Elena Gjika-Prishtinë

This story is about finding solutions for blind people as part of our community to make their lives easier and develop inclusivity. The ultimate goal is to build an auxiliary tool for these people on the principles of micro:bit coding. This can help relevant field experts to correlate students' ideas with blind people needs and support them in their day-to-day activities. 

There some major results that were delivered by this particular project. The more important ones were: enhancing and advancing students' coding skills through micro:bit and using the critical thinking to find solutions. Also, this project had a specific target and it directly linked with solving real life problems. It is considered a useful, attractive, and interesting project where the students developed entrepreneurial skills.

Through the realisation of this project, the participating students have further developed their critical thinking and problem solving skills. During the development of the product, chilrend have constantly seeked opportunities to promote the final product to companies, government institutions, and even the mayor of the capital to see the possibility of its production.

Further, this was a project that involved students and teachers of different ethnicities. Hence, there was a strong bond that was built between the groups, while communicating efficiently to deliver the project. They all shared a common objective, that of helping a marginalized and vulnerable group of people, to facilitate their movement. Thus, the 21st Century School Programme indirectly impacts the lives of every group of people, by offering students and teachers enough techniques to be explorers, critical thinkers, innovators and problem solvers. The project of this school is a proof that when training is actually useful it also provides the exact gadgets to practice what was delivered, then the imagination of students is unlimited and they can come up with hacks that can ease the everyday life challenges. 

“I was impressed by the teamwork that was developed in the implementation of the "Sensor Stick" project. The tireless involvement and commitment of the vice principal and other teachers has made everything in the team work successfully, which has resulted with a very creative product.”

 – Alida Thaci, programme trainer

Detailed action plan

A detailed action plan has been devised in order to implement the idea correctly. Below are the steps explained in more details:

  1. Introducing the idea of what the sensor stick might look like
  2.  Presentation of images, models, sketches, hand-outs and other drawings by students
  3. Choose the shape or appearance (design) of the stick
  4. Sharing responsibilities among students which will deal with the activity coding with the micro:bit
  5. Compile a list of materials needed for work
  6. Providing the necessary tools and material for the realisation of the work
  7. Placing or assembling parts with the necessary tools and needed materials
  8. Functionalisation of the sensor stick through micro:bit.