Back in class with E-DESIGN ICT training courses

Jun 21, 2021News

We are back in the classroom! The last E-DESIGN course, which aimed to strengthen digital skills and to promote social inclusion, has just ended.

The courses promoted within the E-DESIGN project have started again. Between May and June 2021, a course of 45 hours was carried out with the participation of 35 students from the Liceo Scientifico Benedetto Croce in Palermo.

The training course was focused on the development of technical skills in the field of Arduino programming and website development, but also on the enhancement of fundamental transversal skills. The course gave students the opportunity to get a first-hand experience of the world of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and programming, which they would hardly have had access to on their own. In addition to digital skills, the course aims to provide the non-technical skills that are now essential for entering the labour market, such as problem solving, flexibility, design thinking and teamwork.

The students have worked in groups for 5 weeks. In the first 4 sessions, which took place online on Zoom, the students began to learn about Arduino and block programming and, by using TinkerCAD, an online Arduino circuit simulator, they worked on their own circuits, including traffic lights and alarm systems. They also started to approach website development using specific languages such as HTML and CSS and, thanks to CodeDragon, a block code language editor, they began to create small websites.

During the face-to-face sessions, the trainers encouraged the students to practice a learning-by-doing approach that would leave them as much freedom and independence as possible in solving problems and even in making mistakes! The trainers themselves also encouraged the application of a design thinking model both in the construction of a web page designed for a specific audience and in the process of designing and implementing personal projects. The regular use of small challenges certainly motivated the students and made the learning process more enjoyable and interactive.

The second half of the course, which included both in-class and at-home work, was mostly focused on the development of personal projects and students, divided into pairs, had the opportunity to transform their ideas into concrete projects related to their everyday needs. The ideas that came to life were very diverse and creative and, thanks to the Arduino programming kits made available to the students, the following projects were developed: ​websites for erasmus students and Manga fans, an alarm with the use of motion sensors, a temperature detector, a smartphone storage box with motion sensor, a pet food dispenser connected to a timer, an alarm clock and a mini-piano.

The students particularly appreciated the friendly and collaborative atmosphere, as well as the group work. Having the opportunity to get in touch with topics they would not otherwise have had the chance to learn about is the added value of these courses, and we are proud to see future makers emerge!

 

 

E-DESIGN: EUROPEAN DIGITAL EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION AND GLOBAL NEIGHBOURHOOD is a three-year project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme, Key Action 3 – Social Inclusion and Common Value. The purpose of the project is to contribute to promoting social inclusion and combating social inequalities among disadvantaged groups, especially migrants and refugees, through strengthening their digital competences in order to enhance their labour market opportunities and social participation according to the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights and ET 2020.

 

Partners

The 6 European institutions involved in E-DESIGN are as follow:

 

For further information, please write to Vidjaya Thelen: vidjaya.thelen@danilodolci.org.