Creativity
3D Applications and Virtual Worlds in Visual and Technological Education
This research focused on the integration of 3D technologies (particularly VRML/X3D) in the curriculum of Visual and Technological Education in order to encourage and facilitate meaningful learning in young students through the integration of computers in the classroom and beyond through the use of multiuser virtual reality environments (face to face and e-learning).
This is an exploratory study developed primarily with a group of 6th grade students and with fainter ramifications for other groups of students and teachers. We explored the use of 3D modeling programs and virtual worlds with a working methodology based on constructivist assumptions and meaningful learning by focusing on individual creativity and social interactions in the learning process. The results show the feasibility and benefits of using these technologies in the curriculum area pointing to new curriculum approaches.
”Invatare pentru societatea cunoasterii”: o noua disciplina optionala de studiu pentru liceenii din Romania
Stiati ca lectiile de geografie, istorie, chimie si matematica pot fi combinate? Prin programa optionala „Invatare pentru societatea cunoasterii”, elevii vor avea ocazia, in premiera, sa imbine in acelasi timp informatiile din mai multe domenii, intr-o maniera placuta si interesanta care le dezvolta gandirea analitica si creativitatea.
Intr-o perioada in care rolul educatiei este tot mai intens dezbatut de mediul academic si societatea civila, SIVECO Romania in parteneriat cu Unitatea de Management a Proiectelor cu Finantare Externa (MECTS) prezinta o solutie inedita menita sa dezvolte capacitatile creative ale elevilor si sa transforme actul de invatare intr-o activitate eficienta si placuta.
Ministrul Educatiei, Cercetarii, Tineretului si Sportului, domnul Petru Daniel Funeriu, a aprobat la inceputul lunii iulie 2011 Ordinul Nr. 4572/06.07.2011 prin care curriculumul integrat, inter si transdisciplinar pentru domeniile stiintific si umanist “Invatare pentru societatea cunoasterii” devine parte integranta a Curriculumului la Decizia Scolii incepand cu anul scolar 2011-2012.
Curriculumul transdisciplinar a fost realizat in cadrul proiectului „Proces educational optimizat in viziunea competentelor societatii cunoasterii” (mai cunoscut in mediul liceal ca proiectul „Multi-touch”) si se bucura de privilegiul unicitatii, fiind, de asemenea, printre primele abordari coerente ale conceptului de invatare axata pe competente si, probabil, primul curs transdisciplinar care integreaza cele doua arii de cunoastere: “Matematica si stiinte” si “Om si societate”.
„Speram ca aceasta abordare sa atraga atentia cat mai multor elevi din clasa a IX-a. Ei vor avea la dispozitie materiale de predare, invatare, si evaluare in format digital. Cursul ii va ajuta sa-si imbunatateasca abilitatile de comunicare, sa isi dezvolte capacitatea de a se adapta la situatii diferite, capacitatea de investigare si de valorizare a propriei experiente. Toate acestea ii vor face sa fie mai bine pregatiti pentru piata muncii”, declara seful echipei de proiect SIVECO, prof. Radu Jugureanu, directorul departamentului AeL eContent in cadrul SIVECO Romania.
Optionalul include 12 teme care pot fi abordate in diferite combinatii in functie de alegerea elevilor si profesorilor. Intr-o prima etapa, curriculumul integrat, inter si transdisciplinar a fost dezvoltat doar pentru clasa a XI-a, insa deschide calea pentru promovarea transdisciplinaritatii la toate nivelurile scolare.
Activitatea de conceptie a curriculumului optional s-a desfasurat cu sprijinul specialistilor SIVECO Romania. Pana in prezent, acesta a reprezentat un proiect pilot implementat in 500 de licee din toata tara, insa incepand din anul scolar 2011-2012 toate liceele din Romania, indiferent de profil vor beneficia de nou programa optionala.
Proiectul „Proces educational optimizat in viziunea competentelor societatii cunoasterii” este implementat de Unitatea de Management a Proiectelor cu Finantare Externa din Ministerul Educatiei, Cercetarii, Tineretului si Sportului in parteneriat cu SIVECO Romania si Universitatea Nationala de Aparare „Carol I” si este cofinantat din Fondul Social European prin Programul Operational Sectorial Dezvoltarea Resurselor Umane 2007-2013. Programa optionala si ghidul metodologic pot fi citite pe www.transdisciplinar.pmu.ro si pe www.siveco.ro, Fonduri structurale.
