Everyday learningEveryday learning

Sofoklis SotiriouSofoklis Sotiriou

Pavlos KoulourisPavlos Koulouris

Ellinogermaniki AgogiEllinogermaniki Agogi

www.ellinogermaniki.grwww.ellinogermaniki.gr

Who we areWho we areEllinogermaniki Agogi Ellinogermaniki Agogi (EA): a school in Athens, (EA): a school in Athens, Greece, covering all levels of school education, Greece, covering all levels of school education, from pre-school to upper secondary.from pre-school to upper secondary.

EA has a declared strong devotion to educational EA has a declared strong devotion to educational innovationinnovation and the imaginative use of and the imaginative use of new new technologiestechnologies in its normal educational activities.in its normal educational activities.

The school is almost unique in operating a The school is almost unique in operating a dedicated dedicated R&D departmentR&D department, which experiments , which experiments with new ideas and opportunities designed for, with new ideas and opportunities designed for, and tried in the school, with an eye to contributing and tried in the school, with an eye to contributing to a vision for the to a vision for the classroom of tomorrowclassroom of tomorrow..

Why we are hereWhy we are hereInquiry learning Inquiry learning is closely related to the approaches to is closely related to the approaches to learning we apply in our R&D projects. We use new learning we apply in our R&D projects. We use new technologies to encourage:technologies to encourage: exploration, exploration, data gathering from the surrounding environment,data gathering from the surrounding environment, seeking information by questioning, seeking information by questioning, student involvement that leads to understanding, etc. student involvement that leads to understanding, etc.

Our projects are of a predominantly Our projects are of a predominantly applied applied and and demonstrative demonstrative nature, being mainly oriented to the nature, being mainly oriented to the introduction of innovative ideas and practices in the school.introduction of innovative ideas and practices in the school.

We are always interested in academic work in related fields We are always interested in academic work in related fields to enhance our understanding to enhance our understanding of what we do and its value of what we do and its value for learning.for learning.

Our approach: ‘everyday learning’Our approach: ‘everyday learning’

Learning in diverse contextsLearning in diverse contexts: in and outside the : in and outside the classroomclassroom

Learning in diverse waysLearning in diverse ways: through experience, : through experience, involvement, talking with peers and experts, involvement, talking with peers and experts, solving practical problems, etc.solving practical problems, etc.

Any experience can be a learning opportunityAny experience can be a learning opportunity..

Knowledge is Knowledge is active active and and contextualcontextual; knowledge ; knowledge happenshappens (rather than being stored and retrieved). (rather than being stored and retrieved).

Contextual learning supported by Contextual learning supported by mobile learning applications: why?mobile learning applications: why?

Original contexts Original contexts provide provide motivation motivation to the studentsto the students

Mobile devices with internet access can be used to Mobile devices with internet access can be used to bring original contexts closer to the studentbring original contexts closer to the student, thus , thus providing highly motivating learning situations.providing highly motivating learning situations.

Mobile learning is even more Mobile learning is even more flexibleflexible than than computer-based e-learning, really providing access computer-based e-learning, really providing access to learning materials and situations from anywhere, to learning materials and situations from anywhere, anytime.anytime.

Educational theories and principles

Educational theories and principles that support and enhance the introduction of mobile technologies in education:

Contextual learning

Constructivism

Collaborative learning

Experiential learning

An example of An example of everyday mobile learning:everyday mobile learning:

Visits to museums and Visits to museums and archeological sitesarcheological sites

Aiming at promoting students’ awareness of the positive value of culture and thus at making young people aware of their history, values and heritage.

Museums and archeological sites provide the best context for educational uses of historical information and knowledge.

ICT has so far provided a promising ICT has so far provided a promising perspective for using museums and perspective for using museums and archeological sites more for archeological sites more for education:education:

Musems and site guide softwareMusems and site guide software

WebsitesWebsites

Virtual reality applications.Virtual reality applications.

However, these technologies cannot substitute the experience of actually visiting a museum or an archeological site.

Learning in-the-placeLearning in-the-place

Learners are motivate and therefore Learners are motivate and therefore absorb information.absorb information.

However, in the museum or the However, in the museum or the archeological site students do not have archeological site students do not have access to relevant additional educational access to relevant additional educational materials, which will help to transform materials, which will help to transform information from the surrounding information from the surrounding environment to knowledge.environment to knowledge.

The aim is to design, develop and The aim is to design, develop and use technological systems that will use technological systems that will turn a field visit to a museum or turn a field visit to a museum or archeological site to an authentic and archeological site to an authentic and rich learning experience. rich learning experience.

