Field Trip Report
In the 'perfect working room
I was impressed by the offer of new media material that the Alfred-Wenger-School provides. It is an integrated school and widespread school with several buildings, located in Hessen.
Mr. Schouler showed us all the important buildings and rooms, which are important for the work with new media. He answered all the questions we asked him and only by his telling explanations about the topic, Mr. Schouler answered most of the questions by himself. At first I regarded this field trip as a necessity for this seminar, but I was positively surprised about the progress of that school and especially about the knowledge of Mr. Schouler about new media. He declared his work with the pupils and new media with so much enthusiasm and convincement that it was a pleasure to listen to him. Not only it was interesting, it was also very helpful and I really learned a lot about the work with new media in School. Also the equipment and how the Alfred-Wenger-School is equipped impressed me tremendously. In times when I attended school I could hardly imagine using smart boards, having a “Lernwerkstatt” like this and working with computers productively.
Another interesting point the teacher told us, have been the critics about new media. About the problems of expensive computers which are paid by the school and the deficiency of computer administrators that it is still a work which teachers have to do. And also that it is not very easy to work with pupils in computer rooms for example in language lessons that there is no opportunity for plenum exercises. Many negative points he mentioned have its origin in problems with money and organisation.
The most important facts Mr. Schouler told us were the reactions of the pupils on the usage of new media. For example the advantage that the pupils have the learning progress based on a higher self-sufficiency when they use new media in school. And that new media promotes the ability to reinforce communication between the pupils and the pupils and the teachers.
Although the opinion of the teachers towards the usage of new media in the classroom is divided, Mr. Schouler laid emphasis on the right usage of authentic new media material at the right moment. He approves that the best medium is the one which is ready the quickest in special moment!
For me the field trip to the Alfred-Wenger-School in Kirchhain with the guided tour of Mr. Schouler was a unique opportunity to get an impression of the new media in school and how they deal with it.
Mr. Schouler showed us all the important buildings and rooms, which are important for the work with new media. He answered all the questions we asked him and only by his telling explanations about the topic, Mr. Schouler answered most of the questions by himself. At first I regarded this field trip as a necessity for this seminar, but I was positively surprised about the progress of that school and especially about the knowledge of Mr. Schouler about new media. He declared his work with the pupils and new media with so much enthusiasm and convincement that it was a pleasure to listen to him. Not only it was interesting, it was also very helpful and I really learned a lot about the work with new media in School. Also the equipment and how the Alfred-Wenger-School is equipped impressed me tremendously. In times when I attended school I could hardly imagine using smart boards, having a “Lernwerkstatt” like this and working with computers productively.
Another interesting point the teacher told us, have been the critics about new media. About the problems of expensive computers which are paid by the school and the deficiency of computer administrators that it is still a work which teachers have to do. And also that it is not very easy to work with pupils in computer rooms for example in language lessons that there is no opportunity for plenum exercises. Many negative points he mentioned have its origin in problems with money and organisation.
The most important facts Mr. Schouler told us were the reactions of the pupils on the usage of new media. For example the advantage that the pupils have the learning progress based on a higher self-sufficiency when they use new media in school. And that new media promotes the ability to reinforce communication between the pupils and the pupils and the teachers.
Although the opinion of the teachers towards the usage of new media in the classroom is divided, Mr. Schouler laid emphasis on the right usage of authentic new media material at the right moment. He approves that the best medium is the one which is ready the quickest in special moment!
For me the field trip to the Alfred-Wenger-School in Kirchhain with the guided tour of Mr. Schouler was a unique opportunity to get an impression of the new media in school and how they deal with it.
The 'Lernwerkstatt' with library, working rooms and computer
The Alfred-Wenger-School grounds with its Mensa in the background
The famous and notorious smart board
Controlling the students via buttons
