Coding & AI Erasmus Project

Project Title

Coding & AI

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Research and innovation

Project Summary

The decision for a joint project in the area of technology developed during the “International Techniekconferentie 2019” in the Philips Arena in Eindhoven, Netherlands, where the Vakcollege Rijnmond and the Schule am Osterfehn presented together a mini project in which ten students visited the other school for one day to work together with mBots. Because of the positive experiences during this brief collaboration the schools decided to start a longer project together.

Since the Schule am Osterfehn was able to start the Erasmus+ project “Neighbours become friends” with the school community partner of the Vakcollege Rijnmond, the Pieter Groen College, last year and has so far only been able to make positive experiences, it made sense to participate to apply for this project also for the Erasmus+ programme.

The idea for the “Coding & AI” project was also created at the “International Techniekconferentie 2019”, because during the event particularly the area of ​​programming and introducing students to the work of artificial intelligence was highlighted. This was justified, among other things, by the constantly increasing automation by computer programs and the ever improving artificial intelligence (Industry 4.0), which will fundamentally change many work areas or ensure that they even completely disappear. Therefore, students of today have to learn how to program machines and have to know which potentials and dangers Artificial Intelligence brings with it.
The Federal Government published its strategy for the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) in Germany as early as 15 November 2018. This strategy explicitly addresses the importance of artificial intelligence for the competitiveness and long-term wealth.

Through the project “Coding & AI” we plan to act actively!
The students should learn the basics of the programming language Python, especially since Python is considered the number one programming language in Artificial Intelligence. Based on data processing programming, the students should gain real insights into the world of Big Data and the associated artificial intelligence. The focus will be on the currently most exciting area of Artificial Intelligence, so-called Deep Learning, in which machines use the structures of the human brain to learn independently. In addition, foreign language skills are to be strengthened, especially since software projects communicate almost exclusively in English.

For the implementation, ten students of the Schule am Osterfehn and ten students of the Vakcollege Rijnmond aged 14-16 should work together. The students should have a good knowledge of mathematics, because all algorithms are based on logical and mathematical relationships. In addition, the pupils should have a good knowledge of English, as English is used as the working language for the most parts. The motivation of the students to work with the computer is also an advantage.

The project is divided into two parts. At the beginning the German students and teachers are visiting the Vakcollege Rijnmond from Monday to Friday. There the students from the neighbouring countries should get to know each other through sports and other activities. The next days the mixed working groups will be set up to promote communication and cooperation in English. These working groups will receive an intensive course in the programming language Python to understand how computers work with data.
During the second part, in which the Dutch participants are at the Schule am Osterfehn, the students should work with Python on their own. Moreover, there will be an excursion to the University of Oldenburg to listen to a seminar by the AI expert, Artem Oppermann (M. Sc. Physics, University of Oldenburg).
In addition, the students should get an insight into technically innovative companies such as Google in Hamburg (DE) or Flora Holland in Aalsmeer (NL) through factory visits, for example.

All in all, the project “Coding & AI” should prepare students for future technologies which they could have contact to in their jobs. Moreover, because of their stay in another European country, their contact to another culture and the use of the foreign language English the project will have a big influence of the personality development of all participants.

Furthermore, this project is hopefully another part of a long-term cooperation between the Vakcollege Rijnmond and the Schule am Osterfehn.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 18072 Eur

Project Coordinator

Schule am Osterfehn & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Andreas College Locatie Pieter Groen