The Innovative Learning Environments Research Group at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research (University of Jyväskylä – https://www.jyu.fi/it/en/research/research-areas/cognitive-science-and-educational-technology/ile) started an intensive collaboration with schools in the “Modeling at School” Erasmus+ project (https://www.jyu.fi/it/en/research/research-areas/cognitive-science-and-educational-technology/ile/projects/mas).
Right before Finnish schools have been closed because of the COVID-19 crisis, representatives of the Finnish Modeling at School team, Tiina Mäkelä and Kristóf Fenyvesi visited University of Jyväskylä’s Teacher Training School and involved teachers and a group of 6th graders in various modeling activities.
Our computer science-based activity diagrams have also helped to memorize the guidelines of the proper hand wash and understand the security protocol of what to do in case if someone suspects having COVID-19 infection.
In addition to the practical implementation of diagrams in a crisis situation, the students had time to experience the use of diagrams in subject-based learning as well. At handcraft class, the students decided to support with diagrams their project on product design.
At the end of the class, the students discovered that the process of product design from the starting idea to the manufacturing can be supported greatly by algorithmic thinking.
The students were busy and had big fun on working in teams on diagrams of various product designs. They were also excited to see the outcome of their algorithms by constructing the rapid prototypes of their designs by using the ITSPHUN geometric modeling kit.
Currently, the Finnish Modeling at School team is preparing distance learning materials to make quarantine learning more enjoyable and motivating with Computational Thinking-related activities.
If you want to know more about the “Modeling at School” Erasmus+ project, please
- check out our website: http://computationalthinking.guru/
- like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/diagram.guru/
- follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/diagram.guru/
- sign up to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbQmMFKPO7-86w4YAxll4ww
Contacts in Finland:
Finnish Institute for Educational Research
University of Jyväskylä
Kristóf Fenyvesi: kristof.fenyvesi@jyu.fi
Tiina Mäkelä: tiina.makela@jyu.fi