The strategic project "Zukunftslernort Oberlausitz" (ZukLOS) of the University for Future initiative of the university management is taking shape.
On May 31, 2023, 28 pupils and eight teachers from Zittau and Görlitz took part in a joint workshop at Celzius, the Co-Creation Lab of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. Together with two HSZG students, they actively designed the region's extracurricular learning spaces as part of the "STEM teaching and learning spaces of the future learning location Oberlausitz" workshop. The event enabled the participants to contribute their creative ideas and thus help shape the educational landscape of Upper Lusatia.
The"Future Learning Location Upper Lusatia" project aims to create diverse and innovative learning environments in the extracurricular STEM sector. The aim is to establish locations that provide future-oriented and regionally relevant offerings. The project focuses on four main areas (see Fig. 1). The university plans to significantly increase the regional attractiveness for families and young people with the approach of action-oriented and cross-generational programs, specifically aimed at children and young people in Upper Lusatia.
To kick off the workshop, Prof. Dr. Sophia Keil, Vice-Rector for Education and International Affairs, presented the ZukLOS project to the pupils, teachers and students in attendance and explained the aims of the STEM workshop. The participants then explored the future premises of the Juniorakademie Zittau and the DLR_School_Lab Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz at the Mandau-Höfe together to gather inspiration for the development of ideas.
In four working groups, pupils, teachers and students then developed their ideas and visions for the design of the teaching and learning spaces for all four fields of action:
At the Junior Academy Zittau with the DLR_School_Lab Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz, the students would like a modern laboratory area with experimental islands made of flexible furniture, for example with height-adjustable tables and chairs. The media supply with electricity and gas should be provided via a ceiling installation so as not to restrict freedom of movement at the experiment stations. A computer corner and a bookshelf with target group-appropriate literature on the thematic focus of the individual experiments (e.g. specialist books, learning and workbooks, OER, ...) are suggested for planning and carrying out the experiments as independently as possible and for subsequent evaluation.
From the point of view of the pupils and teachers, the Görlitz experimental house should be designed as timelessly as possible in the Bauhaus style. The furnishings should be characterized by simplicity and a flexible room concept to specifically support learning with all the senses. In addition, the students also designed a quiet room that can be used for individual learning and resting. At the center of the experimental house will be an input area reminiscent of a Greek amphitheater or lecture hall, which will help to create a space "[...] where many people can absorb a lot of knowledge quickly [...]", according to one student in the working group.
For example, the mobile learning location has a trailer with a technology and chemistry section, a quiet corner with a couch, bookshelf, carpet and colorful RGB lighting. The mobile STEM lab is powered by the solar system on the roof of the trailer.
As part of the Campus 4 You field of action, a green classroom with a makerspace will be created in Zittau. In this working group, the pupils discussed their design proposals together with the two students and then fleshed them out.
Hammocks and seating under trees were to be provided for the future users (pupils, students, local residents, etc.) of the green classroom. The installation of beehives was recommended to promote biodiversity. The makerspace, where learning together will also be possible in less favorable weather, should be set up "[...] like a small workshop with permanently installed machines such as 3D printers and lathes [...]".
After the lunch break, Ms. Krauße, education officer at the Landesverband Sächsischer Jugendbildungswerke e. V. (LJBW), presented the "Make Your School - Eure Ideenwerkstatt" project to teachers and interested HSZG employees. The project offers pupils the chance to help shape their school and try their hand at programming, tinkering and crafting with the support of experienced mentors. The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is aiming to become a network partner of "Make Your School" in order to be able to hold hackdays at schools in Upper Lusatia in the future.
The ZukLOS team would like to thank the pupils, teachers and students of the HSZG for their great ideas, which will help to create modern and innovative extracurricular learning spaces in Upper Lusatia. The Christian-Weise-Gymnasium, Oberschule an der Weinau, Richard-von-Schlieben Oberschule and Park-Oberschule from Zittau as well as Augustum-Annen-Gymnasium from Görlitz took part in the workshop.
Our special thanks go to Dr. Dr. Suhr, responsible for communication and education at Hohenloher Spezialmöbelwerk, for leading the workshop and to Mr. Metzger from the D.Network agency.
We would also like to thank Ms. Krauße from the Landesverband Sächsischer Jugendbildungswerke e. V. for presenting the project and the "Make Your School" material kit.
For their active support in preparing the workshop, we would like to thank the numerous employees of the HSZG in the Department of Technology and Facility Management, in the Co-Creation Lab Celsiuz and especially Mr. Vogel from the Institute of Process Engineering, Process Automation and Measurement Technology (IPM) and Mr. Schreiter from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Further information on the ZukLOS project, the four fields of action and the status of work can be found here: https://zuklos.hszg.de/
Information on the "Make Your School" project can be found on the following websites, among others:
https://www.makeyourschool.de/
https://www.ljbw.de/de/specials/hackdays-mit-und-fuer-make-your-school.html
