Publish: 20.4.2020
Author: DigiKoalice

Project Elixir for schools has been running successfully since 2013. Its main goal is meaningful support of physics and digital technologies teaching at primary and secondary schools in the Czech Republic. The main instruments of fulfilling the goal are the Regional Centers (RC), which serve as a secure environment for the mutual sharing of good examples and good practice for teachers.

Though the regional center running at the grammar school in Polička is mainly aimed at the support of physics teaching, the integration of digital technologies is an important part of the programme. The participants have, first of all, an opportunity to borrow numerous sensors for laboratory measuring systems and other electronic aids (USB microscope, multimeters, digital semiconductor camera for ionizing radiation imaging…) from the common library of equipment. For the effective use of that equipment, the participants are repeatedly acquainted with specific examples of how to involve those devices in teaching and how to cope with potential technical issues.

Commonly, the topic of the meeting is usually accompanied by originally created 3D printed aids for education. Besides providing the ready-to-use aids and models for their creation, the center has held, in cooperation with the e-Mole magazine, several practically oriented meetings, aimed at the general aspect of the use of 3D printers in schools and offers long-term support to those interested.

In the same spirit, other lessons and workshop were aimed at, for example, the specific use of Arduino in physics teaching, including access to the created methodological materials, or the possibility to use the platform as a cheap version of a laboratory measuring system, thanks to the originally created application provided for free.

The related area, to which time is also devoted during the center’s program, is robotics and its implementation in the teaching process. The center in addition provides long-term methodological support to the participants and others interested in cooperation with the magazine e-Mole.