Eleni T. Chatzichristou Ellinogermaniki Agogi Research and Development Department

1. Designing the classroom of tomorrow byusing advanced technologies to connect formal and informal learning environments Eleni T. Chatzichristou Ellinogermaniki Agogi Research and Development Department

2. The CONNECT project builds upon: • Importance of visualisation and of hands-on experience as vital components to the learning process • Learning as an active process of discovery and participation based on self-motivation rather than on more passive acquaintance with facts and rules • Collaboration and joint construction of knowledge • The aim is not solely to produce more scientists and technologists. • But to produce citizens who are scientificallyliterate in a world that is increasingly influenced by science and technology

3. The CONNECT project • Aims to create a learning environment, using advanced ICT to connect informal learning strategies and formal curricular activities in science education • Integrates everyday “free-choice” activities with the formal science curriculum. • Makes the shift from the teacher-directed learning and the dissemination of knowledge, to learner-centred curricula that promote the development of life-long learners Ellinogermaniki Agogi – R&D Department

5. The CONNECT project will run for 36 months. It will be advanced through a continuous interplay between technological and pedagogical developments. Field trials and observations Implementation and validation of educational activities in different learning environments (schools, science museums, science thematic parks).

6. Students are eager to learn in informal settings such as museums/science centres • freedom of leaving the formal setting of the classroom • positive motivation towards learning in real life settings • The CONNECT project has built a network of schools, science museums and science thematic parks in four countries (originally) that will act as a pilot group. • A series of field experiments (tangential to the curriculum) will be performed, including pre- and post-visit curricular activities. • The students will follow individual pathways of learning, the teacher (rather than being the focus) helping students to work independently, co-operatively and in an increasingly self-organized way.

8. The CONNECT system is designed to Provide 3D graphics superimposed on the user’s field of vision together with other multimedia information, thus allowing to “extend” the real exhibits with virtual objects. This is particularly powerful for visualizing complex concepts in physics that are fundamental yet imperceptible (such as electric or magnetic fields, forces, etc) Ellinogermaniki Agogi – R&D Department

9. Lorentz Force on an electron beam q moving inside a magnetic field B Ellinogermaniki Agogi – R&D Department

10. Nature and Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves Point the light beam to different area of the EMS (change λ or v). Change the intensity of the field. Rotate the view angle. Visually appreciate the results! 3D visualization of the oscillating electric and magnetic fields as the EM wave propagetes in space (animated).

12. Sun Sky-Galaxy Supernova

13. Virtual Science Thematic Park An advanced learning environment Acts as the main hub of all resources available in the CONNECT network of science museums/centers. Serves as distributor of information, organizer of educational activities. Facilitates the virtual visits. Interconnects the members of the network. - Database system for storing and retrieving the multimedia knowledge data scenarios that consist of text, images, voice and video - Content creation and browsing tool - Mechanism for uploading (or selecting from the database) media objects Application server provides connection between the platform and mobile AR system through wireless network Mobile AR System

14. The CONNECT system is designed to: Promote student interactivity allowing for remote classes to observe, either on-line or off-line, the activities during the visit to the science museum/park Ellinogermaniki Agogi – R&D Department

16. Educational Scenarios Each pathway will include: - pre-visit activities (mainly at school environment) - visit activities (during conventional or virtual tours by using the CONNECT system) - post-visit activities (at school environment or at another science center or museum).

17. Students and teachers will be involved in repeated cycles of tests with the project advanced tool in the framework of their normal curriculum in order to demonstrate the qualitative upgrade of science teaching and learning. Systematic Evaluation: - Usability of the integrated learning environment and its components – are user needs met? - Pedagogical (framework, quality of learning, ethnological study) - impact of the proposed educational approach?

18. TEST RUN The first cycle of the pilot applications, the Test Run, will have a three-month duration and students', teachers’ and museum staff’s reactions to the proposed pedagogical approach will be monitored and analysed in detail. Ellinogermaniki Agogi – R&D Department

20. AirFoil For horizontal fluid flow, an increase in the velocity of flow will result in a decrease in the static pressure. The equation describing this effect is known as Bernoulli’s law. The most practical example of this is in the action of an airfoil: The shape of an airplane wing is such that air flowing over the top of the wing must travel faster than the air flowing under the wing, and so there is less pressure on the top than on the bottom, resulting in lift.

21. Hot Air Balloon Since air pressure decreases with height, air presses harder against the bottom of a balloon than against its top. This difference in pressure creates an upward push. As long as this upward force is greater than the balloon's weight, the balloon will rise. But as it rises, the density and pressure of the air around it decrease, so the buoyant force decreases too. When the balloon reaches a height where the buoyant force equals the balloon's weight, it stops rising. Hot-air balloons use heated air to provide buoyancy, because warm air is less dense and thus lighter (it has expanded and occupies more space) than cool air .The difference between the weight of the hot air and of the cold air that it displaced, is what pushes the balloon up

22. Air track

25. FINAL RUN (PHASE A) With the experience gained during the Test Run and after the appropriate modifications for improvement and optimization of the educational tools, the augmented reality hardware (tracking system, personal displays) and the didactical approach, the partnership will implement the project in real environments during a second five-month cycle, the first phase of theFinal Run. These two first pilots with the users will be performed with scenarios that will be developed by the project’s pedagogical team. Ellinogermaniki Agogi – R&D Department

26. FINAL RUN (PHASE B) Teachers and museum staff collaborate in order to create their own pathways and to motivate their students. They develop their own methods for making the most of the field trips in the virtual science thematic park. Students learn the scientific method, design and conduct scientific experiments, collect and display data, and write a report of their results. Students also examine how the scientific method can be used to solve real-world problems. Ellinogermaniki Agogi – R&D Department

27. Ultimately, a greater number of science centres and schools will join the virtual science thematic park in order for a pan-European network to be created and for the CONNECT approach to be validated.

28. Consortium

29. More info: http://www.connect-project.net The project is co-financed by: