July 2023 proved to be a dynamic month for the Schools as Living Labs (SALL) project, as it involved both a transformative STE(A)M Summer School in Greece and a contribution at the CONNECT International Conference on Open Schooling (CICOS) 2023 in Spain. Read on to learn more about both events!
SALL Summer School
The recent “Making Sense of STE(A)M Education through Living Labs” Summer School by ESIA was held in Athens Greece in July 2023. This immersive summer school gathered educators, school heads, and participants from diverse backgrounds to explore a cutting-edge approach to education. The program centered on the SALL principles of Open Schooling and living labs, offering a robust framework to transform schools into innovation incubators and accelerators of the local community.
At the core of this interactive approach lies the concept of SALL. Living labs function as user-centered, open ecosystems, seamlessly integrating research and innovation processes within real-life communities and settings. The summer school’s main objective was to enhance participants knowledge of the approach, empowering them to engage, discuss, and explore how schools can become dynamic hubs of innovation.
Throughout the week, particular emphasis was placed on implementing the SALL Methodology. This methodology is the result of a collaborative process, aiming to adapt the Living Lab approach to the context of schools. By promoting cooperation and interaction among community members, this approach creates a safe testing ground for the implementation and refinement of innovative educational solutions.
Overall, the summer school successfully fostered a transformative shift in education by embracing the principles of SALL.
CONNECT International Conference on Open Schooling 2023
The Ecsite and Ellinogermaniki Agogi team presented Schools as Living Labs (SALL) at the CONNECT International Conference on Open Schooling (CICOS) 2023 in Barcelona from July 6th to 7th. The event was held at the Museo de la Ciencia CosmoCaixa and was joined by an international community of education advocates to reflect upon and discuss the benefits and challenges related to the Open Schooling principles, which makes the foundation of the SALL project. The presentations included topics ranging from inclusion, socio-cultural awareness and sustainable development, to STEAM education. Our team left with valuable reflections regarding our SALL project.
We were also proud to see Eciste’s Project Manager Greta Alliaj receive the Award of Excellence for fostering Open Schooling through the OS together network, of which SALL is a member!