Digital technologies are becoming an increasingly necessary part of our lives in the modern world.They are used in education, work, leisure and even in our personal relationships. Therefore, it is important to develop our digital competences so that we can take advantage of the opportunities that these technologies provide us.
Digital competences (DigComp 2.2) is a framework for digital competences developed by the European Commission. It defines five main areas of digital competence:
Information and language literacy: the ability to find, evaluate and use information from digital sources.
Communication literacy: the ability to create and share information in a digital environment.
Content creation: ability to use digital tools to create content.
Security: the ability to protect personal data and information in a digital environment.
Problem Solving: Ability to use digital technology to solve problems.
VR and 360° video and panoramas for education, culture and people
Enhancing student interest and engagement in the classroom is one of the major challenges in modern education. Today, primary/secondary school pupils and students have access to many digital resources both online and offline. Technology is everywhere. The main problems are related to engaging attention for learning and acquiring new skills and knowledge among them.
VR and 360° videos can provide students with the opportunity to experience different places and situations that they would not be able to see or experience in the real world. This will help improve their understanding of various topics and concepts.
On the other hand, providing more realistic and interactive cultural experiences through VR and 360° videos have been used to provide a more realistic and interactive experience of cultural sites and events. This helps people to better understand different cultures and traditions, it is related to the need to improve communication and understanding between people so that they can live in a more meaningful and cultural world in which to communicate, learn and work. In this way, prejudices will decrease, bridges of cooperation will be built between us.
DigCompEdu
The European Framework for the Digital Competence of Teachers (DigCompEdu) is aimed at teachers at all levels of education. The framework defines 6 levels that cover the overall modern upskilling with a focus on the use of digital technologies.
(A1) BEGINNERS
Teachers have an idea of digital technologies as a concept, but in practice they have no contact and experience with them. They need guidance and familiarization with the possibilities, as well as encouragement to increase the existing digital skills in the pedagogical sphere.
(A2) RESEARCHERS
At this level, teachers see digital technologies as tools that can be used to improve student learning and teacher professional development.
(B1) INTEGRATED
Integrated educators are an important part of the educational community. They are an inspiration to other educators and help spread innovation in education. These teachers have a strong motivation to expand their teaching practices and implement the new technologies in their work, but they need more time to implement them. They use them creatively and this approach enables them to more easily improve different aspects of their professional engagement.
In our survey of educational content creators, we asked:
What are the challenges of using digital resources in education and how are these challenges being overcome?
Some of the answers were:
To qualify teachers and educators.
Loss of older people (referring to older teachers who need support to increase their knowledge when using digital resources)
One challenge is optimal integration into the curriculum. This is overcome by trying out different settings and getting feedback from students.
There is insufficient knowledge of their use (digital resources) and practice is often required. Teachers should use them more often, courses should be held for this.
(B2) EXPERTS
Experts use digital technologies confidently and frequently in their work. Using different digital technologies (VR for training and work, 360-degree panoramas and videos) they not only try to understand the advantages and disadvantages, but are also open to new ideas for digital strategies.
(C1) LEADERS
Leaders in education demonstrate a consistent and comprehensive approach to the use of digital technologies to improve pedagogical and professional methods. They have a wide range of digital strategies and know how to choose the most suitable one for each specific situation. At the same time, they constantly revise and develop their pedagogical methods. By exchanging experience and knowledge with their colleagues, they are inspired by new methods and ideas. In their role as inspirers and mentors, they pass on their practices to others who can benefit from their experience.
(C2) INNOVATORS
Educational innovators engage in a critical review of current digital and pedagogical practices. They worry about the limitations or imperfections of existing practices and are alert to introduce further innovations in the field of education. Innovators boldly experiment with complex and revolutionary digital technologies and/or develop innovative pedagogical methods. Innovators are an exceptional and rare breed of people who represent a role model that younger teachers have the opportunity to follow.
OUR PRIORITIES
Since our goal is precisely to increase the digital competences of teachers, creators of educational content and youth, according to the European Framework for Digital Competences for Educators (DigiCompEdu), we want through our innovative VR and 360 degree panoramas and videos to:
Promote opportunities for digital transformation of the education sector, by addressing the needs of teachers, educational content creators and youth, and developing guidelines for creating educational content through spatial visualizations.
We are focusing attention on already established and operational educational resources and training programs for teachers, creators of educational content and young people, through the development of a European Competence Center for the development and use of spatial technologies in the educational process.
Upgrade of existing and creation of new 360° spatial visual resources with VR (virtual reality), MR (mixed reality) and XR (augmented reality) is achieved by participating in organizing and holding debates, conferences, seminars, trainings, by stimulating the dialogue and exchange between cultural ideas, practices and traditions.
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