FOURTH NEWSLETTER - OCTOBER 2020
Sowing the SEEDS of entrepreneurial thinking in preschools
- Four webinars presenting the results from the SEEDS project on creativity, collaboration and social entrepreneurship in preschools using technology
Can you mix digital media with real gardening and make insect tell about themselves in videos? What happens if you introduce preschool children to makerspace technology through fairytales, or if you let children find out how to use robots through play? How are these examples connected with collaboration and experiments?
Get the answers in the first of four webinars starting on the 14th September from 14.00-16.00 CEST.
For the last two years preschool children and educators from Palermo, Bremen, Nicosia and Vejle has been experimenting with mixing anything from gardening, dancing, the solar system and “the good life” for children with technologies such as digital robots, makerspace technology, 360 degree cameras and apps.
The main goal of the experiments has been to develop pedagogical methods for preschool education, to support early learning of relevant skills like entrepreneurial thinking, digital media use and to ensure social inclusion of all children in this learning.
Now the participants of the SEEDS project are ready to present the results. During four webinars you will meet educators from the participating cities and see exciting examples from real life practice. All showing how you, in a collaborative way, can be creative and experimenting together with preschool children and in that way sow the SEEDS of entrepreneurial thinking in the minds of the children.
SEEDS is funded by the European fund Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships for School Education.
Second webinar
Date: 21.9 2020, 16.00 to 17.30, CET
Title: Digital Media and Social Inclusion in Preschools
– Little robots as tool to promote social inclusion and improve children’s learning process
Language: Italian (And few parts in english)
Theme:
Social inclusion refers to the active involvement of others into one’s social interaction. But it is also about the removal of barriers and integrity.
The webinar will serve as an interactive dialogue to investigate how the willingness to include others is shaped though the use of technologies in the pre-schools. An input of the debate will be the voices and experiences of the teachers and educators who actively took part in the project activities.
In particular, the majority of the kindergarten who took part in the SEEDS project in Palermo are mostly attended by migrant children or are located in poor areas of the city. These kindergartens were the perfect “experimenting communities” to investigate the theme of social inclusion connected to the use of small technologies like Beebots and Ozobots. Moreover, in many activities realised in the context of the project, teachers realised that technologies encouraged and improved children’s interaction and collaboration. Finally, technologies were a good mean to investigate and discover new cultures and identities.
Participants from SEEDS experimenting communities:
– Valentina Catanzato, Ubuntu
– Elisabetta Cascio, Kala Onlus
– Francesco Geraci, La piccola casa nel bosco
– Clara Guccione, Spazio 06
Register for the webinar:
Sign up for the second webinar here!
On the SEEDS project, we are very concerned about your online safety, therefor the webinar will be held on a safe connection: ZOOM.
You will receive a link to the online meeting room in a separate email the day before the webinar starts.
No organisational or personal data will be made public beyond the project partners and the EU. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you. Any information you provide will not be transmitted to third parties and will be treated in full compliance with the GDPR. By completing the registration you accept that parts of the event will be recorded and screen shots will be taken.
AGENDA
Time | Description | Presented by |
16.00 – 16.10 | Welcoming |
|
16.10 – 16.25 | Introduction: general overview on SEEDS project | CESIE |
16.25 – 16.30 | Presentation on SEEDS pedagogy and experimenting communities (in English with simultaneous translation) | Klaus Thestrup and Sarah Robinson |
16.30 – 16.40 | Presentation on social inclusion | CESIE |
16.40 – 16.45 | Denmark Experiences + general overview focusing on social inclusion (in English with simultaneous translation) | Jacob Knudsen, project coordinator |
16.45 – 16.50 | Experiences from partners’ preschools focusing on social inclusion (in English with simultaneous translation) | Other partners |
16.50 – 17.00 | Video-interviews/experiences | SEEDS educators |
17.00 – 17.15 | Open debate |
|
17.15 – 17.30 | Greetings and conclusions |
|
Third Webinar
Date: 29.9 2020, 14:00-15:30 CET (15:00-16:30, Cyprus Time)
Title: Experimenting communities in preschool education: Strengthening social entrepreneurship competencies by using digital tools and technologies
Language: English
Theme:
In this webinar, we will explore the “SEEDS” pedagogy and more specifically how to use the concept of the experimenting communities to foster key entrepreneurial competencies. We will take a look at the eTwinning platform and the different learning and networking opportunities available. We will explore the challenges experienced by diversity in preschools and how these challenges were tackled through the concept of experimenting communities. Furthermore, we will present some of the activities implemented by the experimenting communities in Cyprus and take a look at some of our upcoming school education projects.
Participating schools:
C’ Kaimakliou Public Kindergarten (Niki Shekkeri & Constantia Demetriou)
B’ Palaiometochou Public Kindergarten (Maro Michaelidiou)
Register for the webinar:
Sign up for the third webinar here!
