Esperienze creative e collaborative con il teatro d’ombre

Storytelling is a very common educational practice that is used in every level of education. It has a positive impact in children’s learning and creativity. Often the educational use of storytelling is based on national storytelling traditions such as Shadow Theater which is very popular in many countries including Greece. Inthis research we present eShadow, a storytelling tool inspired by the Greek traditional shadow theater and how it has been used in a number of Adult Learning Pilot Programmes (ALPPs) implemented within the context of the ALICE project in Greece.In these ALPPs, intra-family communication scenarios were investigated as well as scenarios related to enabling children develop their own digital stories using eShadow. Furthermore, eShadow was used in a live interactive performance event combining Music and Digital Shadow Theatre. The evidence gathered during the implementation of these ALPPs confirms that such kind of approaches can indeed enhance intergenerational bonding and create an engaging learning space for children to develop important key skills. Our findings illustrate that eShadowis very easy to use, attracts the interest of both children and teachers and has a positive impact on the development of children’s creativity.Lo storytelling è una pratica molto comune in ambito formative ed educativo, utilizzata ad ogni livello di istruzione. Ha un impatto positivo sull’apprendimento e la creatività dei bambini. Spesso l’uso didattico dello storytelling si basa su espressioni narrative ben conosciute a livello nazionale, qual è il caso del teatrodelle ombre, molto popolare in molti paesi tra cui la Grecia. In questa ricerca presentiamo i risultati dell’implementazione di uno strumento digitale, “eShadow”, ispirato al tradizionale teatro delle ombre greco, nel contesto di un certo numero di attività pilota per la formazione degli adulti (Adult Learning Pilot Programmes,ALPPS) attuate nel contesto del progetto ALICE, in Grecia.In questi ALPPS, gli scenari di comunicazione intra-familiari sono stati studiati così come scenari che consentono ai bambini di sviluppare le proprie abilità per il lavoro con lo strumento digitale eShadow. Inoltre, eShadow è stato utilizzato in evento interattivo che univa presentazioni di Musica e Teatro con la presenzadi teatro delle ombre “digitale”. Le prove raccolte nel corso di questi ALPPS conferma l’ipotesi degli autori che questo tipo di approcci può infatti migliorare i legami intergenerazionali e consente di sviluppare importanti competenze chiave sia negli adulti che nei bambini. I nostri risultati mostrano che eShadow è molto facile da usare, attira l’interesse di bambini e insegnanti e ha un positivoimpatto sullo sviluppo della creatività dei bambini

Operational Conceptual Modeling in Building and Sustaining Technology Enhanced Learning Communities

This paper presents a systematic approach to building and sustaining technology-enhanced learning communities based on a conceptual model that enables the analysis and enhancement of digital platforms and tools that promote creativity and learning. Two such software systems are presented, and their usage is analyzed. Experimental results are also presented that demonstrate the effectiveness of the conceptual model in enhancing the learning experiences offered

Design, implementation and experimental evaluation of digital shadow theater eShadow

