to the didactic-methodological approach and differentiation possibilities for inclusive learning groups
• the programming App TurtleCoder with various assistance systems
• individual task cards for pupils for internally differentiated teaching
• Working materials for analogue programming and a portfolio booklet for the documentation of the learners’ work results
• Participation in a webinar for teachers and educators on the Turtle Coding Box with practical exercises in programming, an introduction to didactics and the presentation of possible applications in hybrid teaching situations.

Already 250 copies have been ordered by teachers nationwide. The STEAMonEdu partner organisation Helliwood media & education im fjs e.V. has already held several webinars in cooperation with Aktion Mensch to introduce the Turtle Coding Box. You are welcome to register here.

By Helliwood

10 and 11 March 2021 were the two days of inspiration and important insights into the topic of school transformation in Germany. At the German “Dialogforum Schultransform”, experts discussed the ways in which schools are tackling the subject of digital transformation and the steps they are taking to implement contemporary learning. More than 80 online participants added to the contributions and discussions by asking questions.

The thought-provoking panels were moderated by Dr. Anja Hagen (Bündnis für Bildung) and Thomas Schmidt (Helliwood media & education at fjs e.V.), who delved into topics such as visions and goals for the future, awareness, leadership or personnel development, and professionalisation. Moreover, the panel discussion touched upon school equipment as well as teaching and learning outside the classroom, and experts highlighted a number of noteworthy aspects regarding the process of school transformation.

The task of qualifying teachers goes hand in hand with networking in order to initiate a transformation process. As Ines Bieler from the University of Halle underlined, “Teacher qualification should be thought of as a network that spans multiple phases“.

A significant goal of school transformation is to prepare students for the challenges they will face in both their private and professional lives after leaving school. Thus, Prof. Dr. Uta Hauck-Thum (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität) emphasises that “School transformation means providing children and young people with real-life experiences that prepare them for current challenges.”

Some schools have already embarked on the path to transformation and recommend working holistically, involving colleagues, carrying out further training and demanding the necessary equipment from school authorities. More specifically, the process of moving towards contemporary learning, which is also relevant in STE(A)M-learning activities, can be successful through:

• Self-directed learning
• Interdisciplinary work
• Networking and cooperating with colleagues

Maria Kruse (Primary school teacher) appeals to the expectations teachers have of themselves and their motivation to provide good teaching by “enabling explorative learning for everyone, everywhere“.

The event was part of the German project “Schultransform”, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and conducted by Helliwood media & education at fjs e.V. and Bündnis für Bildung. The aim is to create an open and scalable platform through which schools and school authorities can evaluate their status in the digital transformation process and thus enter an exchange for further planning.

The implementation of the European STEAMonEdu project, for which Helliwood media & education at fjs e.V. is responsible in Germany, follows these approaches precisely. STE(A)M educators across Europe are currently networking on the STEAMonEdu platform and exchanging information on learning and teaching activities. The STE(A)M competence framework for educators in STE(A)M education, developed as part of the aforementioned project, offers a starting point for a contemporary qualification of educators.

By Helliwood

Men’s job, women’s job? – Job orientations are often challenging for young people and are carried with self-doubt, good or bad advice from adults, and taster offers, which are offered especially by companies and institutions that have high requirements for young people.

Since 2001, “Girls Day | Boys Day” is breaking typical stereotypes such as “This is only a job for men” or “Only women can do this” and changes the perspective towards a cliché-free job orientation. The day was initiated in 2001 and until 2010 it was for girls who should get the first insight into technical and scientific jobs. Since 2010, boys get the offer to get to know more about health and service jobs where men are underrepresented.

The aim of the day is to make job orientation easier for girls and boys and to get in touch with people who are against the typical stereotypes such as working as a woman in a “men’s job” and as a man in a “women’s job”. You can visit them in their daily work and question them directly and identify them as role models.

The annual Girls’Day has taken place in Germany since 2001. On this day, girls and women should get the motivation to try out technical and scientific jobs. Companies, organizations, and universities throughout Germany invite girls from the 5th grade and upwards to the Girls’Day who want to get to know the occupation. It highlights occupation training and courses of study in IT, crafts, sciences, and technology, in which women have been underrepresented so far so that girls can meet other female role models in leadership positions from business and politics. Through the day, the public becomes aware of the abilities of the girls, which opens new prospects for them and their future.

Boys’ Day has been decided since 2010 and in 2011 the first nationwide Boys’Day took place in Germany. Boys’Day follows the same purposes as Girls’ Day. On this day, boys get the opportunity to get to know jobs where women work in the majority. The aim is to support the cliché-free initiative and to establish a career and study choice free of gender clichés nationwide. There are a lot of job fields where male professionals and caregivers are searched for and are very welcome, for example in the field of social affairs, health, care, and education, especially where men are underrepresented.

