Today, amid rapidly evolving technologies and countless innovations, schools and other educational institutions face the necessity of adapting their learning processes to the ever-changing demands of the modern world. Or Yehuda Middle School has embraced this challenge through a collaboration with UNISPHER, launching an ambitious interdisciplinary project to benefit students and teachers.
The Project: “Interdisciplinary Annual Project – Designing a Computer Game”
Phase 1
The project kicked off with a mentorship training program for 35 ninth-grade students. They were prepared to manage teams and were taught how to develop critical and creative thinking and understand the dynamics of the educational process within groups.
What is the Dynamics of the Educational Process, and how do we work with It?
The dynamics of the educational process in groups allows for the exchange of knowledge and ideas among participants, as well as fostering social aspects such as communication, mutual assistance, conflicts, leadership, and the impact on the educational outcomes of all involved.
Key Aspects of Group Educational Process Dynamics:
Communication: Effective group communication is essential for exchanging information and ideas, as well as for resolving conflicts and misunderstandings.
Collaboration: The ability of participants to work together, complementing each other, significantly affects the success of educational projects or tasks.
Roles and Responsibility: Every group member contributes, and typically each has a role, whether as a leader, organizer, or executor. Role distribution depends on the skills and interests of each participant.
Motivation and Engagement: The level of motivation of each participant affects their involvement in group work and the overall success of the group.
Conflict Resolution: Conflicts can arise in groups due to differences in opinions, work styles, or interests. The group’s ability to resolve these conflicts contributes to a more effective and harmonious educational process.
Feedback and Assessment: Regular feedback among group members helps each individual understand how they can improve their work on tasks and personal educational skills.
The Project: “Interdisciplinary Annual Project – Designing a Computer Game”
Phase 2
Under the careful guidance of 35 mentors, 300 seventh graders underwent training on the specialized UNISPHER platform, where they formed teams to implement their own projects – designing computer games on the theme of “Initiative and Courage”.
The project work included regular team meetings, consultations with teachers, and individual work at home. During the project, participants developed skills outlined in the OECD 2030 plan, including teamwork, critical and creative thinking, logic, dialectics, the ability to withstand difficulties, problem-solving, and of course, project presentation.
Outstanding Achievements and Impressive Results
The uniqueness of the project lies in the direct interaction between older and younger students, with ninth graders serving as mentors, providing support and guidance to their younger colleagues. This not only facilitated academic knowledge but also fostered social skills such as leadership and responsibility.
The project culminated in the presentation of the developed games, which included a complete description of the plot, game maps, characters, and an explanation of how they integrated various knowledge domains. The project concluded with a ceremonial event where participants received diplomas in the presence of municipal administration representatives, who acknowledged the high level of work completed and the significance of the initiative for the school’s overall education.
Impact on the Educational Community
The UNISPHER project in Or Yehuda creates new opportunities for students, allowing them to develop key skills necessary for a successful career in the 21st century. It reaffirms that innovations can and should transform traditional education, making it more relevant and appealing to each new generation of students.