Περίληψη: Η διείσδυση του θεάτρου σκιών στην εκπαίδευση έχει αναγνωριστεί στα πλαίσια των επίσημων αναλυτικών προγραμμάτων, ιδίως του δημοτικού σχολείου. Το γεγονός αυτό συνδέεται με τη δυνατότητα του θεάτρου σκιών να ενεργοποιεί παιδιά και μεγάλους και να προωθεί τη δημιουργικότητά τους. Μικροί και μεγάλοι βρίσκουν τους δικούς τρόπους μίμησης, δημιουργούν αυθόρμητους διαλόγους, εμπνέονται και μεταδίδουν τα δικά τους μηνύματα, σκηνοθετούν, γίνονται σκηνογράφοι και ηθοποιοί, ζωγραφίζουν, τραγουδούν, ενισχύουν την αυτοπεποίθησή τους δίνοντας ζωή στις φιγούρες, αυτοσχεδιάζουν και δημιουργούν τις δικές του ιστορίες. Με αυτόν τον τρόπο ασκούνται ψυχαγωγικά στη δημιουργία θεατρικού λόγου, καλλιεργούν τον προφορικό λόγο και αναπτύσσουν με πολλαπλούς τρόπους τη νοημοσύνη τους (multiple intelligences). Επιπλέον εξοικειώνονται με τη διαδικασία έρευνας και άντλησης στοιχείων και πληροφοριών, καθώς και με τον τρόπο αξιοποίησης αυτών (inquiry based learning). Εκφράζονται μέσα από εικαστικές δραστηριότητες, ζωγραφική, σχεδίαση, κατασκευές. Τους δίνεται η ευκαιρία να γνωρίσουν την ιδιαίτερη ταυτότητα λαών και περιοχών μέσα από τις μουσικές, γλωσσικές και εν γένει πολιτιστικές ιδιαιτερότητες συγκεκριμένων χαρακτήρων. Επιπλέον εξίσου σημαντικό είναι το γεγονός ότι στην Ελλάδα υπάρχει εδώ και λίγα χρόνια ένα πρωτοποριακό εκπαιδευτικό πλαίσιο που ονομάστηκε «διαθεματικό», δίνει έμφαση στην αναζήτηση και ανακάλυψη νέων γνώσεων, πρακτικών και δυνατοτήτων. Στο εκπαιδευτικό αυτό πλαίσιο ένας μεγάλος αριθμός εκπαιδευτικών χρησιμοποιούν το θέατρο σκιών για δράσεις με τους μαθητές. Όμως όπως αναφέρουν οι εκπαιδευτικοί δεν υπάρχει κάποιο λογισμικό που να μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί στο πλαίσιο αυτό. Επίσης το γεγονός ότι πολλές φορές στα πλαίσια των μαθημάτων υπάρχει περιορισμένος χρόνος για την δημιουργία μιας παράστασης με τον παραδοσιακό τρόπο δρουν κάποιες φορές αποτρεπτικά προς την χρήση του θεάτρου σκιών στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία. Η παρούσα εργασία επικεντρώνεται στον σχεδιασμό, την ανάπτυξη και την αξιολόγηση του eShadow, μιας πρωτοποριακής εφαρμογής που είναι εμπνευσμένη από το παραδοσιακό Ελληνικό θέατρο σκιών. Η εφαρμογή αυτή δίνει την δυνατότητα σε μικρούς και μεγάλους να δημιουργήσουν τις δικές τους ψηφιακές παραστάσεις θεάτρου σκιών. Προσφέρει δυνατότητα δημιουργίας ψηφιακών παραστάσεων, καταγραφής, διαμοιρασμού και παρακολούθησής τους. Επίσης υποστηρίζετε η συνεργατική δημιουργία παραστάσεων κάνοντας χρήση χειριστηρίων αναγνώρισης κίνησης ή το ποντίκι του υπολογιστή. Το eShadow χρησιμοποιείται ήδη από δεκάδες εκπαιδευτικούς, κυρίως σε δημοτικά σχολεία, για την δημιουργία παραστάσεων με θέματα όπως η οικονομική κρίση, η προστασία του περιβάλλοντος και τα δημοτικά τραγούδια. Χρησιμοποιείται, ακόμη, για την δημιουργία εκπαιδευτικών παραστάσεων στην εκμάθηση βασικών εννοιών μαθηματικών και πληροφορικής. Το eShadow είναι ένα πρωτοποριακό σύστημα αφού έχει χαρακτηριστικά που δεν υπάρχουν σε άλλα παρόμοια συστήματα. Είναι ένα πολύ εύχρηστο σύστημα αφού μια μεγάλη κατηγορία χρηστών του είναι μικρά παιδιά. Είναι το μοναδικό σύστημα που δίνει την δυνατότητα διαδικτυακής συνεργασίας για δημιουργία συνεργατικών παραστάσεων, καταγραφής των παραστάσεων και αλληλεπίδρασης με χρήση φυσικής που κάνει την κίνηση των φιγούρων πολύ ρεαλιστική. Επίσης μέσα από την σύγκρισή αυτή αναδεικνύεται ακόμα περισσότερο ο εκπαιδευτικός χαρακτήρας του eShadow αφού όλα τα συστήματα με τα οποία συγκρίνεται το eShadow έχουν ισχυρό εκπαιδευτικό χαρακτήρα. Κατά την ανάπτυξη του eShadow αντιμετωπίστηκαν πολλές τεχνικές δυσκολίες. Η πρώτη και βασική δυσκολία ήταν η αποδοτική σύνδεση των φιγούρων με μια μηχανή φυσικής έτσι ώστε να είναι δυνατή η δημιουργία και επεξεργασία φιγούρων. Το μοντέλο των φιγούρων στο οποίο βασίστηκε το eShadow αλλά και μια επέκταση της μηχανής φυσικής που δημιουργήθηκε στα πλαίσια της εργασίας κατέστησαν εφικτή την εύκολη εισαγωγή νέων φιγούρων αλλά και την σύνδεση με ένα πρόγραμμα δημιουργίας και επεξεργασίας φιγούρων από έτοιμα κομμάτια, όπου απλοί χρήστες μπορούν να φτιάξουν δικές τους φιγούρες. Μια άλλη σημαντική τεχνική δυσκολία ήταν η υλοποίηση της καταγραφής των παραστάσεων. Δοκιμάστηκαν διάφορες λύσεις για την καταγραφή της οθόνης όμως καμία δεν είχε ποιοτικό αποτέλεσμα και όλες απαιτούσαν πολύ σύγχρονα μηχανήματα καθιστώντας την χρήση του σε σχολικό περιβάλλον όπου οι χρησιμοποιούμενοι υπολογιστές είναι αρκετά παλιοί απαγορευτική. Έτσι η λύση που δόθηκε ήταν η δημιουργία ενός XML Schema σύμφωνα με το οποίο θα γίνονταν οι καταγραφές των παραστάσεων σε μορφή XML. Με αυτό τον τρόπο η καταγραφή λειτουργεί με πολύ καλή ποιότητα, χωρίς να απαιτούνται πολύ πόροι και οι αποθηκευμένες παραστάσεις έχουν πολύ μικρό μέγεθος. Επίσης αυτή η λύση ανοίγει νέες δυνατότητες για την επεξεργασία και την αντικατάσταση φιγούρων σε μελλοντικές εκδόσεις της εφαρμογής. Η τελευταία μεγάλη τεχνική δυσκολία ήταν η υλοποίηση της συνεργασίας μέσω του διαδικτύου ώστε να δοθεί η δυνατότητα δημιουργίας και παρακολούθησης παραστάσεων μέσω του διαδικτύου. Για την υλοποίηση της συγκεκριμένης δυνατότητας δημιουργήθηκε μια εύχρηστη διεπαφή στο eShadow όπου μπορεί ο καθένας με 3 κλικ να συνδεθεί σε μια παράσταση για συνεργασία ή παρακολούθηση

