Newcomers to the subject of computer science explore the Dresden Technical Collections

As part of the 15th Dies Academicus, the team from the extra-occupational qualification for computer science teachers explored historical traces. Together with lecturers, 20 teachers visited the Dresden Technical Collections to learn about the development of computing technology from its beginnings to the present day.

The Curator for Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Pulla, gave them a historically interesting tour of the largest European collection of typewriters with over 1600 objects. The newcomers to teaching computer science were shown facts about the history of typing and computing. These range from the beginnings in the 19th century to the widespread use of computers at the end of the 20th century. A special highlight was the original desk of Prof. N. J. Lehmann from the Willers Building. Prof. Lehmann was director of the new "Institute for Computer Engineering" from 1956 to 1968. The legendary D 4a, one of the first universally programmable automatic calculators, could be seen on his desk. It was based on transistors and consisted of integrated input and output, as well as keyboard operation.

© Anne Hamann

The milestones of GDR computer technology, innovations from the USA, the USSR, Western Europe and Japan encouraged the participants to talk about their own first programming experiences in their youth. Afterwards, the lateral entrants shared many entertaining anecdotes about their professional (IT) careers to date. The day ended with a personal exchange of experiences with lecturers from the Chair of Didactics of Computer Science. Among other things, this showed the possibilities of attending within one's own computer science teaching and offered the opportunity to talk about the in-service qualification outside of the lectures. The diversity of the content of the scientific training, their own professional experience and the benefits for computer science teaching were not only a great added value for their own school practice on this day.