investigating the potential for meaningful cultural education supported by cutting-edge technologies

Investigating the potential for meaningful cultural education supported by cutting-edge technologies

Hercules Panoutsopoulos, Vasilis Economou, Yannis Kotsanis, Panos Papoutsis

{i.panoutsopoulos, economu, kotsanis, panos.papoutsis}@doukas.gr

Presentation outline

• Our organization’s profile

• Education in the face of challenges

• The role of culture in contemporary educational systems

• Cutting-edge technologies in the service of cultural education

•#1: Game-supported cultural education the GameIt project

•#2: Harnessing the potential of the Cloud the School on the Cloud project

May 16, 2016 VAMCT 15: Investigating the potential for meaningful cultural

education supported by cutting-edge technologies 2

Our organization’s profile



Doukas School participates in

several EU and National

R&D projects & coordinates

extensive European

Networks.

Key areas of research interest:

– Cloud computing in Education

– Game Based Learning and

Gamification

– Learning Analytics

– STEM Education

– e-Pedagogy & e-Portfolios

– Career counseling

Participation in research projects:

– School on the Cloud (www.schoolonthecloud.net)

– GameIt (http://www.gameit.gr)

– GeoCapabilities (www.geocapabilities.org)

– Boys Reading (www.boysreading.org)

– FAMICO (www.famico.eu)

– Make World (http://www.makeworld.eu)

Education in the face of challenges

• Rapid technological advancements.

• Availability of a range of digital devices and ubiquitous internet access.

• Networks - communities of users.

• Content creation instead of consumption of information.

• The line between formal and informal learning has blurred.



The role of culture in contemporary educational systems

• Culture has the potential to help individuals become confident and creative community members able to keep pace with ongoing developments. UNESCO/UNFPA/UNDP, “Post-2015 Dialogues on Culture and Development” (2015)

• Cultural awareness and expression has been defined as a key competence for active citizenship in today’s knowledge societies. European Commission, “Key competences for lifelong learning” (2006)



Cutting-edge technologies in the service of cultural education



Cloud computing technologies

• Cloud technologies have begun to be adopted from many

organizations across a range of industries and markets (including

education).

• Main advantages: accessibility, flexibility, scalability, adaptability,

cost-effectiveness

Digital games and gamification

• Digital game-based learning: Use of digital games with the

aim to facilitate mastery of content and/or development of

skills and attitudes.

• Gamification: Infusing a game-like character to non-gaming

context with the aim to improve the provided experience.

Cultural education under the lens of two research projects



education

in culture

Creation and sharing of gamified educational

scenarios.

Meaningful and engaging learning environment.

Use of cultural learning objects made available

through existing LORs (e.g. EUROPEANA).

Potential of available Cloud technologies:

Specialized services for storing and managing

different types of digital content (Cloud-based LORs).

Processing power and content delivery mechanisms

that may allow access to high quality (cultural)

material.

Low implementation costs.

#1: Game-supported cultural education The GameIt project philosophy



Create It

Share It

Game It

Create It

• Creation of gamified educational

scenarios.

• Exploitation of digital educational

resources made available from existing

LORs.

Share It

• Sharing of gamified educational

scenarios.

Game It

• Delivery of gamified educational

scenarios.

#1: Game-supported cultural education The GameIt project: Delivery of gamified scenarios



#1: Game-supported cultural education The GameIt project: Underlying pedagogical framework



Theoretical concepts related to

the domains of Digital Game-

Based Learning and Gamification

Educational design

benefits from constructive

alignment

Detailed definition of

involved roles

Theoretical concepts related to the

formation and operation of

communities of practice

Create It

Share It

Game It

visitor, player, knowledge creator,

game designer/creator

#1: Game-supported cultural education The GameIt project: Official website & Facebook page



http://www.gameit.gr/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/GameIt/1532248127023262?fref=ts

#2: Harnessing the potential of the Cloud The School on the Cloud project: Overview of the project



• A network of 57 partners from 18 European

countries.

• Research questions:

– How should education respond to the potential of

Cloud-based tools and technologies?

– What is the impact on education stakeholders?

– What might the situation be like in the future?

• The School on the Cloud project is funded by the

European Commission under the Lifelong Learning

Programme (ICT Action – Key Activity 3).

http://bit.ly/SoCMembers

#2: Harnessing the potential of the Cloud The School on the Cloud project: Working Groups (WGs)



i-Manager (WG1)

Transition from ground to

Cloud: infrastructure, mentality,

innovation and change

i-Teacher (WG2)

The innovative teacher: the role

of the teacher, teacher training

i-Learner (WG3)

Integrating the Cloud: personalized

learning, formal and informal

education, special needs

i-Futures (WG4)

Future prospects: visions on open

education, interactivity, impact and

communicating the Cloud

#2: Harnessing the potential of the Cloud The School on the Cloud project: Adopted methodology



#2: Harnessing the potential of the Cloud The School on the Cloud project: Official website & Facebook page



http://www.schoolonthecloud.eu/

https://www.facebook.com/

SchoolOntheCloud

Thank you very much for your attention!

