Digital Learning: An Elephant Road Test
didacta – The educational summit in Hanover (Photo: Patrizia Barba)
14 February 2012
An interactive whiteboard instead of a chalkboard, apps instead of books – those who want to learn German have a number of electronic aids at their disposal today. The motto of the Goethe-Institut at this year’s didacta is “digital education”. By Patrizia Barba
An elephant is going around the world. Not just any elephant, but our likeable blue friend from the Sendung mit der Maus. The WDR programme that has existed since 2007 is called Die Sendung mit dem Elefanten (The Show with the Elephant) and with it, the Goethe-Institut and the WDR developed foreign language learning materials. It helps children all over the world improve their German skills in a playful and very humorous way. The Goethe-Institut is presenting the programme at didacta 2012 in Hanover and put it to a practical test in a workshop.
Europe’s largest educational fair from 14 until 18 February is not only about elephants, though, but also about issues that are the focus of the Goethe-Institut’s educational work: How can a contemporary advanced teacher training be designed? How well do Europe’s pupils master foreign languages? And what is the future of learning in general?
Interactive presentations of learning aids, panel discussions about the quality of various educational systems, language testing and a press breakfast – the Goethe-Institut’s programme is diverse and always aims at fair visitors’ taking part. That is what conveying knowledge is all about. Visitors are invited to try out various multimedia forms of teaching and learning. Whether a computer game on the desktop, a language app on a tablet or smart phone or the interactive whiteboard increasingly used in the classroom – there are many digital pathways to the German language.
In the context of the Goethe-Institut’s programme initiative German at 1000 Schools, one of our Indian partner schools, Delhi Public School Rohini, will take part in the opening of didacta with a dance play. Excerpts from the play Ananya – The Incomparable will be performed as an homage to Rabindranath Tagore, the first Asian Nobel prizewinner and one of the most significant Indian poets of modern times.
The Goethe-Institut is in hall 16, booth D34.