On the SEEDS project, we are very concerned about your online safety, therefor the webinar will be held on a safe connection: ZOOM.
You will receive a link to the online meeting room in a separate email the day before the webinar starts.
No organisational or personal data will be made public beyond the project partners and the EU. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you. Any information you provide will not be transmitted to third parties and will be treated in full compliance with the GDPR. By completing the registration you accept that parts of the event will be recorded and screen shots will be taken
AGENDA
Time | Description | Presented by |
14.00 – 14.10 | Introduction to the project team | The SEEDS Team |
14.10 – 14.15 | Introduction to the SEEDS project | SYNTHESIS |
14.15 – 14.25 | The change-maker pedagogy and the concept of experimenting communities | Klaus Thestrup and Sarah Robinson |
14.25 – 14.40 | Presentation of the e-Twinning Platform/Sharing practices from schools across Cyprus | Foundation for the Management of European Lifelong Learning Programmes |
14.40 – 14.50 | Presentation of the SEEDS toolbox – DIMEB/Vejle Municipality | Jacob Knudsen and Antje Moebus |
14.50 – 15.10 | Sharing the results of the activities in Cyprus | Nursery schools from Cyprus |
15.10 – 15.15 | Social Inclusion framework: Challenges experienced by diversity and how they could be tackled through experimenting communities | Jacob Knudsen |
15.15 – 15.20 | New project: Kidpreneurship | SYNTHESIS |
15.20 – 15.30 | Q&A |
|
Fourth webinar
Date: 9.10 2020, 14.00 to 15.30, CET
Title: Robot-Toolkits in Kindergartens
Language: English
Theme:
One aim of the SEEDs project was the development of a robot toolkit and its experimental use in kindergartens. In the project, a fablab (fabrication laboratory) was used to provide workshops for educators, where they could experiment with digital technologies and develop ideas on how to use the robotic toolkits in kindergartens. In the webinar, the production and application of a robot toolkit will be presented on the basis of a practical guide developed in the project. Furthermore, discussions and video interviews will focus on the experiences of the teachers in the creative workshops and the consequences for their own attitude towards the use of digital technologies in kindergarten and their future work with the children. The webinar will also discuss to what extent the use of the Robot Toolkit contributes to fostering inventive skills and mindsets in the pre-school children, giving them basic skills: to think critically, to cooperate, to communicate, to work with others.
Participants from SEEDS experimenting communities:
– Rebekka Schäfer and Deepinder Gill – Kinder- und Familienzentrum Stichnahtstraße;
– Nina Meyer, Federica Marras and Karen Weiß – Kakadu e.V.;
– Katrin Radant – Das Entdeckerhaus,
– Susanne Roboom – Blickwechsel e.V,
Register for the webinar:
Sign up for the Fourth webinar here!
On the SEEDS project, we are very concerned about your online safety, therefor the webinar will be held on a safe connection: ZOOM.
You will receive a link to the online meeting room in a separate email the day before the webinar starts.
No organisational or personal data will be made public beyond the project partners and the EU. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you. Any information you provide will not be transmitted to third parties and will be treated in full compliance with the GDPR. By completing the registration you accept that parts of the event will be recorded and screen shots will be taken
AGENDA
Time | Description | Presented by |
14.00 – 14.10 | Welcoming – brief introduction of project partners (and eventually Participants also) |
|
14.10 – 14.20 | Introduction: general overview on SEEDS project (and perhaps showing the video of the workshop in Bremen) | dimeb |
14.20 – 14.30 | Denmark Experiences + general overview
Cyprus Experiences
Italy: Experiences | Jacob Knudsen, project coordinator
Maria Georgiou
Georgia Scuderi |
14.30 – 14.40 | Presentation SEEDS pedagogy and experimenting communities In English or German – depending on the participants | Klaus Thestrup and Sarah Robinson |
14.40 – 15.00 | Presentation of toolkit production (live or video)
| dimeb |
15:00 – 15:15 | Video-interviews/ Video clips from the use of the toolkits / experiences Live Talk | SEEDS educators, Educational experts |
15.15 – 15.25 | Discussion – Questions & Answers | All |
15:25 – 15:30 | Last words – Formal closure of the project |
|
First webinar:
Date: 14.9 2020, 14.00 to 16.00, CEST
Title: Entrepreneurial thinking in preschools: Collaboration and experiments using Beebots, QR-codes and apps
Language: English
Theme:
The webinar will introduce two exciting examples from preschools in Vejle on how to set up experimenting communities and do experiments with children using robots and in technology in playful learning about gardening. The webinar will also introduce the development work methods of the SEEDS project; experimenting communities and the change maker pedagogy
The webinar will be organized as a mix of light presentations, group discussions and question time.
