The federal German education system suffers from very different levels of equipment in its schools. Education researcher Felicitas Macgilchrist advises to use tablets and apps for better pupil participation.

"German schools vary greatly in terms of the digital learning resources on offer. This must change. However, ensuring greater equality of access is not enough to ensure equal opportunities.

The US philosopher Nancy Fraser named three factors that are prerequisites for equal opportunities: the redistribution of resources, (cultural) recognition and (political) representation. Digital technologies in school lessons could do much more to promote this than they have done so far. Why not use the tablet computers in schools to encourage participation in decision-making and gather everyone’s vote when it comes to designing the school garden or planning where to go on the next school trip? Why not make a film – but this time with guidance that ensures that the collaboration doesn’t simply reinforce existing hierarchies within a group or class, but becomes an inclusive learning experience for everyone?

Rather than following a market logic, tools should be designed and used to promote collaborative learning and democratic education. Even at school young people should be given the feeling that their voices are heard and they can have a say.

If school can be designed in such a way that pupils get a first-hand experience of democracy, this could make a real difference. I am convinced thal even the most banal learning apps used in schools are in some way political. These apps shouldn’t always just tell pupils what to do. Pupils need to be able to participate in the decision-making process at the school level, at the class level – and at the individual learning level."

Written by Deike Stolz