The innovation in education is a policy strategy of the school. At present, the projects of innovation in education in Complejo Educativo Mas Camarena are carried out on both a methodological and technological level.
Innovation in education
Our principal methodologies
Our technological tools
We have a Department of Pedagogical Innovation which is always active in the search for learning models in line with our educational methodology. This department develops inhouse materials adapted to the methodologies used in each eductional stage, giving our Educational Project a solid base of our intrinsic contents for the student’s profound learning.
Technological Plan
Students today want to learn in a different way. They are aware that the world is rapidly changing day by day. If implication, motivation and passion improve our students learning experience , we must be able to offer them the necessary tools and diverse attractive materials with which to connect to the real world. Moreover we must teach them to access the information, and evaluate, analise, syntheticise and apply it . It is with this belief that the Technological and Methodological Project of Colegio Mas Camarena is developed.
In order to put this into practice we provide the students with the technological tools that will help them with their daily learning:
IWB in the 2 year-old's classrooms
The interactive whiteboards (IWB) facilitate a fun and dynamic methodology to our students as they can not only see and listen, but also touch and interact with the whiteboards, using their little hands instead of a computer mouse. All the classrooms in our school have IWBs with high-speed internet connection. The teachers prepare the digital materials to be used in the classrooms. All the IWB from 5th Primary onwards are equipped with Apple TV devices to connect their iPads to.
iPad from 5th Primary
Our students work “one on one”. The dynamic in place leads to the gradual immersion of iPad technology. The intention is always to combine paper-based materials and the use of activities in class with technology in an adequate way. The iPad is used to promote cooperative and project-based learning. Instead of contemplating education as a group of subjects, thanks to the iPads and the methodological change introduced through the International Baccalaureate Programme, we are implementing a more cross-curricular system (a learning method which combines subjects and competencies) Examples of this would be the perfect combination of Language, Art and Science in a Doceri© presentation to develop storytelling (and the correct use of narrative tenses). Art, Technology and History can also be combined by students to create a video using plasticine figures in order to explain the Reconquest of Spain to their classmates.
Digital materials
But, what do students have on their iPads? Students have eBooks in all subjects. The aforementioned books are supplemented through iTunes U with a framework of contents and with activities to be carried out by students using a certain App. Mas Camarena School has a team of professionals exclusively devoted to the creation of digital tools. At present, we use our own eBooks for Science and Geography in 5th and 6th Primary, Spanish in 1st and 2nd Secondary, Valencian in 3rd and 4th Secondary and I.T. and Technology throughout Secondary.
This wide selection of materials allows us to stand out by individualising learning. It is the teacher, the person who designs and searches for the contents which are then passed on to our own publishing company – Edicinco. 3D images, videos, exercises and interactive texts are created and used by Edicinco to give shape, design and movement to our own eBooks.
In this manner, each student learns in different ways: auditive, visual, tactile … These new contents introduce added value in innovation, they are our own, adapted to our pedagogical project and are constantly updated.
Robotics from 3rd Primary
Robotics, which is taught in English, is introduced in the syllabus. The school considers that this learning method helps the acquiring of multiple skills and competences needed for the 21st Century. Students can experiment and face challenges in different subject areas using the robots Dash and Dot. With this project, we apply basic skill competences whilst we are learning Maths, Science, Social Science, Art or Technology doing cross-curricular assignments.
E-Portfolio
It is a strategy which allows us to plan tasks and activities used to work with the contents throughout the year. It offers the teachers an opportunity to carry out a continuous evaluation. This E-Portfolio basically reflects the evolution of the development of the learning process, enabling both teachers and students to create and manage a virtual space with personal, academic and professional projects which incorporate an appraisal to each one of these tasks.
