Early childhood education plays a crucial role in children's development. STEM education in particular (in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology) offers an excellent opportunity to encourage the youngest children's spirit of discovery and familiarise them with basic scientific concepts in a playful way.
At the end of November, the Alte Schmelz STEM campus in St. Ingbert hosted an exciting training programme dedicated entirely to the use of digital media in early childhood education. Under the title "Tablet, robot, digital magnifying glass & co - digital educational tools for research and experimentation in the daycare centre", the participating educational specialists gained practical insights into the world of modern technologies for daycare centre practice.
The event, organised by MINT-Campus and specialist advisor Jelena Wagner (AQuiS) as part of the state's Sprach-Kitas programme, aimed to provide professionals with practical methods. At the same time, it provided a platform to get to know important institutions and players in STEM education in the Saarpfalz district and to establish networks.
The workshop impressively illustrated how enriching digital educational tools are for encouraging a spirit of discovery. With tablets, apps, robots and digital magnifying glasses, children can explore phenomena from nature, maths and technology in an exciting way. At the same time, linguistic, cognitive and social skills are strengthened. This combination of the analogue and digital worlds shows how modern technology can support educational work in daycare centres.
The participants had the opportunity to try out a variety of digital tools. The interactive picture books, Wi-Fi microscopes and apps that playfully introduce children to mathematical concepts were particularly impressive. Robots such as Bee Bot, Cubetto and Photon, which were provided by the Saarpfalz District Media Centre for the training course, were also in the spotlight, offering intuitive and playful approaches to promoting an understanding of shapes, quantities and numbers. The direct application of the technologies made it clear how easily and effectively digital media can be integrated into educational work.
One participant reported: "It's fascinating to see how easily the children can use these devices. The variety of tools presented inspires me to incorporate digital media into my daycare centre routine." The consistently positive response to the event shows that the professionals are open to new methods and technologies.
In addition to the practical learning experiences, a declared aim of the event was to promote the networking of daycare centres from the Saarpfalz district with the Alte Schmelz STEM campus and the Saarpfalz district media centre. Through these direct contacts, the participants not only gained valuable expertise, but also access to regional resources that support their work with children in the long term.
The cooperation between the specialist counselling service for language daycare centres and the Alte Schmelz STEM campus has already produced several successful events. On 24 June 2024, for example, the "Worlds of Discovery for Minis" workshop took place, which focused specifically on language education through experimentation for nursery children. Here, the professionals learnt how experiments and observations can support language development and encourage children's curiosity. These approaches are based on the latest findings in developmental psychology and brain research.
On 7 June 2024, daycare centre managers and specialists from the Saarpfalz district's language daycare centres visited the STEM campus to get to know the modern laboratories and their possible applications. Under the guidance of Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Hempelmann and Mr Litschko, they were able to discover the potential of digital microscopy and other STEM offerings. The enthusiasm of the participants emphasises the added value of such visits.
The aim of the cooperation is to establish the campus as a central contact point for early childhood STEM education in the Saarpfalz district. Regular workshops, visits and events are designed to get children interested in scientific topics at an early age. This not only encourages children's curiosity, but also strengthens the expertise of the specialists.
District Administrator Dr Theophil Gallo commented: "These events show how cooperation at regional level can shape education in an innovative and future-oriented way. The combination of theory and practice, paired with a strong network, is a key to the further development of early childhood education."
Information on the state programme Sprach-Kitas:
The Saarland Ministry of Education and Culture is strengthening everyday language education, inclusive pedagogy, cooperation with families and digitalisation in daycare centres with the state's Sprach-Kitas programme. As part of the programme, the additional half-time specialist position in the daycare centres and the positions of specialist advisors for language daycare centres are financed.