Creative minds
Start date: Sep 1, 2014,
End date: Aug 31, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
'Creative minds' is a project concerning robotics and modern computer technologies. By its implementation the partner schools make changes in teaching science subjects, incorporate the elements of robotics into the curricula of the subjects like Technology, Mathematics, Information Technology and Physics, and introduce new methods and forms of work during lessons. The teachers and students gain knowledge and skills within constructing, programming and steering robots and devices designed of the Lego bricks, gradually introducing their own creative ideas and solutions to their work. Owing to this fact, they develop rational thinking, creativity and innovativeness. The effective cooperation and communication between the schools is guaranteed by constant e-mail exchanges, chats, video-conferences, sending packages with authentic materials, vast usage of Twinspace tools and project website. The Mindmeister is used for online brainstorming. During the project the Polish and Cypriot teachers participate in the joint staff training courses concerning the use of the Lego and ICT tools in education and modern techniques of creative thinking, learning and self-development, deepening their knowledge and skills, getting to know modern methods and forms of work, improving their English skills and exchanging own experiences. Newly acquired skills are used by the teachers during lessons and extracurricular activities, while creating lesson plans, training and educational materials. The students of both schools take part in joint exchanges of the groups of pupils in Cyprus and Poland. They participate in common technologic and language workshops. While cooperating in the international Polish-Cypriot groups, they construct, program and steer robots as a part of Lego engineer projects, design own devices and create English mini-guides of constructing and programming manuals. They also construct the robot for space exploration, conduct virtual mission on the planet Mars and work out trilingual mini-dictionaries of words and phrases connected with robotics and ICT. Cyclic Technology & IT, science and language classes are conducted at the schools, and the events disseminating the project take place. Those are as follows - Creativity Day, Earth Day, or the final conferences attended by teachers, students, parents, local educational authorities and local community members of both schools. 40 teachers and 200 students of both schools take part in the project, including 10 teachers who participate in the joint staff trainings, 30 students and 4 teachers taking part in the joint exchanges of the groups of pupils. Due to the implementation of the project, the permanent changes in teaching occur in both schools. Those are modifications of the curricula of science subjects, introduction of the new methods and forms of work, innovative approaches and solutions. Similar tasks will constantly be carried out with future generations of students.