Students Melanie Peshova and Daniel Velinov, have created a project that can help their peers determine how much time should be spent using smart devices and new technology compared to how much should be spent od doing sports. If you watch their video created for the Coding Challenge, where they took third place, you will learn more about their project and prototype they made.
Also, read the interview with the students and their mentor Silvana Jakimovska Binova.
Questions for students Melanie Peshova and Daniel Velinov
1. Do you think that using micro edits: bit helps you in creativity and how?
Yes, using the micro:bit device helps us in creativity. One small device, and so many options - measures temperature, measures light, serves as a compass, creates music, sends and receives radio signals to other micro:bit devices ... And if you combine these options and add additional devices and sensors you get unlimited opportunities for creativity and creation. We didn't make New Year's lanterns from micro:bit, we composed music with micro:bit and this, we used micro:bit to experiment with probability, etc., and we still have a lot of ideas that we plan to realize.
2. How did you choose this particular project to work on?
Realistically, we face problems every day from excessive and inappropriate use of smart devices, doors and small children. We are not for technology, but used in a controlled way. And since football and sports are our favorite leisure activities, we decided to combine them. We tried technology to find a solution for controlled use by directing and motivating for sports activities.
3. How was the teamwork useful during the creation of the project?
Teamwork is always useful, especially when students of different ages or classes work in a team. We differ in knowledge, but this is an advantage because we complement each other in our work and learn from each other. We exchanged ideas, helped each other and had fun working on the project.
4. What do you want to study in primary school, in which secondary school do you want to enroll?
After primary school, I plan to go to high school and then to college. I am thinking of a faculty in which something is designed, researched and applied in the development of new things.
5. What would they say to their peers who are considering applying to the next competition?
I recommend my peers to apply for the competition without hesitation. There are many ideas and you can start with a small idea and get a super interesting project. It is important to start, and then with the effort and creativity the ideas grow and improve. If you work hard and work well, a good project will receive a reward, and it will motivate them even more.
Questions for the teacher Silvana Jakimovska Binova
1. Do you think that the skills we teach the children will be useful in the future?
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are key skills within the framework of the British Council, but, directly or indirectly, their importance is emphasized in all Competences Frameworks at the international level. It has been proven that there are measurable benefits in many areas of life for students working on the development of these skills. By developing these skills, our students will be able to face the complex challenges of today and the future.
Very often, the demand for changes in teaching practice for us teachers is frustrating at first, but every teacher needs to accept the need for continuous improvement as an integral part of the teaching profession. I think that we teachers need to think deeply about the question of what and how our students teach them. The program "Schools of the 21st Century" offers the opportunity and support to teachers for successful planning and implementation of activities for the development of critical thinking and problem solving for students. Such activities are an integral part of any modern teaching, and we are obliged to provide them for our students.
2. The role of the teacher is most important in the classroom, but do micro:bits help?
The teacher is the most important, and at a time when technologies are embedded in every segment of life, every teacher should be encouraged to introduce activities with innovative technologies in teaching and working with students. Students grow and develop in an environment where their technologies are everyday, and understandably, show a special interest in such activities. The micro device: is a modern tool that can be applied in any classroom, at different levels: as a tool for gamification (play) in the classroom, as an auxiliary tool - an instrument for measuring temperature, light, etc., as a tool for learning and creating simple projects per subject but also as a tool for creating serious multidisciplinary projects. The benefits from the realization of activities with micro:bit are multiple - improving motivation and involvement in activities during the class, developing skills for collaboration and teamwork, creativity and innovation, designing and solving problems as well as coding.
In order to fully use the potential of the micro:bit office, I recommend that schools organize micro:bit school clubs that will not only create and implement projects, but also have the task of providing technical support to all teachers. who want to use the micro:bit device teaching. In this way, students learn and develop many other skills, but feel proud and fulfilled that they help. The team work of the teachers is also useful. Each teacher can contribute with their knowledge and skills. At the beginning, all of them should be included in order to see the possibilities offered by the Micro:bit device. Then, with the support of the large number of resources available on the Internet, ideas can be applied in classrooms and developed in even better ways.
3. What are your impressions of working with students in creating your project?
As much as teachers feel it is a challenge to introduce new ideas and activities in the classroom or as extracurricular activities, the students are positively motivated to join them. In creating our project, we worked together and learned how to work with Micro:bit, developing problem solving and coding skills. The students were motivated to join one such Micro: a challenge and diligently completed the project tasks, step by step. For a successful outcome of the activity in which we used Micro: bit for the first time, the initial acquaintance with Micro: bit and its possibilities, the careful planning of the activities and anticipation of the need for additional support were important. I did not expect the students to complete the project on their own and independently, but every new knowledge and every progress was a common joy.