Links-up and Free Joint Project Seminar: Gathering for good practice sharing and networking
The Links-up (Learning 2.0 for an Inclusive Knowledge Society - Understanding the Picture) and the FREE (Fostering Return to Employment through Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity) projects, two outstanding EU funded initiatives, are organising their closing events on 22-23 September 2011 at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, in Building A (20-22 Egry J. Street, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary) to offer their audiences their highly valuable research findings, products and services. Both the Links-up and the FREE projects are co-funded by the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme and will be finishing shortly after this jointly organised conference.
Web 2.0 for Social Inclusion
The Links-up Final Conference, titled “Web 2.0 for Social Inclusion: Bridging Practices and Policies” will draw a picture of the ‘landscape’ of ‘Learning 2.0 for Inclusion’ by reviewing what has been done in the academic and research field, and what has been achieved by practitioners working on the ground in projects that have been using Web 2.0 to work with disadvantaged groups. Links-up will also report on a series of ‘action research experiments’, collaborating with ‘live pilot’ projects working in the field, to evaluate the added contribution Web 2.0 can make to practices that use learning to support social inclusion. Links-up, therefore, contributes to build a grounded as well as integrated evidence base in the field of Web 2.0, Learning 2.0 and Inclusion 2.0 in order to formulate realistic and feasible recommendations for future political actions and practical interventions.
Entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity
The FREE International Seminar offers in its programme a workshop where participants will have an opportunity to carry out in depth exploration of the features and contents of the FREE Interactive Tool, developed for the benefit of counsellors, tutors, trainers and other professionals working with unemployed people interested in starting a business. This experimentation will be facilitated by the members of the project partnership. In a following round table discussion you may exchange your opinion and experiences with your colleagues about the previously discussed or other related topics.
Synergies between and beyond
The two projects join forces in offering specifically dedicated sessions, where you will be introduced to other projects and initiatives that have similar focus to that of the FREE and Links-up. Would you have something relevant to contribute or share, bring your flyers and make sure you have enough business cards to give to the colleagues you will meet during these two busy days.
Registration procedure
The participation at both events is free of charge, however only pre-registered participants may attend and the places are limited. To safeguard your attendance, please fill in the online registration form not later than 12 September 2011. Would you have any questions or enquiries about the projects and the detailed programmes of the two days, please contact Gábor Cser at cser@eden-online.org.
Hole in the Wall experience
eLearning in National Policies: full report published!
'Digital Agenda Assembly', Workshop 08: Mainstreming eLearning in education and training'. The purpose of the workshop was to mobilise key stakeholders and Member States' representatives to support the mainstreaming of eLearning in national policies as an agent for modernization of education, for all subjects and skills.
New issue of eLearning Papers on Game-Based Learning is out!
Why should we implement games for learning? How should we do this? What games are appropriate for my needs? The 25th issue of eLearning Papers should help to find answers to such questions. Guest editor: Maja Pivec. Join the community about this topic.
The potential of Game-Based Learning (GBL) is still underestimated. We firmly believe that GBL can play a major role in renewing learning as it is perceived by learners in all levels of education and training systems. Games have high presence in informal learning contexts – but in formal education, they are still often seen as an unserious activity and their potentials for supporting learning remain undiscovered.
The new issue features 9 articles, 4 of them are in depth insights on the topic and the other 5 are examples from the field of the implementation of games in education. We thank all authors for their high quality submissions.
