21 student Project Teams are participating in the second edition of the Exchange of GENIAL Ideas for Jasło competition. The competition is a component of the project “Jasło – my city, my home” implemented within the framework of the project “Jasło – City of Knowledge” financed from the funds of the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 and the state budget.
The competition between student groups involves carrying out and publicly presenting before an expert competition committee projects of a scientific and research, social or practical-construction nature, useful for the local community. This innovative educational endeavor enables young explorers, activists or constructors to acquire interdisciplinary knowledge and communication, digital, social, research competencies useful in the job market.
The competition – conducted in the system of extracurricular activities – involves 101 students of Jasło elementary and secondary schools, including exceptional pupils of the Special School and Educational Center in Jasło, under the supervision of 16 teachers. The premises and teaching facilities are provided by the Science Generator in Jasło, the tutors are paid by the City of Jasło, while the project teams receive financial, organizational and training support.
Participants in the competition, with the support of a teacher – the project team’s supervisor – independently solve an interesting research problem concerning Jasło, take action to meet the needs of a specific group of residents, or design and make a product of a useful and educational nature. Teachers inspire exchange students to be active and independent, using a teaching method based on problem-solving strategies (Problem Based Learning) and the STEAM education model, which combines science (Science), technology (Technology), engineering (Engineering), art (Art) and mathematics (Mathematics).
Realizing their brilliant ideas for Jasło, the students manage their project themselves, set the rules of group work, organize time for tasks, evaluate the results of activities. They conduct research, observations, experiments, organize social actions and campaigns, plan, calculate, assemble and share the results of their work with the local community, posting publications on the website of the Jasło Science Generator, their home schools and social media. A regulatory requirement of project work is the use of professional assistance and specialized resources of local educational partners – specialists employed by Jasło offices, institutions and companies.
The involvement of young people in project work allows them to spend time outside of school in a valuable way. Young people organize excursions, meetings with interesting people, presentations, exhibitions and competitions for peers. Joint performance of tasks shapes in young people the ability to work with a team, responsibility, punctuality, triggers invention and ingenuity.
In the current edition of the competition, youth project teams participating in the Exchange of GENIAL Ideas for Jaslo, among others, explored the problem of drinking water management in Jaslo, unleashed the literary and reading passions of young Jasło residents, implemented alternative methods of communicating with people with disabilities, popularized the idea of volunteering for peers with disabilities, created an interactive city game and an interactive map of toddler-friendly places in Jasło. The highest rated student projects will be awarded by the Mayor of Jasło.
For more information about ongoing projects, visit the GEN Science Generator website:
https://genjaslo.pl/gielda-genialnych-pomyslow/
