Information technology - whether in mobile phones, cars or washing machines - is omnipresent and pervades our lives. Everyone uses it, but only a few know the basic principles by which it works.

The "Computing Science with Technical Aspects" (InTech) project was launched to counteract this shortcoming and at the same time increase the proportion of qualified graduates in computer science and technical degree programmes and academic appointments. With the help of the subject Computing Science, pupils are to acquire computer science and technical knowledge and their computer science and technical thinking and behaviour is encouraged.

Between 2005 and 2008, the first "InTech" round was carried out at six grammar schools in Lower Saxony, initiated by Vera Reineke, Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs of Lower Saxony, and Prof Dr Eckart Modrow, Didactics of Computing Science at the University of Göttingen, who also coordinated the project. Further information on the first "InTech" round can be found on this website of the NiedersachsenMetall foundation and in the InTech brochure.

The subsequent second round of the project, from August 2009 to December 2012, consisted of two sub-projects, which were also implemented by the University of Göttingen and additionally by the University of Oldenburg. During this project period, teachers from 13 schools in the Weser-Ems region (grammar schools, a comprehensive school and a secondary modern school) worked together with subject didactics experts from the University of Oldenburg to develop various teaching materials. These working group meetings took place regularly every 6-8 weeks at the University of Oldenburg and the participating schools. In addition, further training measures on Computing Science content and the didactics of Computing Science were organised at the University of Oldenburg as required and with the involvement of the students. The publication of the developed teaching materials will eventually take place via the Internet and further teacher training measures.

Accompanying scientific research will evaluate the success of the InTech project and ensure that subsequent projects can benefit from the results.

The project was funded by the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs as well as the employers' association NORDMETALL and the foundation of the Association of the Metal and Electrical Industry - VME. The project ran for three years, from 1 August 2009 to 31 December 2012.

A brief description of the InTech project as well as some of the results and experiences can be found in the InTech flyer.

Do you have any questions about the InTech project? Then please send an email to:

• 13.03.2010: Robot tournament in Damme town hall
  

• 12.06.2010: InTech Cup at the University of Oldenburg
  

• 02.07.2011: InTech-Cup at the Herbartgymnasium
  

• 14.07.2012: InTech Cup at Bad Zwischenahn-Edewecht grammar school
  

• 15.06.2013: InTech Cup at Damme grammar school
  

• 08.03.2010: Comprehensive school Schinkel

• 31.05.2010: Altes Gymnasium Oldenburg