Young da Vinci - innovative activities for children and adolescents in Orzesze
The Humanitas University not only cares about its students as well as the participants of postgraduate studies and PhD seminars, but is also open to primary and secondary school students
Project title
Young da Vinci - innovative activities for children and adolescents in Orzesze
Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries
Humanitas University
Name of programme
Knowledge Education Development Operational Program
Competition
Young Discoverer’s University
Project value
PLN 498 832.14
Funding value
PLN 481 927.42
Project delivery period
from 1 August 2018 till 31 March 2021
View the results of our work
The Humanitas University not only cares about its students as well as the participants of postgraduate studies and PhD seminars, but is also open to primary and secondary school students. The area known as the University's Third Mission is the activity of, among others, the Children's University and the Adolescents University.
Thinking about children and young people, the Humanitas University has just created a project called “Young da Vinci”, which with its versatile nature of activities refers to the genius of an outstanding representative of the Renaissance.
As part of the program, pupils in years 4-7 of primary schools, including those with disabilities, participated in classes, where practical activities were their integral part. What I would like to draw your attention to is the fact that before the employees of the Humanitas University constructed such an attractive and very popular package of activities, they first explored the needs of the market and talked with parents and children.
The project was carried out in two editions, each consisting of three Academies:
- Young Programmer, i.e. robotics and programming activities with the use of robots:
- Young Research, i.e. classes in mathematics and natural sciences with the use of virtual reality, laboratory methods and experiments:
- Young Genius, i.e. memory and speed-reading techniques:
What problem is addressed by the project?
The project used, among others the project work methods, that is those that strongly activate kids. The workshops were such areas as: molecular gastronomy, chemical and biological experiments and programming, i.e. classes with robots. The pupils became "young researchers" - they had the opportunity to practice, research, test and apply the acquired knowledge in real life, to experiment. There were also controlled explosions in chemistry classes and autopsies of frog corpses.
In this way the participants developed such skills as independence, responsibility and decision-making. The children planned their tasks, carried them out on their own and looked for solutions to emerging difficulties. The classes based on the experimental method improved, among others, social skills through group work, stimulated creativity and curiosity, an inborn trait of children, determining the successful course of the didactic process. The activities were designed to engage the participants so as to arouse their interest in the scientific world.
In addition, the Beneficiary organized a conference opening the project, which took place at the Humanitas University in Sosnowiec. Young "scientists" could then enter the university for the first time. Apparently, that day there was an atmosphere of excitement, which was accompanied by great interest on the part of the pupils. They could see that this was the place within their reach.
Who uses the project results?
The implementation of the project was a large undertaking and despite the limitations during the pandemic, it turned out to be a huge success. More people than initially assumed took part in the project - 164 children from the area of Orzesze were covered by the project, that is 102.5% of the goal assumed in the project.
Pupils participating in the project experienced a sense of agency. They understood that something depended on them. This is important because young people have the need to create their surroundings, they want to act. For this purpose, it is necessary to release their potential and accompany them, so that later - for example while studying – they would get engaged in the student clubs or local activities - for the benefit of the district, neighbours, and then became involved in other large initiatives or international projects.
After all, school should also be a place where kids can develop their passions. Unfortunately, such activities as those initiated in the project do not occur in schools all that often. That is why a large proportion of young people stop asking questions and wonder about the world. They do not see solutions even to troublesome problems and begins to wait passively for help from adult caregivers
I freely admit that I look at such projects while thinking my own child who, as a matter of fact, will cross the school threshold in a few years, but I am already asking myself whether he will be able to take part in such classes, whether the school will look like that in the future. I hope.