When eShadow met Alice & Akritans

Summarization: eShadow is a storytelling tool that can be used from both adults and children in order to create, record, share and watch digital shadow theater plays. It is based on the traditional Greek Shadow Theatre, which has a long history of usage in entertainment and education, particularly pre-school and primary school education. We present our experience from the use of eShadow in the ALICE ALPPs conducted in Greece as well as its use in an implementation of the “Let Us Share The Music” learning scenario addressing remote connection of schools to prepare and present musical events. Using eShadow teachers and their students developed their own scenarios, virtual puppets and digital stories. Teachers gave positive feedback about the potential of the approach and the use of this tool to promote children’s collaboration skills and learning in a creativity and playful manner.Παρουσιάστηκε στο: Adults learning for intergenerational creative experiences, ALICE International Conference, Bucharest, October 201

Risk assessment and risk management in the context of the seveso II directive

Μη διαθέσιμη περίληψηNot available summarizationEdition: 1Part of series:

Renovating the cultural heritage of traditional shadow theatre with eshadow design, implementation, evaluation and use in formal and informal learning

Summarization: Digital storytelling is an engaging learning environment that gained worldwide popularity over the last years. It offers a rich cross-curricular learning environment within which children design, create and present their own stories and develop many skills including literacy, presentation and communication skills as well as inquiry-based learning and digital skills. In this paper we present a new way of digital storytelling, a form of dramatized storytelling inspired by the rich tradition of Shadow Theater. This form of storytelling showcases an engaging way of renovating cultural heritage with the use of digital technologies. It combines a number of digital tools for the production of the digital stories covering all five phases of film making: scenario development, pre-production, production, post-production and distribution. eShadow can be used (a) to create digital shadow puppets, and (b) to set up, perform and record the scenes of the digital story (production phase). This way, digital story creation is wrapped around engaging learning scenarios, playful improvisations and creative learning. eShadow has been extensively used to support cross-curricular learning mainly in Greek schools. It is extended to support marionette-like interactions to promote its use in countries with relevant storytelling cultures.Presented on

