An interactive whiteboard, a projector, a scanner, a camera, an acoustic system – now lessons at school in Ukrainske village will be much more interesting. Children will be taught using STEAM education methods. It will combine technical education (mathematics, computer science, biology, physics) and creativity. The theory is immediately tested in practice.
Steam education in the village: “Do-It-Yourself Community” opened a modern classroom in Petropavlivka district
The modern class of the village appeared as a result of cooperation of authorities and society of Petropavliva district, the Ukrainske territorial community, and DTEK. Now children are in a hurry to race to the board. Because information “comes to life” at the interactive board. And everything that one has painted can be immediately printed or sent by email.
“I still can’t believe that playing like this one can learn something interesting, as well as pass the test,” the students share their impressions.
Olena and Serhiy are examining how the brain works today. On a screen like a smartphone. With one touch, children increase the elements and change the position in the 3D projection. This is not a boring talk by an old paper poster.
“We used computers from the 90s,” Liliia Landar, a computer science teacher and initiator of the Smart-class project, said. “But it is not so much the new equipment that pleases but how our lessons will change. It doesn’t matter if there is a school in the city or in the village: all children need a new way for the information to be presented.”
The repairs were made in three months by the parents of the students and the school staff. UAH 140,000 for the modern class were provided by the “Do-It-Yourself Community” competition fund, the territorial community, and the state budget.
“Cold” theory is definitely not for modern children. The STEAM approach allows to combine creativity and technical knowledge. It is important to be able to quickly navigate in this world, its constantly changing requirements. It is about solving life situations and about work, future professions that will be closely related to bio- and nanotechnology,” Olena Konovalova, regional representative of DTEK in Western Donbass, said.
This year, as a result of cooperation of the community, initiative groups, and DTEK, 77 projects have been implemented in Western Donbass, almost a third of them in the field of STEAM education: eco-laboratories, classrooms, and spaces. For the eighth year now, the “Do-It-Yourself Community” has given residents the opportunity to change their city, village, and develop the region.