What became the focus of discussion as a digital workplace or school model during the coronavirus crisis is “business as usual” for the experts at agilimo Consulting GmbH. The Niedernberg-based company specializes in implementing professional mobility solutions for companies and organizations. They are no strangers to the education sector either.
agilimo has been supporting the Julius-Echter-Gymnasium in Elsenfeld – JEG for short – since June 2019, long before coronavirus-induced home office and homeschooling. The commitment includes the provision of iPads & special Pencils as well as safe commissioning in line with teaching requirements. Maintenance or replacement of the devices is also provided. The aim of this support is to make digitalization accessible not only in companies, but also in schools and to drive it forward. Because there is a need to catch up here, explains Marcus Heinrich, Managing Director of agilimo Consulting GmbH and mobility expert from the very beginning:
“With our commitment, we want to show the exciting possibilities that digital teaching and learning can open up in schools. For pupils and teachers alike. The collaboration with Julius-Echter-Gymnasium was a stroke of luck for this pilot project.”
Marcus Heinrich, Mobility Expert & Managing Director agilimo Consulting GmbH
Digital learning enriches the classroom
The STEM-friendly school was recognized as a digital school in 2018. It offers pupils many innovative and digital activities over and above normal lessons. By sponsoring 12 iPad workstations, this offer was expanded to include the elective course Design and Illustration. Pupils in years 8 to 10 can apply for the limited places with their own creative work.
In this course, students learn about creative and design work. In addition to the basics for practical work with iPad and Pencil, they also learn graphic-creative skills. From sketching on screen to branding and corporate design. The course participants develop the new field on a project basis within the framework of a fictitious “customer order”. The individual project work also teaches the targeted work that is so important in practice.
The spectrum of projects ranged from the cover design for a new edition of a Harry Potter audio book, to a campaign for the new collection of a fashion company, to the complete redesign of a comic publisher. Because the digital offer was so well received by the participating students, the course will also be offered in the future, as teacher Jörg Giegerich reports:
“The project work allowed us to discover the different aspects of branding. A vernissage with a presentation of the finished designs was planned for June 2020. However, due to the current situation, we had to put the elective course activities on hold for the time being. But postponed does not mean canceled. We’re looking forward to getting back to work soon!”
Jörg Giegerich, teacher of the Design & Illustration elective course
The “digital school” is already feasible today
For the mobility experts at agilimo, the most important thing when supporting digital schools is to be able to demonstrate in concrete terms how easily existing solutions for mobile working can also be used pragmatically in digital education in schools. Marcus Heinrich sees this as a great opportunity to lay important foundations during the school years:
“With digital school concepts, we can now teach important key skills from which pupils will benefit in the long term in their training, studies or later jobs. The digital solutions available also enable a contemporary and exciting way of learning. This provides new perspectives, additional motivation and simply makes learning fun.”
Marcus Heinrich, Mobility Expert & Managing Director agilimo Consulting GmbH
More information:
Elective course Design & Illustration at Julius-Echter-Gymnasium
More about solutions for the digital school
