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518288-LLP-1-2011-1-IT-COMENIUS-CMP

Clockwork objects, enhanced learning: Automata Toys Construction in primary education for Learning to Learn promotion, creativity fostering & Key Competences acquisition, with the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This website reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible

for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

with the

contribution of

1st piloting - Clohe - Alivola - Pedagogical implications

Step	Pedagogical implications
1	12-12-2012 Teacher Laura Lapalorcia - Science First reflections on the pedagogical implications of workshop activities of Automata in the (first year) secondary school in Passo Corese, Rieti, Italy If we consider the specific objectives set in the planning of the Workshop of “automata in the classroom” - that is: - socialize and integrate through the exchange of ideas and the creative application of techniques; - consolidate knowledge and skills in transforming skills through "learning by doing"; - develop learning based on interaction and constructivism both in the classroom and at school, and at European level; - learning how to use recycled materials in the design and production of both artistic and everyday a few weeks before the start of construction activities of Automata, we can begin to reflect on what has been observed in the behavior, actions, motivation of the students who participate and the implications that this training has on the construction of their skills. First, is immediately evident the high level of enthusiasm and curiosity shown by all the boys and girls in relation to the type of approach used by the experts, what is known as "inductive method" but that at their age (these adolescents 11 -12 years) appears as "a challenge to discover something hidden": their energies are activated and go to dig in the mind to get knowledge and / or experience that can help them to "discover the mechanism", confronting each other within the couple or small group, often proceeding by trial and error as well as reasoning, and asking for advice from more experienced (same age or adults) when just groping in the dark .... It is natural to reference to Vygotsky, the processes of internalization, the internal dialogue, the development of complex cognitive functions that depend, at first, by attending a practice with subject experts who bring to light "zone of proximal development"; yet, it is evident that every time we pivot on the interactivity of the construction of knowledge-as in the case of the Automata workshop - the common denominator of all these concepts, and the social dimension (specifically the school environment) practiced as an organizing principle of educational activities with the development of peer relationships among students. Based on this socio-cultural approach, knowledge is formed in contexts in which people interact each other using the tools of their own culture, to achieve certain goals, meaning "contexts" not only physical locations, but relational dimensions where compare and exchange cognitive processes involved in a given activity. It 's true, thus, that the specific context can not be neutral, precisely because it is linked to an activity that is an integral part and that leads to learning, and that therefore we must speak of "located knowledge", but it is equally not true that these are mere procedural knowledge (rigid, not very adaptable to the various contexts and not able to cope with the unexpected ...), given that from time to time, from activity to activity, boys developed those skills that allow them to deal with new and different situations to solve problems. Is timely in this regard, reference to the description of the researcher Silvano Tagliagambe about the dialectic between situated learning and decontextualized lerarning; the philosopher writes: "The learning so stimulated induces a abstractive process that favors the construction of knowledge according to a dual form: on one hand, it remains anchored to the context used and from this usually engaged; on the other, it is resulting released, and can then be projected in other contexts, considered in some respects, similar to the previous one. " Stands the importance of these considerations in school, where tradition has not allowed students to manage their learning, resulting them almost "containers" where dump the information and knowledge by others.... This causes what Engestrom called "encapsulation of knowledge," meaning that what has been acquired by the students in a strictly academic way is generally reduced to something unused, inert, without generating charge for further knowledge ... and failures of educational interventions , the growth of early school leaving are a testimony. The suggestion of the researcher is old: " Non scholae sed vitae discimus…” Even the search for Laureen Resnik go in this direction: in dealing with the study of different types of learning, the school and the world of work and everyday life, the educational psychologist found the lack or the lack of continuity between what you learn at school and the wealth of informal knowledge built outside, and she correlates this evidence to the typical individual approach of school learning than shared on the daily experience, so much so that the school is increasingly isolating from the rest of what is made outside (see L. Resnik, "Learning in and out of the school") These contributions from scholars of learning can in fact be applied to our real situation, observing our students both in the classroom both during Automata workshop: the kids who are attending the workshop activities are very interactive even within the class, offer and ask questions, seek stimulation in comparison with their colleagues and catch the daily reality during a simple lecture (especially of Sciences ... ed.) The relationship with the teacher - that already for the changes of the social dimension is quickly transforming - it is not experienced by these students as a relationship of authority and unambiguous, but as the presence of help and support, assistance and guidance in a process of empowerment and autonomy in constructing their own learning. Thus was the proper spirit of the "learning community" where the expertise is distributed differently and, thanks to the provision and use of experiences by all, everyone can enhance and deepen their knowledge using who knows more inside and / or outside the classroom.
2	24/01/2013 (Stories and related key points) Pupils listen to the instructions of the teachers who show them the target of today's job: to invent a story with characters (people, things or animals ...), then break it down into basic parts (key points) in order to represent them with the automata that will be built during the next meetings. The boys, in groups of two, they begin to think about the characters and the plot of their stories, while teachers spend in the classroom to provide further explanation on how to proceed: the boys, in fact, find it difficult to organize the work, to think as a whole, and tend to introduce in the stories science fiction elements, hardly translatable in an artifact as a automata. Another tip that is necessary is to build the plot, the events of the stories (sometimes raised them through a series of questions from the teachers), that boys tend to leave open, pending ... Once we have clarified these issues, the boys have finished their stories, bringing them back in the notebook, the sequences are divided into basic parts (key points) and drew the corresponding scenes, to be achieved by the automata at a later time.
