Rethinking Education

The shockwaves of the PISA study can still be felt at the International Trade Fair for Education and Training in Cologne. The "Program for International Student Assessment", released last year, compares the quality of education in different industrialized countries. It revealed that German students show weak reading skills and are doing worse in mathematics than students in other countries.

"Education is a key to the future," Gabriele Behler, Education Minister for the North Rhine-Westphalia state, said at the opening of the fair. But it was time for schools and education systems to "rethink" their structures and content.

Electronic learning

Exhibitors say German children need to be introduced to computers earlier and more persistently. The computer firm Apple, for example, is already demonstrating an Internet-based learning network.

Using a cordless transfer system, a teacher's computer can be connected with up to 11 student laptops. This way, the teacher can ensure that everyone is on the same website. And educators can quickly check just how effectively the students respond to the new teaching methods.

Companies say teachers need to increasingly develop and edit their curriculum online. But not everyone is convinced. One teacher of Latin and German says he will stick to paper and pencil. "After this exaggerated PISA debate, we're seeing a phase of doing things just for the sake of doing things."

Germany heads the list of schools online

But the PISA study didn't mention that German students are way ahead of their peers in computer interest and use. "German schools have made a huge leap forward in the past few years," says Uwe Thomas from the Federal Education Ministry.

According to Thomas, Germany has reached a "good average" of 15 students per computer. "And we hold the absolute top spot in the world as far as schools linked to the Internet go."

This is largely the result of the "D-21" project, an education collaboration between the government and the private sector. In the past three years, companies such as Hewlett-Packard have equipped German schools with computers and software.

But Thomas says this can only be the first step. In the future, Germany has to change its teaching structures. Instead of transferring knowledge via computers, the computer itself must become a firm part of knowledge transfer, he says. Specialized software should in time replace veteran schoolbooks.

Over 800 exhibitors from 10 countries are participating in the fair in Cologne, which runs untill Saturday, and is expected to attract 90,000 visitors. Current trends in kindergardens, schools and higher education, as well as training are the topics of 500 congresses, presentations and discussions held as part of the fair.