This is a project developed in the «Environment, Development and Society» class, which prompts the opening of queries for the students to acquire methodological frames for the problematizing of reality, research strategies and the possibility to question their daily environment. The aim is to prototype improvements, solutions or generate concrete actions through technology. The experience is propounded with Year 12 students in a bilingual school with Natural Sciences orientation. Digital classroom, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) modality. The project is in its fourth year with a permanent plaing update under the STEAM approach. It is executed in two stages: the first one is related to research through the choice of a topic from the subject’s syllabus, in which they identify a problem and deepen its examination, producing a written text on the state of the matter.
The second stage is oriented towards action from the work process based on the DesignThinking (1) strategies, where the co-design of prototypes or effective actions to provide solutions for identified problems is sought, trying to emphasize the “learning by doing” route. It is expected that the students: Transfer their biological knowledge in order to provide opinions, arguments and courses of action in relation to environmental and health aspects. Use the digital tools at their disposal to promote communication within and outside the classroom, the development of the project and the visibility of their productions. Present research topics that influence their daily reality in school and outside of it, considering their own motivations. – Develop the necessary critical thought to build a sense of citizenship committed to social and natural aspects. All the students have their own Blog in the maer of an e-portfolio. In it, they publish the class activities according to the syllabus’s contents (example1, example2).
The students take multimedia class notes in Evernote and save them in a shared folder.
Communication with the students is kept through the 6NIsV closed community in Google+.Students share their work in progress by Google Documents. Teachers plan through Google Drive.The social marker Diigo is used to centralize all the digital resources and to create a list of consulted sources. Main labels: impactonls, 6nlsv. We opened the classroom’s doors using the #6NIsV hashtag in Twitter.nWe gathered in a Board called “Inspiradores” (https://es.pinterest.com/aleredin/inspiradores/)websites that could help the students rethink ideas oriented towards the production’s secondnstage. The research projects of students from previous years are also consulting material (http://www.scoop.it/t/blogosfera-es- newlands/?tag=nuevas_miradas). It is important that the ideas proposed by each group have “visibility” online. During the year 2015, students have chosen spaces like Instagram, Facebook or the Medium platform to advertise thenproject. They have also designed art installations and video campaigns. Some examples:
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- “Sustain our Period”: campaign to reduce the waste generated by femenine pads. Facebook Page. Instagram
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- “Matanza – Riachuelo Basin”: campaign that promotes awareness of the importance of achieving the cleaning of this basin. Presentation. Video campaign.
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- “Water pollution”, art intervention to promote water care. Art installation.
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- «Biodegradable plastics» , video tutorial on how to create a homemade product.
Presently, they are including the creation of apps (AppInventor), augmented reality spaces (Aurasma, Aumentaty) and virtual reality tours. Next year we hope to include settings using robotics (Scratch S4A + Arduino). Guide to write a state of matterRubric of state of the matter
Fabricantes de soluciones from Alejandra García Redín on Vimeo.(1) DESIGN THINKING stages (Stanford University): understand, observe, define, devise, prototype, test, implement.
Recommended reading: ISTE Standards for students 2016