[2008 2o] Aspects of Religion in Europe

2o Ευρωπαϊκό Βραβείο eTwinning στην κατηγορία "11-14" ετών"

Σχολείο: 2ο Γυμνάσιο Κοζάνης

Εκπαιδευτικός: Διαμαντούλα Νάκα (ΠΕ02)

Συνεργαζόμενα σχολεία:

Højby Skole (Δανία)
Sint-Ursula-Instituut (Βέλγιο)

Καρτέλα έργου: 7903

Περιγραφή: Today all speak for dialogue between religions. In schools we rarely see collaborative projects that involve RE. This was the challenge to undertake this etwinning project in which students of different countries with the guidance of their teachers assemble information and try to know elements of various religions as temples, Holy objects, religious feasts, religious way of life, ideas and values. Examining a common subject and exchanging material the students get to know sides of the religion of others and conceive the variety of expression of religious life. Particular emphasis is given in the use of modern technology for the achievement of the above objectives.

Links: http://aspectsofreligion.wikispaces.com/

The effort we made to incorporate in the teaching material subjects that concern sides of other religion or doctrine with the use of new technology is really innovative and an occasion for the students to extend their horizons. Creativity, imagination, dialogue for moral subjects with the use of foreigner language and modern technology are combined in the pupils’ works in a very modern way. The use of tools Web 2.00 gave the occasion to students and teachers to familiarize themselves with modern technology, in order to use it in other collaborative projects.

The work was developed during the school year as a project in the frame of RE and his individual units supplemented concrete units of the school book. (Ecclesiastical Art, The spread of Christianity in Western Europe, The ecclesiastical Art in the West, the Reform, Protestants and orthodoxy in the modern world). The students’ work became an object of study in the collaborating schools and this increased considerably the interest of students. For the first time the students also saw that modern technology gives a particular interest in this subject.

The participation in the project was clearly voluntary. Teachers of RE, English and Information technology participated. The persons in charge of school libraries coordinated the project, helped the teams of students in their schools and the teachers as well and supported the communication and collaboration between the students. The project is continued for second year with new subjects, because of the big interest that exists also from both schools. The tools that were created will be also used by other teachers in other projects.

The work of our students gave them the occasion to know sides of religious life of other states of Europe. This knowledge helps them to realize that they are citizens of Europe and to learn to respect its diversity. However through the program the conscience of existence of common cultural-intellectual heritage was strengthened and this can bring people together, in order to act for common good. The students learned that values as love, respect, and forgiveness are common for all people, but we all need to fight for their conquest.

The students wrote texts in Word, photographed religious places and events, scanned photographs using digital camera and scanner, they took interviews using digital voice recorder, they created Power Point presentations, they looked for information in Internet, videotaped events and they were called to express their opinions, in order to start a dialogue between each other in the blog that was created for the project. The Greek teachers, helped the students to fulfill their objectives with guidance, worksheets and special teaching courses about the use of digital devices (scanner, camera, voice recorder) and blogs. The Danish teachers collaborated with the priest of their community and created an educational game in order to cause the dialogue between the teams and a Hot potatoes quiz. All the students were called to write their opinions for various subjects with regard to religion in the blog that was created in the Greek school, answering in common questions. A Wiki page was also created where all the pupils’ work was uploaded as in Twinspace. The planning of the project, the agreements and the communication between the teachers were accomplished via e-mail. Finally all this precious experience in the use of tools Web 2.00, will help us in other collaborative activities of schools.

• The students had the occasion for the first time to escape from the theoretical frame of RE and get to know sides of religion of others. • They could conceive the variety of expression of religious life in Europe and comprehend the way with which the human societies are activated in the frame of religion. • With the comments they made in the blog they realized the effect of religion in the people’s behavior and way of thinking. • They learned to understand and respect the diversity. • They used new tools of internet, as Wiki and Blog and were familiarized with the use of new technology (digital camera, scanner, voice recorder). • They exercised the use of English language. • The teachers were familiarized with two new tools (Wiki-Blog) which they have now at their disposal for new projects. • They enriched their courses with original material that was created by students. • All the school was benefited, because teachers and pupils faced for the first time the challenge of collaboration in this course with another European school through the use of tools Web 2.00. • Wiki and Blog that was created are two new tools, which will be included in the activities of schools and will become very helpful tools in the collaboration with other schools and in collaborative projects between our pupils.