Most secondary schools try to use digital technologies in the process of education (they own PCs, notebook computers, projectors), and some secondary schools own electronic teaching materials which are also available for their students. However, when it comes to using those technologies which students are a part of (smartphones, tablet computers, apps, etc.), schools are still behindhand. The aim of the project “Digital teaching in natural scientific subjects” is to focus on use of smartphones and tablet computers (not only as a showing device, but also as a measuring device, or a voting device) in the lessons of natural scientific subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography). We are going to create mobile applications and teaching materials, which are going to be free and accessible to everyone e.g. in Google Play). We are going to find different ways of usage of smartphones and tablet computers (accelerometer in Physics, sensor measuring the intensity of light, GPS in Geography). Thus, we would like to make education more attractive, especially in those subjects, which are not very popular among students (Physics, Chemistry). Our goal is let the applications and worksheets are not created by teachers for students, but mainly by students and teachers together. We want their mutual searching for possibilities provided by digital teaching. At the same time, we will focus on CLIL education and its dissemination – in The Czech Republic to other subjects, and the partner schools will try it. Schools from The Czech Republic, Romania, Italy, Sweden, and Portugal will be involved into the project. All involved schools will bring unique experiences into the project (e.g. with control of the project or ICT usage in different subjects). The biggest part of responsibilities will be done by the coordinator (The Czech Republic), but in order to ensure distribution of responsibilities among individual states, each partner country will become a guarantor of one natural scientific subject – Italy of ICT, Romania of Biology, Sweden of Physics, The Czech Republic of Chemistry, and Portugal of Geography. At the same time, each partner will be responsible for the process of mobilities (its preparation, realization, accommodation, etc.), for the publishing of materials, presentations of the project, materials´ quality, etc. The biggest emphasis during the mobilities will be put on making it attractive and its benefit for both students and teachers. Before each mobility, the individual states (teams) must prepare a part of curriculum of their own choice in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, and ICT. They must also make a presentation and worksheets on that topic, mobile application, digital equipment and a workshop, which will be attended by all teachers and students. They will try in practice how it all works. After workshops, there will be off-road education, where we can try different usage of modern digital technologies. Thus, evaluation of workshops and worksheets will be a result of each mobility. These materials can be used by anyone and whenever (not only by partner schools, but also by the public, because these materials will be available on the project´s website. A great benefit of the project in not only the chosen topic including new methods and possibilities of digital teaching in natural scientific subjects, but also the development of ICT skills of teachers and students, improving of communicative skills between teachers and students, and, furthermore, strengthening of relationships between teachers and students, and improving foreign languages´ knowledge. The projects supports creativity, increases students´ motivation to learning natural scientific subjects, students can try peer learning at international level, cooperative, formal and informal education, education focused on research and pedagogy of experiences. The project is also focused on teachers, it supports teachers´ desire to learn new things, develop their professional skills at national and international level. The main output of the project will be new mobile applications (accessible for free from Google Play), instructions and worksheets of nontraditional usage of modern technologies in lessons, posters from mobilities, video and photos from mobilities, etc. All materials will be accessible for free on the project´s website.
The goal of the project „Digital teaching in natural scientific subjects“ was to focus on the use of smartphones and tablet computers (not only as displaying devices but also as measuring or voting devices)in the lessons of natural scientific subjects (particularly in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Geography). In the project, there were involved students and teachers from the Czech Republic (coordinator of the project), Romania, Italy, Portugal, and Sweden. We took an advantage from the current state when new technologies became a part of young people´s life. Even if these technologies are available to everyone, the students cannot use all their capacity. We can say the same about the teachers who usually have quite negative attitude to new technologies used by young people. The aim of the project was to find a way to get rid of the teachers´ shyness of using new technologies, and, at the same time to support students to use these technologies more effectively. We also wanted the teachers to realize a huge potential of new technologies as they can serve as a measuring device with a lot of sensors. We altogether worked on creating new teaching materials (worksheets, „inspiromats“, tips) which were all placed into the final product (e-book); and mobile applications which might be used in natural scientific subjects. During the progress of the project we proved that a smartphone contains a lot of detectors and sensors which can be effectively used in the lessons of Physics, Biology, Geography, or Chemistry (e.g. the sensor to measure the intensity of noise or light, GPS sensor, a sensor to measure acceleration, etc.). Continually we found other possibilities and ways of using these sensors in lessons, and, in this way, we found an opportunity to make the lessons of natural scientific subjects more attractive. The proof that we were successful is the amount of students interested in natural scientific seminars at all partner schools. Our aim was not to make the teachers create the materials for students but to make them work together. So, there was a two-way discovering of possibilities of the digital teaching. And, what is more, as the conference language was English, the language knowledge of both teachers and students improved. Due to this, we were able to implement CLIL methods to the lessons. Each employed country brought to the project some specific experience or skill (e.g. controlling projects, programming, etc.). The coordinator of the project assumed the biggest responsibility, but the other countries also had some important tasks. Each partner state became a guarantee of one natural scientific subject (Italy of ICT, Romania of Biology, Sweden of Physics, the Czech Republic of Chemistry, and Portugal of Geography). Each partner was also responsible for the mobility (its preparation, realization, accommodation, etc.), for publishing materials, presentation of the project, the quality of materials, etc. During the progress of the project, we put the biggest emphasis on the attractiveness of the mobilities and their benefits for students and teachers. Before each mobility, the single countries chose any subject matter from Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, and ICT. Then, they prepared a presentation, worksheets, a mobile application, and digital devices to this topic. Finally, they presented all these in the form of workshop where the students became teachers of other students. This way of workshops was found very effective, because the students and teachers got the immediate feedback about the materials and their attractiveness. The results of each mobility were the worksheets, lesson plans, and applications, either currently existing or newly made. All created materials are available on the website of the project digitalteaching.eu. A huge benefit of the project is not only the main dealt topic (new ways of digital teaching in natural scientific subjects), but also the development of ICT qualifications of both teachers and students, improving communicative skills between teachers and their students, improving the language skills, and strengthening the relationships among teachers and students. The project supported the creativity of students, we increased their motivation to study natural scientific subjects, the students tried peer learning on an international level; cooperative, formal, and informal teaching, lessons focused on research, and experience pedagogy. The project elevated the teachers as well, some of them started to be interested in new things again, and they developed their professional skills on the national and international level. In the project, there were more than 140 teachers and students from 5 partner states employed directly (they attended mobilities), but there were about 500 students and teachers employed indirectly – those who tried our lesson materials in practice. However, the project involved other people as well (website visitors, readers of articles, et