3	31/01/2013 (The design and construction of automata #1) In the construction of automata corresponding to the key point of the stories invented by the children, in some groups argue about how to animate the first scene already represented in the notebook: holding the box of the mechanism (mounted in its housing, as yet empty) imagine how to fix the characters of the story, of which movement equip them ....; often the discussion is on and some mimic the body with the scene (sometimes impossible to realize) that has created the companion, pointing out that it is inappropriate to go that way ... Then their start again and design something new, giving space to the ideas of another. In some other group the children work in silence, with work already planned, designed on the book: there is less confrontation, then the adults give some thought on how to proceed asking questions, to bring to light the ideas and, sharing, restructure them. At the table of the tools the boys meet to take the necessary for work, and fast exchange news, about how someone started to build ... some new ideas ... Once designed and simulated by gestures the whole automata, many small groups choose the path of the "division of labor". Pupils more "technical" work on the mechanism, the most "artistic" work on the stage. Someone realizes that he can change some mechanism, adapting it to his (her) stage requirements, and now rejoices on the outcome, recounting it to his companions and teachers. When the first works take shape, someone is satisfied with the effect made, some other adjusts the shooting, asking for advice or looking at the product of his companions and the automata already made in previous meetings.
4	07/03/2013 (The construction of the last automata) The work is almost finished, almost all groups of pupils have come to the construction of the last automata, one group only has been left behind and is still firm to the second automata because of the lack of collaboration between two students who have failed nor to work together, helping, or to divide the work, like many other groups, and this despite the constant suggestions of the adults, who have done everything to make them understand the convenience (in terms of time and result) of restructure the individualistic approach taken and converge towards the objects to be realized ... Being the only group to show such difficulties arose reflection if he should dismember and replenish the students so that they could start over with more relaxed social relations within a new group, after due comparison in this regard, however, it was decided to leave it alone, and to give them new opportunities, supported by the constant reminders to work and the example of others, and to make them aware of their actions and the consequences thereof. With regard to the other groups, however, with the progress of works and the construction of the last automata, it has been observed to be a way to proceed more expeditious and safe, in the design and implementation of both a grow the tuning between the members of the various groups, almost all prone to the method of division of labor, which has facilitated and accelerated the construction of automata as each pupil has chosen to engage in the sector in which he felt more paid. Were good also the sharing of ideas and discussion among the members of the groups, which often took place precisely during the progress of the work and also led to a revision of the same on the spot. Also of note is the spirit of cooperation shown by many of the students who had finished their work and have lent themselves to help others to speed up their groups (which did not work only with the group behind, which we discussed above) . Regarding the design of mechanisms to represent the various stories, many groups have been strengthened to handle the skills acquired and groped (successfully) changes and / or more pairs of movements on the same automata, which has made the expression more scenic than in the stories told. Even the imagination of the artistic and the use of materials needed have grown over successive matches: pupils went swiftly to the search of your equipment or fit objects of different origin, or instantly changing realization to only see the work of others, without copying it, evidently proceeding by association of ideas ... In principle, socialization and integration results are good and profitable in terms of end results, apart from the group of which in the opening.
5	Assessment Questionnaire for the teachers of the European project Clohe: May 18, 2013 Evaluation: The project has been clearly illustrated? The modalities for the project have been organized in a clear and effective way? You can improve this information? In what way? Yes, the proponents have devoted time and energy to clearly illustrate the various stages of the project, both during official meetings, both informally. To be the first experience, the project has been articulated with sufficient organization. Perhaps, based on the satisfaction of the students (which was very good) could be envisaged times more relaxed and therefore devote more space to the various stages, since the former are preparatory to the next. Transversal key competence which has been focusing on? (Digital competence, skills 'learning to learn', social and civic competences, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship and cultural awareness): Certainly, the project has encouraged socialization, collaboration among peers and with adults, the spirit of entrepreneurship and design skills. Through experimentation the boys were able to explore the possibility of translating ideas into concrete objects and running, this has certainly increased their self-esteem. What was the degree of interest of the children, and their involvement? Have you noticed any changes during the course? The majority of pupils participated with interest, good involvement in general, that (unlike other projects experienced in the past) has been increasing rather than diminishing. What were the reactions of children with learning difficulties / social behavior: In general, children with learning difficulties are more successful in this type of activity and they are most gratification, even for the Project Automata was so. How do you assess learning with inductive method compared to traditional deductive method? Certainly effective, but always to alternate and support by different methods, depending on the lessons to be conveyed. What are your observations on group work and the division of labor within the group: In the course of the work were the students themselves to discover that the division of labor was the most efficient method and applied it independently, without tips, of course, this choice depends on a strong partnership to integrate the results of the work of all, and in this adults have operated more with functions of stimulus and support. In the groups formed by the integration of different girls personal contributions was achieved more easily and did not give rise to conflicts, which instead have arisen within some groups of males. What are your observations on leadership in groups: In some groups emerged more clearly (especially among male students), in others not. Not always the leader's role has been accepted by all members of the group How do you assess the ability of individual students and groups in learning the technical mechanical / artistic / literary? Good What went well: the organization, collaboration (both between pupils and between adults), the allocation of materials (although it can expand to other types), satisfaction demonstrated by the children for what to make with their hands. The feedback was positive. What went wrong: each session was too short to achieve the target and led the boys to play precipitously the last stages of the work because it was done on time. This has generated, sometimes some frustration due to the impossibility of getting the details having to take "shortcuts" to complete in the time automata. What can be improved: the times. The suggestion would be to use more meetings for the realization of one automata. So unless accomplishments but more care in the work. Assessment of the time that has been made available: must be increased or decreased? Why? Increased, as discussed above. How do you assess the role of teachers Clohe in the project? Not only very good but also essential, especially in the early stages. They transferred effectively to the skills of school teachers? Yes, the transfer of skills was effective and with full availability.