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Media, Social and ICT

Media, Social and ICT

Monday 1 August 2016

An unforgettable “European” week

An unforgettable “European” week
by Antonia Gremi-Liadi, Greece

ERASMUS +: First meeting in Greece
Our school participates this year for the first time in an ERASMUS+ student exchange program. After a first meeting of the teachers in Istanbul in November, it was Greece’s turn to host the first groups of guests. So, from the 7th to the 13th of February, our school in Velo, Greece, hosted four children from each partner country (Italy, Spain, Turkey, Poland-Latvia)
The first meeting at the airport was a little awkward, but in just a few minutes the ice broke, as every Greek child met with their assigned guest. The entire Greek group had come by bus to welcome the visitors. We had prepared welcome banners for each country in their own language, which made everybody feel comfortable.
On Monday our guests had a short tour of the school, where they met the rest of the teaching staff, and then we went on our first educational excursion. First, we visited the ancient theater of Epidaurus, where Greek students presented to their guest an extract from the ancient tragedy “Helen” by Euripides. Then we went to Nafplio for lunch. On Tuesday afternoon we made a short trip to Xylokastro, a pretty town by the sea, and we were shown to the house of an important Greek poet, Aggelos Sikelianos.
On Wednesday, we went on another trip to Athens. We were guided to the Acropolis Museum and the Parthenon. We had the opportunity to show our new friends the Monastiraki flea market, the ancient agora in Thissio and the Greek Parliament. Also, we witnessed the change of the National Guard, the famous “Tsoliades”, who guard the Greek Parliament and the monument devoted to all the “Unknown Soldiers” who have sacrificed themselves fighting for freedom.
On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, the students worked in mixed groups in our school library to complete the programmed activities. We presented the results of a survey concerning the habits of students and teachers in using the media and the social networks and we joined in a discussion about the pros and cons of ICT as an introduction to the next objective of the program, which is to create a Safe Media Using Guide. We also prepared videos of our trips and excursions and talked about the experiences we shared. On Thursday afternoon we had a traditional celebration with dances from all partner countries and "Greek souvlaki" in the school yard. Each country presented their own traditional dances and we all had fun together.

On Friday we visited Ancient Corinth. There we played an educational game. Greek students were standing in pairs in front of some monuments, pretending to be local ancient Corinthians. The rest of the students – Greeks and visitors – pretended to be travelers from the future trying to return to their time. After taking some information about the monuments from the locals, they were also given an envelope with the letters of the secret code that would be the key for them to travel back to the future. We all met at the centre of the ancient site, where Saint Paul once stood trial in front of the Roman Governor in his passage through Corinth. There, we joined all the letters and the secret code that linked the past with the present was the Greek word “AGORA” and the Latin word “FORUM”, which basically both mean the same thing “a meeting place where people come together and talk”. After that, we went to Modern Corinth, where we visited a local TV station and were interviewed by a reporter. On Friday afternoon we had an open farewell party for our new friends with lots of food and dancing, where the entire school was invited.
The time of separation, on Saturday morning, was full of emotion and sadness, since most of us might not see each other again. We have grown very fond of each other and we shared beautiful moments of fun. Everybody admitted that it was a memorable and powerful experience.
The next trip is scheduled for Easter in Poland.

VISIT TO POLAND

VISIT TO POLAND                                       by Marilena Bouka, Greece

This year for the first time our school takes part in an ERASMUS+ project entitled: “Media, Social Networks and ICT: Opportunities for Learning”. In Aprli, from 25th to 30th, we travelled to Poland, to the Gymnasium of Lekavitsas, a small but picturesque town in the south of the country. This was the second mobility of our program, since the first one had take place in February, in Velo, Greece. So for us it was very exciting to go on our first trip abroad.  The four students of our school who went on this trip were Georgia Yianni, Sophia Zolota, Paul Poulos and myself, Marilena Bouka, with the School Director, Ms Martha Politou, and our English teacher, Ms Helen Kravariti.
The schedule was full of activities and excursions that were both educational and entertaining. All participants visited the palace Wawel in Krakow and the salt mine in Vilitska. We also visited an impressive hydroelectric plant and the ski resort in the Mountain Tatras, where we enjoyed the snow and a stunning view.

We spent three out of the five mornings of our stay there in a classroom and the computer lab of the school working in groups on the activities of the program. We analysed the results of a survey on the use of modern media and social networks and we created a short guide in order to encourage students’ proper and responsible use of technology. We also gave an interview to a local radio station journalist and we held a vote to select the best picture on the modern technological media. The winner of this competition was a picture created by Latvian students, entitled “EVOLUTION”.

The week ended with a cheerful party around the fire, where students, parents and teachers roasted traditional Polish sausages. Children and adults tasted the dishes that were prepared by the mothers of the students played games in the country, danced and had fun together.
The whole event was a success. The educational objectives of the meeting were completed to the fullest and the feelings of friendship and mutual understanding among children, which were born in the first meeting in Greece, were strengthened.

We all thanked our Polish friends for their warm hospitality and eagerly await the next meeting in October in Italy