We already know winners of the Generation 3.0. At the event with the same name that took place on May 3 in Bratislava, a professional jury awarded inspirational educational approaches with a potential of spreading into Slovak schools.

During the event, from 53 registered projects, 15 projects chosen by judges were presented. In inspiring presentations, they explained the goals and benefits of their educational approaches that have been already implemented.

“It is amazing to see how many schools and non-governmental organizations are making sure that our children go to school with joy and are taught in an acceptable form. They often go beyond their comfort zone and sacrifice their free time just to bring something new into teaching. This is why they deserve society-wide recognition,” says Lenka Surotchak, Executive Director of Pontis Foundation. The winner also receives a financial support of EUR 10,000.

The Pontis Foundation will continue to cooperate with the winner. “We want to measure the effect of the approaches and test them on small samples. Thanks to measured and verified solutions, we will be able to get the attention of The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic,” explains L. Surotchak. The following event Generation 3.0 Forum, where winners will meet also other education experts will be organized in September. “We will reach systematic change easier if we cooperate,” adds L. Surotchak.

Winners of Generation 3.0 for 2017

Character development program and transformation of C. S. Lewis High school into an inclusive community

 “When you ask children where they have learnt English so well, their answer is from the Internet and from TV series. But there are things that you cannot learn on the Internet,” says project of Dušan Jaura, director of C. S. LewisHigh school.  The aim of the school is to ensure that the graduates are personalities with a strong character and high-quality education. That is why character education is part of the whole curriculum of the school. It is applied across all subjects and at all levels – from pupils, through teachers to the leadership. During the five years of study, students are asked questions associated with different forms of motivation (What does success mean?), identity (Who am I?), life mission (Why was I born?), faith (What do I believe in?), and the use of acquired skills and attitudes in the future (What will I do with all of these in the next 50 years?). They are trying to find answers to these questions together with their mentors- teachers.  “Our students spend more time with teachers than with their own parents during 5 years of their studies,” stated D. Jaura. The jury appreciated the complexity of the approach, which is built not only on the acquisition of knowledge but also on character and value education. This gymnasium is seen as an example of a brave approach towards topics which are often ignored.

Through emotion to cognition- NGO EDUMA, n.o. Online Living Library

The non-profit organization EDUMA has chosen storytelling as an educative tool. As the author of the project Janette Motlová stated, it is not a new method. On the contrary, it is a well-established way how to elucidate whichever issue to anyone, especially to children. Storytelling activates all parts of a human brain. The organization has created the interactive portal Onlinezivakniznica.sk, which contains dozens of personal stories. They are told by people- living books who meet certain obstacles in society during their lives. Listening to their stories, children are able to empathize, see an issue from a new point of view, learn empathy and strengthen critical thinking. “I´ve  understood why I am studying this school,” J. Mottlová quotes the reaction of a student of pedagogy who has explored the Online Living Library project. The stories of living books are divided into individual thematic areas.They can be used as teaching material on multiple subjects. The jury appreciated the topicality and necessity of the project, which eliminated prejudice against differences. Teachers can use the tool immediately, for example, to initiate a debate on complex topics.

SOVA – civic association for support of gifted children

ChemPlay

The authors of the ChemPlay project are chemistry enthusiasts- high school students Ivana Kravárová and Adrián Hegedúš. They have noticed that Slovak students are not used to creative thinking. It is proved by the fact that they are not able to connect theoretical knowledge with practice. Although no one would expect it, chemistry gives opportunities to link theory and practice creatively. That is why they made up a parlor game called ChemPlay designed for their classmates as well as other chemistry students. It explains inorganic chemistry, its logic and laws. Students practice analytical and critical thinking, and teamwork while playing this game. “The game has helped to understand the subject even to the weakest student,” says A. Hededúš who cites a teacher´s reaction. Not only the game has been applied to schools, it is available to everyone who is interested. There is a mobile app ChemPlay planned for young people to play anytime and anywhere. The jury has appreciated the fact that the authors of the game are young students active in a way graduates should be. In a very entertaining and effective way, they help their peers to recognize the beauty of a subject usually seen as unattractive.

In the second round of the competition, the jury composed of members of Advisory Council of The Generation 3.0 and the external evaluators, chose the winners according to presentations of finalists. The members of the jury were: Vladimír Bužek, Saskia Repčíková, Štefan Klein, Lucia Šicková, Dušan Meško, Matej Šiškovič, Ivan Pavlov, Andrea Cocherová, Jozef Kokoška, Milan Ftáčnik, Martin Kuruc and Andrea Putalová. The criteria were the potential for spreading to other schools, the possibility of measuring the impact and the extent to which they develop the skills necessary for life in the 21st century.

About the award

The winners were handed a prize and a diploma. The author of the motif is the graphic designer Dodo Dobrík. The drawings were created by illustrator Martin “Shooty” Šútovec. The artistic performance of the prize carries a number of associations. It reminds of a notebook or a class- book, after opening it shows a colorful and playful 3D world. The idea is to present the traditional and modern elements of teaching that point out that students can learn by playing. It portrays kids who like to go to school because they are taught by enlightened teachers using innovative teaching methods and games.