Hosted by OSOS , contributed by zygouritsas on 20 July 2020
KROS proposes the use of innovative resources provided from different stakeholders (open content) through a project-based multidisciplinary approach (open pedagogy) that requires extended collaboration and networking between schools and different stakeholders (open collaboration) who can bring significant expertise in the design and implementation of the proposed activities. In this framework a strategic partnership of Road Safety Experts, Pedagogues and Curriculum Developers, Local Authorities, Advanced Educational Applications Developers and schools are joining forces to design, develop and validate an innovative professional development program for teachers.
KROS is introducing cutting edge technologies in order to accompany the retention of information regarding the subject of road safety. More in particular the project uses Virtual Reality technologies so as to firstly introduce attractiveness in the learning process and secondly to improve the quality of the delivery channels of the content to be taught.
KROS will help strengthen the profile of the teaching profession by offering a multidisciplinary approach for the introduction of road safety in the school curriculum. The project wishes to support activities that implement best practices and tools for professionals working with and for children in communicating in a way adapted to their age and stages of development and thus improve the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom while endorsing innovative methods and digital integration in teaching technology and innovation. Students become familiar with Road Safety, mainly through hands-on experimentation. This educational approach promotes inquiry, creativity and collaborative learning.
RRI Principles
One of the key aspects of OSOS is the inclusion of RRI - Responsible Research and Innovation principles in innovative pedagogical practices. RRI principles are addressed in the "KROS” accelerator:
|
Governance |
KROS offers an inclusive and creative approach to science education, one that offers the opportunity to rethink and remodel the field by achieving changes at the policy level as well. The participating Road Safety and Motor Institutes in Greece and Poland have strong connections with the local Policy Makers. |
|
Public engagement |
KROS, given that it was conceived as a partnership between various educational and road safety stakeholders (namely schools in Greece (Ellinogermaniki Agogi), Spain (Confederation of Education and Training Centers) and Austria (BG&BRG Schwechat), the Road Safety Institute “Panos Mylonas” from Greece, the Motor Transport Institute from Poland and the Dublin Trinity College), promotes public engagement and wishes to incorporate school projects that involve the local community, local stakeholders and especially parents |
|
Gender equality |
A range of KROS activities address the issue of gender equity in science, especially in tackling the image of the “male driver” |
|
Science Education |
The KROS accelerator supports students in developing their problem-solving skills and in participating in important science inquiry activities, as they are asked to place themselves in the shoes of adult drivers, engineers, physicists, road safety experts, etc. |
|
Ethics |
The KROS approach address issues such as the role of science in society and strives to change the image and misconception by delivering school projects that bring Drive Safety in primary education and secondary education. A number of activities tackle major ethical issues through innovative hands-on experiments during standard curriculum STEM subjects in Physics, Mathematics and Technology. |
|
Open Access |
This accelerator promotes the use of open online content, tools and software in an effort to reach as further as possible by spreading the message of safe driving. |
| Stakeholders Participation The accelerator offers an excellent opportunity to attempt to turn the school in to a hub for scientific knowledge transfer. In particular, schools with the support from local stakeholders, such as the participating Road Safety Institutes, could organise events in which the students assume the role of experts informing the public on Road Safety guidelines and latest technologies and busting myths around driving that effect the behavior of drivers of all ages. Projects that are being created from this accelerator could focus on guiding students in becoming Road Safety Experts themselves, designing and organising such an event or campaign |
Feel
and write something new
Imagine
Training is best done in schools by teachers who have themselves been trained in the safety issues relevant to children and achieve effective integration of road safety principles into the school curriculum. The programme is based on the use of engaging presentation forms to attract the whole community of teachers, students and parents within each school. In this context, KROS introduces cutting edge technologies in order to facilitate and accompany the effective retention of information regarding the subject of road safety.
In addition, KROS effectively uses virtual reality technologies to enhance engagement and attractiveness in the learning process and to improve the quality of the delivery channels of the content to be taught.
One of the main objectives of KROS is to improve teachers’ awareness of Road Safety education and to strengthen their professional profile through a comprehensive pedagogical and training framework that will utilize a combination of traditional and technology based learning techniques.
