"Since Digital Destiny, my students feel more engaged"

The blended learning tools are the end result of the Erasmus+ project Digital Destiny, in which Djapo also collaborated. Together with partners from Belgium, Greece, Iceland and Romania, we developed a high-quality pedagogical approach for sustainable education. We worked out a didactic framework, translated it into a mix of analogue and digital learning tools and went looking for pilot schools to test out these learning tools.

One of the teachers in the pilot project is Marijke Van Roey, teacher of the 3^rd grade at Mol European School.

"I got to know Digital Destiny through Djapo and I was immediately interested! On the one hand because sustainable living and sustainable education are close to my heart. But also because I still know too little about the possibilities of digital tools in education. With Digital Destiny, I got the chance to discover that world under the guidance of experts."

Several schools from Belgium, Greece, Romania and Iceland started the pilot project in September 2022. Teachers were glued to the screen two evenings a week for four weeks for online sessions on digital tools, didactic work forms for Education for Sustainable Development and digital storytelling.

"Those first weeks were quite tough," Marijke recalls. "I had only just started a new class and had to process a lot of new information at the same time. In English, because all countries followed the same sessions. But it was worth it, because the sessions broadened my field of vision. And a lot of the methods and insights I could integrate into my lessons, I knew. I was looking forward to getting started with the new knowledge."

From October to November, the teachers tested the tools and learning resources in the classroom. In doing so, they could count on intensive coaching.

"For the Belgian participants, Djapo organised a consultation moment every week. There you could ask questions, share success stories and above all: I learned from other schools how they got started with the material. That's how I got to know Kahoot and Plickers better, two digital tools I had not tried before."

"Since I learnt about the teaching methods for ESD, I have been putting more emphasis on reflection and problem-solving. And the students respond enthusiastically! They feel more engaged because the work forms encourage interaction. This week, for example, we talked about magnetism. The students could submit their questions about it via an online tool, and then we discussed them in class. That way everyone feels involved."

"Another plus: you can integrate the learning tools into different lessons. They obviously lend themselves perfectly to social topics, but I also use them in science subjects."

Marijke also wants to introduce digital learning tools to her colleagues at Mol European School. "That is why I will organise a training afternoon for them," she says. "Because the more teachers use the working forms and tools, the greater the pupils' involvement. And that benefits both the children and the school!"