Teaching and learning in the inventor's workshop of technology didactics - students of the vocational high school develop creative solutions in automation technology

At the end of the semester, a group of students from the Richard von Weizsäcker Vocational College in Paderborn and their teachers Kerstin Moeschke and Anna Japs visited the Inventors' Workshop of the Department of Technology Didactics at the University of Paderborn. Outside of traditional lessons, they were able to work on technical issues and at the same time get a taste of "university air". Under the supervision of students, the 25 students from Class 11 of the Vocational High School of Engineering and Computer Engineering developed solutions to tricky tasks in automation technology: they sorted and stamped packages, found metal chips in chocolate candies and production errors in doorstops.  They used the programmable MecLab® stations from Festo Didactic with their pneumatic and electric actuators and sensors.

One student summed up the morning as follows: "It's cool to work on a real project. Not just solving a math problem, but working on a real, technical problem." The supervising teachers were also enthusiastic: "It's unbelievable how motivated the students are on the penultimate day of school before the vacations. We'll be happy to come back!"

The Inventors' Workshop is a project of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Katrin Temmen, head of the Department of Technology Didactics. The facility offers technical equipment and space for subject didactic events for student teachers in the vocational subjects of electrical engineering and mechanical engineering technology for vocational college. While the students gain insights into the working methods of engineers through experimentation, the student teachers try out their previously planned, action-oriented learning scenarios and thus gain valuable teaching skills for their future careers.