International projects
Teaching Ecology through Apps: Learning, Engagement and Fun
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
12552 |
PhD Dušan Krnel |
Educational studies |
Head |
2014 - 2017 |
1,010 |
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Children, and thus parents/teachers, explore their worlds all the time with ICT tools. Misconceptions about biodiversity/ecology are deeply engrained and if we wish to transform learning at school at a deep level: learners need to encounter stimuli in such a way as to bring about real change and the learning must be transformative.
This project will explore the use of serious games (called “apps”) by experiments conducted by teachers and their pupils (from upper primary school to lower secondary school), who will be in permanent contact with a team of researchers and academic advisors, and supported by an in-service training programme developed for this purpose. Everyone will work together (teachers, researchers, trainers) in order to identify good practices, and then to disseminate them within the participating organizations. The analysis of this iterative process is at the heart of the action research project. This includes also the analysis and improvement of the apps used and tested in this process.
The experimenter-teachers (75 teachers from 5 countries) will link together across the project (European dimension) and they will be able to acquire certification during the 3 years’ experimentation to validate their skills from one of the university in the partnership. They will be able then to become resource persons within their schools network.
To improve learning about biodiversity using serious games, there are three approaches that can be taken:
1/ the use of ready-made apps, currently available
2/ the production and evaluation of designer-made apps
3/ the production and evaluation of child-made apps
These represent two directions:
A/ top-down (teacher-led, transmissive and emphasising constructivist learning)
B/ bottom-up (child-led, and constructivist)
In the course of the project we aim to move from 1/ to 3/ and thus from A to B in an iterative process with feedback.
Due to all this elements, here are the expected results:
• In-service training course for teachers
• Website
• Portal of communication
• Teachers learning community
• Teachers resource book
• Research papers
• Academic book
• Pre-service course for students
• Conferences on national bases
• Certification for teachers involved in the project with summer course in Dublin
• International closing conference / symposium / colloquium in 2017 in France.
The project team is : Direction de l'Enseignement catholique de la Mayenne (UDOGEC FR), St Patrick's College ( a college of Dublin City University IRL), Zapadoceska Univerzita V Plzni (West bohemia University Pilsen CZ), Univerza V Ljubljana (Faculty of Education SL), Universidad de Almeria (SP). This project is coordinated by Direction de l'Enseignement Catholique de la Mayenne (UDOGEC FR).