Each year, Helliwood media & education participate at Girls Day and inspire girls for creative coding. This year we had the chance to present workshops for about 130 girls on April 22^nd. The TurtleCoder is a programming environment and with the help of a turtle, you get a first impression of programming. Programming plays an important role for the future in almost all professional fields with the use of computers and the Internet. With the motto “Everyone can code”, Helliwood media & education’s vision is that all children can learn to program, regardless of gender or disabilities. A major goal of Helliwood media & education is to spread this vision and to further encourage it in schools, companies, and other organizations.

By Helliwood

How we obtain information, shop, learn, communicate with each other, seek medical advice, or use public administration services – digitization is profoundly changing our everyday and professional lives. Everyone must be enabled to move confidently and securely, self-assuredly and self-determinedly in the digital world.

To this end, Germany’s digital association BITKOM established the annual Digitaltag, taking place on June 18th 2021.

The Digitaltag is a nationwide day of action designed to promote digital participation in society. On Digitaltag, various activities take place in Germany, such as seminars, workshops, open days and discussions on topics related to digitization. This is intended to discuss different aspects of digitization and make digital technologies understandable, tangible, and accessible to as many people in Germany as possible. Individuals, associations, companies, and public institutions can register actions and participate. Digitaltag was launched in 2019 by the “Digital for All” initiative and held for the first time on June 19, 2020, with over 1,400 actions registered. On the occasion of the Digitaltag, the initiative awards the prize for digital togetherness.

According to its own statements, the aim of the “Digital for All” initiative is to promote digital participation for all people and to accompany digitization trends with a cross-society dialogue. The initiative wants to ensure that all people find their way with digital technologies and in the digital space and are taken along with the developments. Therefore, on Digitaltag, people should be able to get in touch with digital solutions locally. In February 2021, the initiative published common guidelines for the promotion of digital participation. Accordingly, the initiative appeals for more participation of all social groups and more promotion of digital competencies and digital engagement.

To mark Digitaltag, the initiative is publishing a commissioned study on the topic of digital participation. The representative survey will map the attitudes toward digitization as well as the skills and use of digital technologies of more than 1,000 people over the age of 16.

Our project partner Helliwood media & education participated in the Digitaltag with digital and hybrid STE(A)M activities for teachers and students. Among other things, the event Einstein macht Schule located in Berlin was a great success. Here, renowned and young STEM scientists gave an insight into their fields of research to more than 300 students from secondary schools: Neurotechnology, textile design, space research and much more.

By Helliwood

Photo: @Helliwood, Christiane Herold

The handover of the funding certificates by Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek on May 18 marked the start of the establishment of the central “MINTvernetzt” office. MINTvernetzt is intended to bring together the numerous initiatives and players working to promote STEM education in Germany and to pool research findings. In addition to the MINT clusters, another central project of the MINT action plan is thus entering the implementation phase. The Federal Ministery of Education is providing 12 million euros for a period of up to eight years to finance the STEM-networking-center.

“MINTvernetzt” is being set up by an alliance of the Körber Foundation, the National MINT Forum, the Stifterverband, matrix gGmbH and the Chair of School Education at the University of Regensburg. The associated office will be located in Hamburg.

“MINTvernetzt” for more effectiveness in STEM education

There are numerous initiatives and actors that are implementing projects to strengthen STEM education in Germany with great commitment. “MINT-Vernetzt” offers a common platform to all already active and future actors in STEM education. To share their knowledge, to network with other partners from science, business and politics, but also from school education. The knowledge gained is shared with the general public in the sense of an open innovation project. This results in new impulses, more sustainability and more effectiveness for STEM education.

Gender sensitization

“MINTvernetzt” also aims to support the realization of even better educational opportunities for children and young people, addressing more diverse target groups. One focus of the STEM-networking-center is therefore on gender sensitization, i.e. the targeted sensitization of STEM-activists and -engaged persons for the special needs of girls and young women. To this end, MINTvernetzt continues the networking of partners in the “National Pact for Women in STEM Professions” and develops the work further together with the partners.

Networking with STEM Clusters and STEM Research

The STEM-networking-center will also involve STEM clusters in its networking work. With around 40 STEM clusters, the Federal Ministery of Education is supporting the nationwide expansion of extracurricular STEM education opportunities for children and young people. 22 regional STEM alliances have already started their work. Details can be found at: The STEM Clusters.

MINTvernetzt also aims to promote the transfer between science and practice. With this in mind, the networking center will process findings from STEM research, which the Federal Ministery of Education is intensifying with further funding.

STEM E-Platform

MINTvernetzt will set up a demand-oriented e-platform to enable IT-supported networking of STEM actors and digital forms of collaboration. A STEM-Data-Lab within the e-platform will provide statistical data, studies and research results.

Source: Press Release, 18.05.2021 MINT-Vernetzungsstelle

Picture credits:

@ Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany

@ Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Deutschland

By Helliwood