Using new media arts to enable project-based learning in technological education

Summarization: New Media Arts offer opportunities to establish an inclusive educational framework that enables teachers to design and implement project-based learning scenarios where students can engage in deep learning through the preparation, production and refinement of digital artworks resulting in the creation of animated digital stories. The paper presents a combination of New Media Arts with traditional media via eShadow, a dramatized digital storytelling platform inspired by the rich tradition of shadow theatre that enables game-like interventions combining several digital tools for the production of digital stories covering all five phases of filmmaking: scenario development, pre-production, production, post-production and distribution. eShadow can be used (a) to create digital shadow puppets, and (b) to set up, perform and record the scenes of the digital story (production phase). This way, digital story creation is wrapped around interesting game-like decisions, playful improvisations and creative learning. Using eShadow, an intensive project-based learning intervention was undertaken at the Professional Lyceum of Eleftherios Venizelos in Chania for the students of the specialization in 'Systems, Applications and Networks' of the Informatics sector where several courses related to the technical background of New Media Arts production are taught: Multimedia Applications, Graphical Programming, Structured Programming and Principles of Digital Technologies.Presented on

Open City Museum: unveiling the cultural heritage of Athens through an -augmented reality based- time leap

Summarization: A nation’s cultural heritage is of great importance both for indigenous people as well as for foreigners as it is a nation’s contribution to humanity and global civilization. As the spark to discover that treasure has ignited and travelling around the world has become much easier, it is necessary to enhance the way that monuments are exhibited and communicated. Current technology offers the capability to alter the way that information is provided and represented. Augmented reality (AR) is the most characteristic example as it surpasses the limits that exist in other media offering a unique experience to the user. A great challenge for AR is to shed a new light on monuments, especially in cities like Athens, filled with historical monuments. In this paper we describe the methodology that was followed in order to create an AR application that will provide users with a virtual time leap experience in the past depicting the monument’s history in its social context. Thus, the issues emerging during the development of an AR app is discussed, as well as solutions to common problems regarding its utilization in outdoors space. Aiming to shed light on its importance throughout the centuries, an interdisciplinary research has been conducted combining fields like architecture and psychology in order to inform and in parallel, arouse emotions to visitors and thus, intensify the experience. Supporting that, user experience has been enhanced following a UI/UX approach, which provides the appropriate tools between easy-to-use and following a narrative.Παρουσιάστηκε στο: International Conference on Human-Computer Interactio

The IQTOOL project: developing a quality assurance tool for elearning

Summarization: In order to establish and maintain the credibility of national educational systems, institutions and programmes in higher education it is necessary to assure the high quality of education provision. Quality Assurance (QA) systems can help us prove that the quality of student learning achieved using eLearning systems is equivalent to face-toface teaching methods. In this respect, Quality Assurance (QA) systems can provide valuable help. QA systems are designed to improve the quality of an institution’s methods educational products and outcomes. In case of eLearning, this includes the production and development of learning material, academic programmes and services. It also includes developing standards of student learning. The good reputation of an institution can be established with a consistent and systematic QA system. This includes the definition of standards about documented procedures, standard ways of responding to issues and clear accountability for outcomes. All these lead to better and more efficient processes, greater public confidence, more satisfied students and employees who feel better and more confident about their jobs. Also students experience improved quality learning, learning material and better interaction with the stuff. This leads to enhanced learning outcomes and to satisfied students who are likely to choose the institution again or recommend it to other students. The iQTool project (http://www.iqtool.eu/) targets VET institutions and professions with the aim to enable them develop a quality culture with respect to the eLearning services they offer. It develops a quality assurance methodology that they can follow to ensure high quality eLearning services and learning material. The methodology is the basis for the development of an open source quality assessment software tool that can be easily integrated with existing open source LMSs in order to facilitate the systematic evaluation of training material with respect to the proposed quality assurance methodology. The tool provides a standards-based approach to the creation of quality control questionnaires, the usage of these questionnaires for the evaluation of the quality of training materials as well as for the statistical processing of evaluation results to facilitate actions for quality improvement. Finally, the project develops appropriate training material to help its target group members learn about the quality assurance methodology used and how to use and take advantage of the software tool.Presented on

EShadow a tool for digital storytelling based on traditional greek shadow theatre

Summarization: Storytelling is a very common educational practice that is used in every level of education. In particular the use of storytelling in children education can have beneficiary results in the learning and creativity process of children. In this Note we present a storytelling tool inspired by the Greek traditional shadow theater. EShadow is a storytelling tool that can be used from both adults and children in order to create, record, share and watch digital shadow theater plays. It provides alternative methods for controlling the virtual puppets either through mouse or through a motion sensing controller. We present our findings from the use of eShadow in a children’s creativity exhibition and a field trial of eShadow in two elementary schools in Greece. Our findings illustrate that eShadow is very easy to use, attracts the interest of both children and teachers and has a positive impact on the development of children’s creativity.Presented on