In-depth articles:
The Language Campus: Role-Play in an e-Learning Environment
Paul Pivec, Deakin University
Developing Serious Games: from Face-to-Face to a Computer-based Modality
Ariadna Padrós, Margarida Romero and Mireia Usart, ESADE
Delve into the Deep: Learning Potential in Metaverses and 3D Worlds
Mercedes Gisbert Cervera, Vanessa Esteve Gonzalez and Maria del Mar Camacho Marti,
Rovira i Virgili University
EnerCities, a Serious Game to Stimulate Sustainability and Energy Conservation: Preliminary Results
Erik Knol, Qeam BV and Peter W. De Vries, University of Twente
From the field articles:
AVATAR – The Course: Recommendations for Using 3D Virtual Environments for Teaching
Maja Pivec, Information Design, FH JOANNEUM. Cristina Stefanelli, Consorzio FOR.COM. Inger-Marie F. Christensen, University of Southern Denmark. Jutta Pauschenwein, ZML – Innovative Learning Scenarios
Serious Games and Formal and Informal Learning
Aristidis Protopsaltis, Serious Games Institute. Lucia Pannese, Imaginary srl. Dimitra Pappa, NCSR Demokritos. Sonia Hetzner, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
Fingers on the Screen: Game-Based Learning for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Maria Saridaki and Constantinos Mourlas, University of Athens
Envigame – Linking Environmental Education to ICT in Czech Primary Schools
Barbora Štollová, Envigame project coordinator
Engage Project: Sharing Experience from Game-Based Learning Dissemination Workshops
José Luis Soler, Computer Science Engineer, Florida Centre de Formacio , Valencia (Spain)
Gisela Vidal, International Relations Department, Florida Centre de Formacio , Valencia (Spain)
Mainstreaming eLearning in National Policies: How can we make change happen?
This paper is based on a dialogue that summarises and responds to Workshop 08 of the Digital Agenda Assembly: Mainstreaming eLearning in National Policies, which took place on June 16th, 2011. It explores new ideas regarding how to make change happen by asking: do we have concrete ideas on how to introduce change in our educational systems? The workshop generated debate on issues related to both policy and practice in order to involve stakeholders from the educational sector in a discussion on the best strategies for improving learning environments.
The Digital Agenda Assembly explored new ideas regarding how to make change happen in the educational system. At the eG8, Robert Murdoch recalled that education was a pending challenge for our already digital societies. However, the question remains: do we have concrete ideas about how to make changes in educational systems?
The politics and practices surrounding the integration of technology and education raise many questions, and the extent to which this integration enacts real change is currently a critical debate within our field. Therefore, this discussion opens with a series of challenges related to the discourse on change, expressed in terms of four key areas: innovation, infrastructure, impact and pedagogical vision.
Innovation has been identified as a necessary element for creating change but the best way for introducing innovative practices is not always clear. How can we capture the innovation that takes place at the local level? Are we sure that we can transfer innovation as it is, or would it be better to concentrate on the inspirational dimension of some initiatives, in order to generate a myriad of new ones?
Puzzelgame Project-W wint wedstrijd Universiteit Utrecht
Met het zelfgemaakt computerspel Project-W heeft Jesse Vogel de hoofdprijs van 1500 euro gewonnen in de Creative Game Challenge. Voor deze wedstrijd van de Universiteit Utrecht bedachten en maakten meer dan 100 middelbare scholieren zelf een computergame. De winnaars in de verschillende categorieën werden op vrijdag 25 juni bekendgemaakt.
In de puzzelgame Project-W probeert de speler overstromende landen te redden door het water op een slimme manier langs sluizen te leiden. De jury was erg te spreken over dit computerspel, bedacht en gemaakt door Jesse Vogel van het Gomarus College in Groningen.
"Project-W is een leuke en originele puzzelgame met puzzels die moeilijk genoeg zijn om je er in vast te bijten, maar niet zo moeilijk dat ze je tot wanhoop drijven", aldus de jury. "Daarbij heeft het wedstrijdthema Water enorm mooi verwerkt in de gameplay."
Eerste, tweede en derde prijs
De tweede prijs van 1000 euro ging naar Jesse Tilro van de RSG Hoekschewaard in Oud Beijerland met zijn spel Sunrise. In deze 3D-game moet de speler gebruik maken van liften, platformen en verschuifbare dozen om kostbaar water te vervoeren in een sterk opgewarmde wereld.
Niek Moesker, Niek Boer en Rein Scholte (coach) van de Dr. Aletta Jacobs College in Hoogezand haalden de derde prijs van 800 euro binnen. Hun spel Tsunami! sprak de jury aan door de leuke en uitdagende gameplay.
Klik hier voor meer informatie.