State-of-the-art mobile technologies State-of-the-art mobile technologies may provide help to this end.may provide help to this end.

Educational objectivesEducational objectives

Engage students in a series of participatory activities that Engage students in a series of participatory activities that allow them to experience a different way of visiting allow them to experience a different way of visiting archaeological sites through the use of advanced mobile archaeological sites through the use of advanced mobile applications. applications.

Integrate visit activities into the school curriculum Integrate visit activities into the school curriculum activities through an interdisciplinary approach.activities through an interdisciplinary approach.

Place historical events in time and space.Place historical events in time and space.

Develop specific criteria of historical sources elaboration.Develop specific criteria of historical sources elaboration.

Accept and encourage student’s initiative.Accept and encourage student’s initiative.

Encourage students to collaborate with the teacher and Encourage students to collaborate with the teacher and their classmates.their classmates.

Encourage students to make research based on open Encourage students to make research based on open questions.questions.

Gazi High School of Heraklion, February 2004

Educational Activities: “The new town on the old one. Educational visit at the Crete Historical Museum of and the Venetian walls in Heraklion.”

Ellinogermaniki Agogi, May 2004

Educational Activities: “Visit of the Apollo Epicurius temple, one of the monuments included in the World Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO.”

The framework of the The framework of the educational activitieseducational activities

Pre-visit activities

The aim of the pre-visit activities was to prepare the students so that they participate in the most effective way in the visit activities. During this phase the students:

studied on the Venetian walls and the temple of Apollo Epicurius

visited relevant sites on the web

got familiarized with the use of the MoTFAL web platform

performed exercises that their teacher uploaded on the platform

The framework of the The framework of the educational activitieseducational activities

Visit activitiesStudents at the age of 15 years participated in the activities.

In Crete, within the framework of the visit half of the class visited the museum, whereas the other half performed the visit at the Venetian walls.

The framework of the The framework of the educational activitieseducational activities

Post visit activitiesPost visit activities The main aim of the post visit activities is the The main aim of the post visit activities is the

consolidation of the learning results. Using consolidation of the learning results. Using the MoTFAL platform the students have the the MoTFAL platform the students have the chance to:chance to:

See pictures of their visit See pictures of their visit Study the educational materialStudy the educational material Perform exercises that their teacher has Perform exercises that their teacher has

already uploaded on the platform.already uploaded on the platform.

The framework of the The framework of the educational activitieseducational activities

Pedagogical AspectsPedagogical Aspects Students are engaged in educational Students are engaged in educational

activities that will mainly aim at:activities that will mainly aim at: Involving students in activities that promote Involving students in activities that promote

experiential learning and problem solvingexperiential learning and problem solving Enhancing collaboration and cooperation Enhancing collaboration and cooperation

among studentsamong students Helping students to learn in contextHelping students to learn in context Helping students to go beyond the Helping students to go beyond the

information provided by the teacher or the information provided by the teacher or the book and ask the book and ask the “why”“why” and the and the “how”“how” of of this information.this information.

PreparationPreparation

Σχεδιάζοντας την πορεία στον χάρτη ...

In the museum:

Presenting the activity to students

Students are split into two groups… Students are split into two groups… one visiting the site…one visiting the site…

and one virtually visiting…and one virtually visiting…

The students who visited the temple of Apollo Epicurius used their mobile devices as well as their laptops in order to access relevant educational material … but also to communicate with their classmates in the school.

… but also to communicate with their classmates in the school, who were also using the MoTFAL platform through their PCs or PDA devices.

Other examples:

High school students are visiting a historical monument, like Parthenon. In the framework of their visit they are using PDA devices with Internet connection. The PDA devices give students the possibility to have access in further information about the monument and in related sites. They can also capture moments from their visit just by using the camera of the device and also make their own comments. They can even communicate with students that they are visiting a museum and exchange their experiences, views and ideas.

In Ancient Olympia, too…

The use of mobile phones and PDA The use of mobile phones and PDA devices with Internet access ensured that devices with Internet access ensured that the learning process has been the learning process has been participativeparticipative, , interactiveinteractive, , engagingengaging, , effectiveeffective and and sustainable over place and sustainable over place and timetime. This philosophy is founded on the . This philosophy is founded on the premise that people learn best when premise that people learn best when engrossed in the topic, participating in engrossed in the topic, participating in activities that motivate learning and enable activities that motivate learning and enable them to synthesize their own them to synthesize their own understanding. The main goal has been understanding. The main goal has been active exploration, construction, and active exploration, construction, and learninglearning as opposed to textbook reading as opposed to textbook reading and lecture comprehension.and lecture comprehension.