Professional Development

Theory, technology and applications of the digital storytelling

Professional e-Learning training program in the University of the Aegean

In the framework of the “Life-long Learning” program (http://e-epimorfosi.aegean.gr), University of the Aegean announced a new e-Learning program, entitled “Theory, Technology and applications of the Digital Storytelling”. Trainees will develop the ability to create and publish effective digital storytelling for applications in the field of education, culture, communication, politics, public relations, promotion of products and services.

The program will take place between 6/10/2014-15/2/2015. Participation provides qualified certificates and ECVET credits. For more information read the attached newsletter or visit the program’s website: http://e-epimorfosi.aegean.gr/e-viewpr?prpd_id=83723

Scratch Day 2010 in Rhodes

On Saturday, 22 May, an educational workshop took place under the Scratch Day event.

Almost 120 teachers attended the event and participated in the following workshops:

Scratch applications in Physics and Mathematics teaching (N. Dapontes)
Scratch applications in Special Education (P. Tragazikis)
Implementation of educational Digital Storytelling with Scratch (K. Serafeim)
Scratch applications in Computer Science teaching (Ts. Karakiza, El. Mavroudi, D. Vamvakas, G. Fesakis)

More information: http://scratchdaygr.blogspot.com/

Pilot training program: “Building Robots in Rhodes”

Training students and teachers of Rhodes Municipality in educational robotics, and preparation for participation in the Second Pan-hellenic Educational Robotics Competition (http://wrohellas.gr/).

20 FEB – 13 MAR 2010, at 2nd SEK of Rhodes.

The project was granted by “Stavros Niarchos Foundation” and with the support of WRO Hellas.
Curators of the project were the Learning Technology and Education Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design and members of the Recreational and Educational Robotics Team (http://robotics4fun.blogspot.com/).

Familiarization with the SCRATCH educational programming environment

Training session (tutorial) at the 4^th Pan-Hellenic Conference ‘Informatics Didactics’, Patras 28-30 March 2008.

Familiarization with the SCRATCH educational programming environment

G. Fesakis¹, A. Dimitracopoulou¹,
K. Serafeim¹, A. Zafeiropoulou¹, M.Ntouni¹, V.Touka¹,
¹Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design

Abstract
The session concerns the training of young scientists and teachers in the MIT Scratch programming environment (http://scratch.mit.edu). Scratch is a new programming language designed for education. It allows the user to easily create interactive stories, animation, video games, music and digital art. The vibrant web-community created around the Scratch environment gives anyone the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions with other creators and to be actively involved in a community of practice and learning. Scratch is an open software based on squeak. It is designed for use from the age of 8 years. Scratch designers aim to develop basic skills such as: creative thinking, clear communication, systematic analysis, efficient collaboration, iterative-progressive design and lifelong learning skills. Kids who program in Scratch come in contact with important mathematical and computational ideas, while understanding better the general process of design.

Structure and duration

In the proposed training session, participants will have the opportunity to:

attend a demonstration of the basic features of the development environment and of the web-community
examine ready applications with emphasis on educational
try lesson plans for familiarity with the language that concern authentic micro-applications that they will implement themselves.

The duration of the session is estimated at about 2½ hours as follows:
F1. Introduction to Scratch as project, 5′.
F2. Introduction to the development environment, 45′.
F3. Introduction to the web-community, 10′.
F4. Application of learning scenarios, 90′.
The training will be implemented with the contribution of TEPAES students, who have already created appropriate educational and training material.

Who is involved – expected benefits

New researchers: Scratch is surrounded by a group of scientists working on interesting issues of effective integration and exploitation of programming environments in education. New researchers will be able to better approach the theoretical ideas and research data produced by the scratch community. In addition, familiarity with the environment enables them to design and test research ideas by easily developing the prototypes of computational environments required.
Teachers: The environment gives new opportunities for the teacher of Computer Sciences (Primary or Secondary Education) to engage children with introduction to programming and advanced concepts (‘object’, ‘fact’, etc.). Besides teaching of Programming, Scratch provides each teacher with an easy way to produce interactive educational material, micro-worlds, simulations, etc. In the training session, samples of various learning activities will be distributed, including activities required from the official curriculum.
Children: Scratch environment brings innovations in the approach of obscure concepts and programming techniques and its spread in education and extracurricular involvement of children is believed to improve their relationship with Computer Science in general, while at the same time it will make programming more interesting for girls and students of theoretical sciences.

Word keys: scratch, educational programming, training.

Basic Bibliography
SCRATCH (2008), http://scratch.mit.edu, Last access 7 Feb 2008

Fessakis G., Dimitracopoulou A., (2006). Review of educational environments for programming: Technological and Pedagogical Dimensions, journal THEMES in education, 7(3), pp. 279-304 (in Greek).

Training material

Presentations: SCRATCH_WS_PRESENTATIONS

Manual: ST_DOC01_REFERENCE_GUIDE_GR_v1

Learning activities:

LACT01_INTRODUCTION.ZIP

LACT02_SPINNER.zip

LACT03_JOHN.zip

LACT04_AQUARIUM.zip

LACT05_FUN_WITH_ANIMATION.zip