The projects are funded under the EU’s EFRE zdi-MINT.plus funding programme. Its aim is to translate university research in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology – known collectively as STEM – into new, accessible educational programmes for pupils from lower secondary level onwards. In the three projects run by the zdi BeST Centre, the project teams are developing new didactic and scientific course concepts, implementing them with young people and evaluating them. The aim is not simply to explain research in an accessible way. Pupils are encouraged to get actively involved, try out technologies, develop their own solutions and, in doing so, gain an insight into current fields of research and careers.

From research straight into practice

Once the two-year project period has concluded, the successfully developed concepts are to be permanently integrated into the zdi Centre BeST’s regular course programme. “With these three projects, we are bringing current research topics from the university directly into the lives of young people. Particularly with topics such as artificial intelligence and data, or immersive technologies – which blur the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds and create the feeling of actually being right in the thick of things – it is important that young people are not merely users, but understand how these technologies work and how they can shape them themselves,” explains Sarah-Lena Debus, head of the zdi Centre.

Remscheid: Deepfake Defence – Exposing Deceptions, Raising Awareness

Manipulated images, videos and audio files have long been part of everyday digital life. At the same time, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish genuine content from artificially generated content.

This is precisely where the ‘Deepfake-Defense’ project comes in. STEM concepts are being developed for lower secondary school pupils that explore the technical fundamentals and societal implications of deepfakes.

The young people critically examine the possibilities and risks of manipulated digital content and learn about the fundamental technical and algorithmic principles behind artificial intelligence. In doing so, STEM education, media literacy, and information and cyber security are brought together.

Wuppertal: Data4Change – Shaping a sustainable future with data

Data is a key resource for shaping a sustainable future. In the ‘Data4Change’ project, pupils acquire basic programming skills to enable them to collect and analyse digital data and apply it to specific problems. These are put into practice through small-scale renewable energy systems, smart recycling lines or environmental sensors, which the pupils assemble themselves.

In detail, this could look as follows for the topic of environmental sensor technology: equipped with a minicomputer and various sensors for temperature, humidity, CO₂ or particulate matter, the young people develop their own portable measuring device. The recorded values can be displayed directly on a screen or transmitted to an online platform.

In this way, pupils experience how programming, sensor technology and data analysis can be combined – and how digital technologies help to better understand environmental and sustainability issues.

Solingen: IMMER.MINT – Immersive learning for lower secondary school

Virtual reality, generative artificial intelligence and 3D reconstructions are increasingly changing the way people create and experience digital content.

The ‘IMMER.MINT’ project is developing new, practice-oriented approaches to immersive technologies for young people from lower secondary level onwards. This is giving rise to three different course formats:

• IMMER.XR focuses on immersive learning worlds and virtual environments
• IMMER.GEN demonstrates how generative AI can be used to create 3D content
• IMMER.REAL focuses on AI-based 3D reconstructions of real-world environments

In the process, young people not only familiarise themselves with the technologies, but also get creative themselves and develop their own digital content. The aim is to strengthen digital and creative skills whilst, at the same time, making the latest research in the field of immersive media and generative AI accessible for extracurricular STEM education.

Funding enables active support

A funding application with a project budget of around 300,000 euros was submitted for each of the three sites. This will enable the funding of one full-time research assistant per project, as well as student assistants, for the entire duration of the project.

The zdi BeST Centre at the University of Wuppertal introduces pupils from Year 7 onwards to future technologies and technical career paths at an early stage. In free, practical courses, young people can experiment, try things out for themselves and discover various study and training opportunities in the Bergisches Land region. The focus is on hands-on experience: touching, testing, understanding and improving.