Within the ERASMUS+ project Do It Yourself the 1st training took place in Velenje from 17. – 19. of October 2022 hosted by Slovenian partner Andragoški zavod Ljudska univerza Velenje.
The aim of this activity was to show the innovative methods and approaches of teaching AZ Ljudska univerza Velenje is using in everyday classes with their students.
The idea was to see the Pattern city which is an ecosystem for education, experimentation, prototyping and innovation. This unique, interactive environment is focused on providing interdisciplinary content with learning-by-doing and playful learning methodologies but since they are doing new constellation with new theme, it is currently closed for visitors. It will be opened in January, and therefore partners agreed that they will meet on ZOOM that month and see the theory in virtually environment.
During the 3 days partners visited some places with examples of use of digital tools in education. They went to Noordung Centre, where they were welcomed by Vita – first social humanoid robot created in human shape. She was friendly and talkative, she danced, listened and invited partners to visit the Noordung centre. She made our visit extra fun and interactive. Next on the list was the Noordung’s exhibitions (The Artistic Science of Cosmology, Images of Earth, On the Cosmic Horizons, etc.), where they were able to gain new knowledge with use of interactive technologies.
After that partner went to Tehnopark Celje, where they were able to use theoretical knowledge in practice. The real potential of any external learning is to learn from real practical examples that help students understand the content of school material.
Last day, partners went to Upper Savinja Valley to visit First smart classroom on the countryside and Muzej flosarstva (Rafting museum).
The smart classroom is located in the former library in primary school Ljubno ob Savinji. There are no tables or chairs in it, but five stations with different tasks or problems. It is intended for a different way of learning about traffic, learning about green technologies, solving the problem of waste and to train tourist ambassadors. At the waste station, the pupils first learn something new on the screens, then they answer questions. For each correct answer, they get new instruction for programming the robot. If they answer everything correctly and follow the programming instructions correctly, the robot arm will correctly sort the waste.
The interactive rafting collection is designed so that visitors can explore the topic on their own and move freely around the space – the guide only tells a few basic clues about rafting in Ljubno. Meanwhile, the collection of Flower Sunday flowers is set up as a classic exhibition.
The training was very productive and efficient, an opportunity for partners to experience new methods and approaches that they will be able to transfer and implement in their teaching practice.
