Scientix workshop – Using mobile apps in STE(A)M teaching was held on 17 and 18.06.2022 in Skopje, as part of Center for innovation and digital education’s activities as Scientix National Contact Point. The aim of the workshop was to share ideas, examples and good practices among participants about using mobile apps in STE(A)M teaching, tackling topics like teacher’s digital competences, using games in education and giving educational value to an app or game, at the same time.
At the beginning the short presentation about Scientix and Center for innovations and digital education’s activities as NCP was carried out. Participants were introduced with the recent news about Scientix, and the last STEM Discovery Campaign and Scientix TV, too. Discussion about previous Dig-Ed activities, webinars and workshops, as well as published catalogues of good practices was carried out.
The workshop has continued with the presentation about some case studies concerning use of mobile apps in STE(A)M subjects followed with the participants’ presentations about the mobile apps that they use in their classroom. Discussion about advantages and disadvantages from using mobile apps in education has followed as well as opportunities and general challenges when using mobile tools in educational process. Participants have worked in groups on planning how mobile apps can be used in education and with which purpose. Presentations of their findings were shared with other groups and different activities were presented. Teachers’ digital competences were also discussed during the workshop as an important factor which determines successful technology integration in the classroom. The focus was put on the connection between teacher’s digital competences and the usage of mobile tools.
Second day of the workshop has started with the discussion how different mobile apps can be used for different class activities, which are their educational values and features needed to evaluate a mobile app as educational. After that, teachers divided in groups, according to the subject that they teach, have planned different class activities with mobile tools. Created scenarios were presented in front of the participants and discussions about specific challenges for presented activities in classroom context were carried out
Most of the challenges for successful implementation of mobile apps in the classroom according to the participants are connected with the school infrastructure, and participants gave ideas how these obstacles can be overcome. It should be noticed that teachers are enthusiastic about using mobile apps in their classrooms and they are convinced in the benefits from this kind of approach in order to create engaging learning environment and to empower students knowledge and skills.
At the end of the workshop the conclusion about the benefits and the ways for successful integration of mobile apps in education was made. Short presentation about STEM School Label was done as an introductory activity in Dig-Ed next workshop as Scientix NCP – STEM schools, how to develop good STEM School strategy, what should we make to increase the interest about STEM subjects in schools.