Presenters:
Dorthe Mikkelsen, Danish preschool Gadkjærgaard: Using QR codes and videos in the garden.
Kenneth Knudsen, Danish preschool GAIA: Organizing children experimenting with technology
Sarah Robinson and Klaus Thestrup, Researchers at CUDIM, Aarhus University: Introducing the results from the SEEDS project, Experimenting Communities
Jacob Knudsen, Designer of digital pedagogy at VIFIN, Vejle Municipality: Hosting the webinar and giving a short introducing the SEEDS project.
Register for the webinar:
Sign up for the first webinar here!
On the SEEDS project, we are very concerned about your online safety, therefor the webinar will be held on a safe connection: Adobe Connect.
You will receive a link to the online meeting room in a separate email the day before the webinar starts.
No organisational or personal data will be made public beyond the project partners and the EU. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you. Any information you provide will not be transmitted to third parties and will be treated in full compliance with the GDPR. By completing the registration you accept that parts of the event will be recorded and screen shots will be taken.
Dates for the four webinars:
14.9 2020 14.00 to 16.00 CEST: Entrepreneurial thinking in preschools: Collaboration and experiments using Beebots, QR-codes and apps, hosted by VIFIN,Vejle
21.9 2020 15 to 16.30 CEST: Hosted by CESIE, Palermo
29.9 2020 14:00 to 15.30 CEST: Hosted by SYNTHESIS, Nicosia
9.10 2020 14:00 to 15:30 CEST: Robot kits in preschool, hosted by DIMEB, Bremen
THIRD NEWSLETTER - MARCH 2020
Training in Bremen - October 2019
As part of our project, the second teacher training with educators from the four partner countries took place in Germany from 21st to 23rd October 2019. This time, we invited the preschool teachers to the FabLab Bremen for exchanging experiences, experimenting with technology and discovering observing methods together.
On Monday, the participating kindergartens from Italy, Cyprus, Denmark and Germany presented their previous activities with digital media in their kindergarten and excitedly exchanged their experiences with each other. The activities included floor robots such as Bee-Bot and Ozobot and the creative use of iPads with Apps like Book Creator and My Talking Pet. The teachers were inspired by the work of their colleagues and got many new ideas for their further experimenting in their institution.
On the second day, hands-on work was done in the FabLab. (New) developments, such as jigsaw puzzles that contain electronics, were tested and discussed, various applications were discussed and offered inspiration for many more ideas. A donkey, a dog, a cat and a cock experienced exciting adventures in Palermo, Nicosia, Vejle and Bremen digitally as well as non-digitally. Finally they crossed their paths in Fablab Bremen and they lived happily ever after … Wednesday, the focus of the training was on methods of observing the children in their everyday life in kindergarten. Exercises focused on children’s wordings and behaviours that indicate how creativity, collarboration, cooperation and ciritical thinking are approached in the experimenting communities.
During this second training the preschool teachers exchanged their experiences and ideas which was perceived as very inspiring. The training activities encouraged the further use of digital media in kindergartens and provided impetus for more cooperation across the national borders.
Video from the training in Bremen - October 2019
Here are some impressions from workshops at the second training, which took place in Bremen. The educators worked with technology, analogue materials, storytelling and co-creation of stories.
SECOND NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 2019
Training in Aarhus - February 2019
The first Training Workshop for preschool teachers from Sicily, Cyprus, Germany and Denmark was held at Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark from 4th – 6th Feb. 2019. This was the first time that the 28 teachers met the other teachers from the four different countries.
Over the 3 days, the teachers worked hands-on with different forms of digital technology and with non-digital resources to build models of their own institutions and the environments in which they were placed. In order to connect the teachers and their physical institutions robots were used to ‘travel’ between the institutions and the countries. The teachers were introduced to different kinds of technology including apps for making drawings talk, an app for creating stories, and an app that transforms background and allows images to be placed in new contexts. This was supplemented with the introduction of a range of simple robots that can be easily programmed and used in preschool.
In order to structure the process, the teachers were also presented with a change-maker pedagogy that starts with the individual (child) and then builds on relationships with others, through strategies stimulated by a desire to investigate, discover and experiment. The goals were to begin to think about how children become entrepreneurial and how the competences they need for the 21st century can be supported by an open and inclusive pedagogy. There are no wrong answers but the ability to ask questions is central to the entrepreneurial learning processes. The teachers will then take this pedagogy back to their own institutions and work to build experimenting communities that can inspire, stimulate, motivate and present different ways of working with digital technology inside and between their institutions.
At the end of the 3 days, the teachers worked across the national groups to produce a presentation of the ‘SEEDS world’ where their models of their institutions were combined together in an exciting and complex image. The teachers were enthusiastic about what they learned and went back inspired by new methods and ideas for incorporating digital technology into their institutions and keen to share their experiences with the other teachers both nationally and internationally.
FIRST NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2019