The global pollution of oceans and rivers by plastic (technopolymers) is an ecological catastrophe. In particular, this is true for the so-called microplastics, the smallest plastic particles that through the food chain even reach our tables. The phenomenon and the associated ecological problems can no longer be overlooked, and are being studied and described in a variety of projects. The pursued solutions on the part of politicians, NGOs, industry and private initiatives are in part highly motivated, creative and technically innovative. Nevertheless, social awareness of the problem remains limited. The many applications and usefulness of plastic have caused the worldwide distribution of this material. Given the sheer volume and many advantages, the reactions to the menacing drawbacks of plastic seem petty and ignorant, but something has to be done. The project "Technopoly-Meere" uses this important topic to impart research and communication skills and strengthen the school partnership between the Integrated Comprehensive School Paffrath in Germany and the German Gymnasium Tallinn in Estonia. During the project, a series of tablet computer-based science lessons will be developed and tested in joint class sessions during two student exchanges. Estonian schools have made a lot of progress with the digitization of teaching, while German schools and school administrators are still having a hard time using new media. This discrepancy makes it possible to conduct a comparison of the possible uses of tablets in digitized teaching between Estonia and Germany. During the project, the students will study the problem of pollution of the oceans by microplastics and the associated threat to the ecosystem. As the learning outcome, the students report on their research and publish their results in the form of an online report on the schools' websites, in a school newspaper app, and in other suitable social media. The project involves three science teachers in biology, chemistry and mathematics, an English teacher, and two computer science teacher. Twenty pupils each from the German Gymnasium Tallin and the Integrated Comprehensive School Paffrath are participating in the project. As part of the learning assignment, the students jointly examine the microplastics pollution of their native waters, the Rhine and the Bay of Tallinn. They research the history, composition and applications of plastic, degradation and decay of plastic waste, environmental pollution, risks for animals, and solutions of private initiatives, industry and politics. Aside from two student exchanges this cooperation will take place with the help of e-twinning. The learning product, the report "Technopoly-Meere", target young people as the audience and is based on modern communication methods. Next to school websites and school newspaper apps, online presentation options to be tested are YouTube, blogs, Instagram, online tutorials, and others. The report "Technopoly-Meere" should not only inform the audience about the environmental problem of "microplastics", but with its modern, student-oriented presentation also stimulate the increased coverage of other topics, attractive lesson content, and interesting results from (tablet-supported) subject-based teaching in publications and reporting in and around the school. The coverage of this relevant environmental topic in the context of a pupil exchange program fosters not only scientific and ecological competence, but also the intercultural and foreign language competence of the students. The scientific approach to the data capture, description and possible solution of a problem is experienced as a universal method. This expands the students’ perception of an European education and labour market in the natural sciences. Through the use of tablets, data research, recording, processing, and presentation, as well as feedback on one's own work are all combined on one device. Analyzing and describing a "modern" problem with innovative means should increase the students' motivation and digital literacy. The resulting scientific teaching unit "Technopoly-Meere" will be evaluated with regard to the desired goals, the usefulness of the method, and the possible applications for the tablets. It will be adopted in the internal school curriculum and can be used for internal training purposes as an example for a tablet-based, European-oriented teaching unit. In addition, "Technopoly-Meere" will be presented to interested educators at the "didacta" education fair at a booth hosted by the German environmental associations.
Technopoly Seas - how does plastic get into the ocean? An ecological consideration in tablet-supported NW lessons The worldwide pollution of water by plastic (techno-polymers) represents an ecological catastrophe. This applies in particular to so-called microplastics, which are the smallest particles that reach our table through the food chain. The phenomenon and the associated ecological problems can no longer be ignored and are now examined and documented in many ways. Approaches towards solutions pursued by politics, NGOs, industry and private initiatives are highly motivated, creative and technically innovative. In view of the many advantages and uses of plastic, the reactions to the threatening disadvantages of this material may seem restrictive and ignorant. Europe is now planning to implement bans. The "Technopoly Seas" project used this important topic to impart research and communication skills and to deepen the school partnership between the Integrated Comprehensive School Paffrath in Germany and the Tallinna Rahumäe Põhikool in Estonia. During the project, a tablet-based science teaching module was to be developed and then tested in joint lessons during two student exchanges. Three science teachers, an English teacher and two computer science teachers worked together on the project. Fifteen pupils each from the Tallinna Rahumäe Pöhikool and the Integrated Comprehensive School Paffrath took part in the project. In addition to the two student exchange events, the collaboration was supposed to take place through eTwinning. The final learning outcome, the report on "Technopoly-Ocean", had young people as its target group and was based on modern communication methods. In addition to school websites, padlets and instant messengers, other online presentation options such as YouTube, Instagram and online tutorials were tested. The project’s learning approach was not only supposed to provide information about the environmental problem "microplastics". Through its modern, student-oriented presentation, we were hoping to encourage more coverage of other topics, attractive teaching content and interesting results from (tablet-supported) teaching in reporting in and around the school. The unit was developed and carried out at the Integrated Comprehensive School Paffrath. Unfortunately, however, the teaching unit could not be tested and further developed with the partner school because all student exchange had to be canceled due to the pandemic. In addition, lockdown measures to protect against Covid19, caused severe restrictions on regular teaching and planned excursions to extracurricular learning locations. The Paffrath teaching material, films and pictures of the lessons were posted online. This enabled the Tallinna Rahumäe Põhikool group to also carry out the practical part of the teaching unit. As planned at the preparatory meeting, the colleagues from Tallinn were in charge of the artistic component, specifically the development of the joint logo. The Tallinna Rahumäe Põhikool works intensively on artistic topics and was well prepared in this regard. During the project, the students dealt with the problem of pollution of the oceans by microplastics and the associated threat to the ecosystem as part of a learning task. They researched the history, components and use of plastic, the breakdown and decay of plastic waste, the pollution of ecosystems, as well as solutions from private initiatives, industry and politics. As a learning product, the students reported on their research and published their results in the form of padlets or other forms of exchange between the respective schools and other suitable social media channels. This included "e Twinning" as a communication platform. While the digitization of teaching is well advanced in Estonian schools, German schools and school authorities are finding it more difficult to use new media. This discrepancy enables a comparison of how tablets were used in digitized teaching in Estonia and Germany. It turned out that the approach of their school authorities is very different in the two countries. In Estonia, students use their own equipment as a matter of course, but not in Germany. The Estonian partner school had quite a few laptops for their students, while the German partner school only had two computer rooms and 60 tablets for 1400 pupils. For the project, the problem at the Integrated Comprehensive School Paffrath could be solved by providing tablets for all participating students. The work on this current environmental topic as part of a student exchange promoted not only scientific and ecological skills, but also intercultural and foreign language skills of the students. The scientific approach to data acquisition, description and possible solution of a problem was experienced as a universal research method. This broadened the students' perspective on European education and employment opportunities in the natural sciences. Through the use of tablets, data research, recording, processing and presentation as well as feedback on one's own work are combined on one device. Analyzing and describing a “modern” problem with innovative means, increased the students’ motivation and their digital competence. Despite the restrictions posed by the COVD-19 pandemic, it was in essence possible to achieve the intended project goals. The resulting natural science lesson "Technopoly Oceans" was evaluated with regard to the intended goals, the usability of the method, and the possible uses of tablets. It will be incorporated into the school's internal curriculum and can serve as an example of a tablet-based, European-oriented teaching unit for the school's internal continuing education program.