Furthermore, KROS aims to improve teachers’ professional skills enabling them to integrate Road Safety principles and best practices into their lessons. The KROS training programme includes extended presentation of case studies and examples of good practice on how teachers could efficiently implement Road Safety content in their everyday teaching.
In other words, teachers are constant and persistent mentors rather than solely instructors. The educational approaches and activities they develop and implement in their school environment and beyond offer students plethora of opportunities to understand, collaborate, communicate, plan and organize their own work, solve problems, create ideas, products and services, and use new technologies in their pursuits. In the following we quote and elaborate on each principal role focusing on its relevance to KROS:
Empowering students as learners: Teachers who focus on the open schooling approach see their first responsibility as empowering students as learners. For this reason, they use pedagogical approaches (project-based and inquiry-based learning) that help students become self-directed and responsible learners rather than passive followers. The cornerstone of their main role is helping students develop an understanding of learning as a complex and ongoing process that entails seeking feedback, revising work and regularly reflecting on what one has learned, found and achieved, as well as on the choices and decisions made throughout the learning process.
Contextualize knowledge so it is coherent: Teachers are involving students in project that are relevant to them and to the local communities. Furthermore, teachers from different disciplines collaborate across multiple subjects to design integrated interdisciplinary learning activities to connect their otherwise separate subject-specific content.
Connect learning to real issues and settings: Teachers focus on connecting classroom learning to real-life issues and settings in order to make it more meaningful for students. Teachers explore, develop and exploit opportunities for students to experience workplace conditions, situations and expectations that address or exemplify real world challenges and problem solving.
Extend learning beyond the school: In addition to connecting to the real world and real-life challenges, teachers seek for ways to extend learning beyond the school in a range of settings. Development and establishment of relationships with local community groups, institutions, organizations and initiatives can offer students access to rich content and additional resources for authentic and contextualized learning experiences.
Inspire students by customizing learning experiences: Teachers are intentional in establishing strong relationships with students for the purpose of finding what will engage their interest to pursue their own learning. When and where possible, teachers choose to offer flexible projects to both customize learning and provide inspiration for all students. In this way students feel free and gain confidence in directing their learning to subjects and issues that matter to them.
Use technology in service of learning: Teachers selectively and purposefully incorporate technology and online educational resources and tools to enhance and complement teaching and learning, rather than automate or substitute it.
Create
KROS provides a series of 24 Training modules and relevant demonstrators in the form of Activity sheets aiming to provide ideas to the teachers for real world learning activities that develop problem solving, collaboration and effective communication. These can be found in the Resources of the KROS Community.
The training modules are addressing the following road safety topics:
- Speeding
- Seat belt use
- distraction
- drink driving
- vulnerable road users
- emotions in traffic
- sustainable & active travel
- motorcycling and
- passenger safety.
The activity sheets are supplemented by the 3 VR scenarios-demonstrators (2 for pedestrians, 1 for bicycle) that were taken from the eDrive Academy platform and customized according to the needs of adolescent road users.
These activities will help the teachers and inspire students to start a road safety project that they will upload to the OSOS (Open Schools for Open Societies) platform & the KROS website. Teachers can also find a manual (e book) which will be uploaded at the KROS website that offers a presentation of techniques on how teachers can motivate their students on issues related to road safety with real world learning activities that develop problem solving, collaboration, and effective communication.
The guide promotes a whole school approach that includes:
- Integration to the school curriculum
- Parental engagement
- School ethos and organization.
Extended presentation of case studies and examples of good practices on the above issues are given throughout this booklet as well as guidance on how to use the Activity Sheets and Start a project in class addressing a local road safety problem according to the pedagogical framework of “Feel-Imagine-Create-Share” and “Inquiry based” teaching methods. Moreover, a manual on how to use VR is uploaded at KROS website (Virtual Reality Manual).
Based on the abovementioned Activity Sheets and using the KROS VR Training Applications, teachers can get inspired and create innovative, engaging and pedagogically rich PROJECTS for their students. They can also use their own training material and resources and upload them to the KROS Community.