Hosted by OSOS , contributed by thkakouri on 25 March 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted to us teachers, pupils and families of the community of Agia Varvara, Nicosia, as a remote area, important needs related to the transition to distance and online learning. The low level of digital capabilities of both our school and community, highlighted the opportunity gap in education for remote areas, also demonstrated by the results of the use of the online reflection tool for SELFIE schools held last school year at our school. In particular, our school averages in all sectors were very low, which prompted us to participate in the Innovative Schools and Educational Cells program offered by the Pedagogical Institute. This experience helped define our own vision as a school unit: raise the level of digital readiness, reduce the digital divide for our students to meet their digital needs as citizens of Cyprus in the 21st century and make our school a central hub for education and lifelong learning for teachers, students and the local community. Therefore, this year, we want to strengthen this effort by taking part in the Learning From The Extremes program with specific objectives: (1) strengthen the digital technology equipment of our school unit, (2) offer vocational learning and development opportunities to teachers as well as educational opportunities for our community residents and (3) improve the digital capacity of our students.
ACTION A
Title of Action
Seismology and Geology in the wider area of Agia Varvara — The school as a hub for promoting lifelong learning for the community
Co-operating bodies
(1) Primary School of Agia Varvaras, (2) Cultural and Environmental Laboratory of Almyras Agia Varvaras, (3) Department of Geological Survey of Cyprus, (4) School of Positive and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, (5) Research Group
ReSciTEG of the University of Cyprus (Department of Education Sciences), (6) Community Council of Agia Varvara
[the above partnerships are secured after permission secured by any entity where required]
Required Technological Equipment
(1) Seismograph ‘Raspberry Shake’, (2) Laptops, (3) Electronic Tablets, (4) Electronic Microscopes, (5) Electronic Announcement Table
A short description
(1) Taught by a teacher trained in a summer school seismo Lab in the framework of an ERASMUS program and via the installation of the permanent seismograph “Raspberry Shake” in collaboration with the ReSciTEG research team of KK.
(2) Design of training courses for children and teachers in cooperation with the Geological Survey Department and its supervisor, Dr. Sylvanas Pelidou, on the use of seismographs, the collection and analysis of data and their utility in developing an action plan to prevent and protect the inhabitants of the area from the phenomenon.
(3) Installation of a permanent Electronic Table of Announcements at the entrance of the school in cooperation with the Community Council, with the aim of immediately informing residents on the daily seismic activity, protection measures in the event of an earthquake and issues related to the entire action plan (events, workshops). The projected data will be prepared and loaded at regular intervals by the children of our school.
(4) Use of educational material on the website of the Geological Survey Department or material of other web sources and tools in relation to earthquakes (via the use of laptops).
(5) A visit to the Troodos Geopark Visitor Center in Amiantos, where students will learn how the technological equipment of the center aids in the collection of more advanced data on earthquakes and will allow students to engage with the educational activities provided in the center. In addition, students will learn more about geology, with the support of the geologist of the Centre, Ms Konstantina Theofalaktos.
(6) A visit to the Mathiatis mine where in collaboration with the “Cultural and Environmental Workshop of Almyras Aghia Varvaras” and with Ms Iphigenias Gabriel, geologist and tour guide, the students will photograph and collect stones and other geological material. Workshops will be organised at the school under the guidance of Ms Gabriel, where children will use an electron microscope to analyze geological samples and will upload the resulting data to their laptops. The findings of their laboratory study will be presented as part of a geological exhibition or in other forms of learning products (e.g. presentation, video) at the school and will be posted on the school’s website to illuminate the community on their efforts.
(7) Establishment of an online seminar on Geology and Seismology for the children of our school by Marinos Stylianou, Assistant Professor at the School of Positive and Applied Sciences of the Open University of Cyprus. Mr Stylianou will also have the opportunity to engage with the community via a link to Microsoft Teams hosted by the Community Council of Agia Varvara.
(8) An electronic booklet or a podcast or video will be created by the children using the laptops in each class and will provide information on earthquakes and geology. It will be sent to the residents of the area by the Community Council and will be uploaded to the school’s website (children will receive training from teachers on how to use these tools, which will also be informative for other courses).
(9) The Almyras Community Workshop, will borrow the school equipment (laptops, tablets, electronic microscopes) and will organize a workshop for the residents of the community at the Community Council facilities. Topics covered will be geology and seismology and the collection and analysis of data collected using the school’s seismograph. In addition, students will present their work from previous activities and will be provided with a visual workshop, educating them on the construction of visual artefacts with drawing materials, implementing the stones collected from the visit to Mathiatis, under the guidance of geologist Ms Iphigenia Gabriel.
ACTION B
Title of action
Children as digitally competent citizens of 2030
Technological equipment
(1) Lego education spike essential sets, (2) Robotic Kits (programmable and compatible with Arduino), (3) 3D Printer, (4) Arduino microcontrollers with set of sensors, (5) Digital microphones, (6) Laptops
Associate members/bodies/training providers
(1) Primary School of Agia Varvaras, (2) Department of Engineering, Engineering and Construction, University of Cyprus (Dr. Eftichios Christoforou), (3) Robo Cy — Educational and Research Robotics (Mr Odysseus Economidis), (4) Pedagogical Institute (Innovative School Network)
[the above partnerships are secured after permission secured by any entity where required]
A short description
(1) This work will involve the collaboration of our school with Dr. Eftichios Christoforou who will arrange a face-to-face visit to the UCY Robotics Lab. At the lab, children will get acquainted with different types of robotics’ systems and learn basic programming principles, focusing on robotic arm programming, taught by Dr. Eftichios Christoforou and his team. In addition, within the school, children will enhance their programming skills by using the 3D Printer, Lego Education Spike Essential set, Arduino microcontrollers and Arduino-compatible robotics’ kits while developing projects in various subjects.
(2) Cooperation of teachers and the Community Council of Agia Varvara in organizing educational workshops for parents and children within the village area to facilitating learning of city planning principles to students and interested residents. The necessary equipment will be borrowed from the school.
(3) Organising robotics and programming workshops in cooperation with the School’s Parents Association, within the framework of the Optional all-day School and the Summer School. The robotics equipment will be provided by the Parents Association, which will bear the costs of the trainers/teachers.
(4) Organisation of training seminars on basic programming principles for teachers using the Arduino Microcontrollers, 3D Printer and Lego Education Spike kits. A number of seminars will be held in collaboration with Robo Cy-Educational and Research Robotics and others in addition of the training the school’s teachers already receive as a member of the Innovative Schools program. Finally, the option will be given to teachers of the school to attend online programming courses from free university platforms and organisations such as the “opencourses.auth | Open Academic Courses AUTH” platform, http://project.opencourses.gr/, https://www.mooc.org/ or the European Schoolnet Academy.