In June of last year, computer science teachers from Yavorivsk General Secondary Education No. 2 applied for participation in the innovative education and computerization project “Leave no one behind partnership”. Then there were studies, exams, project defense at the Ukrainian Catholic University. A total of 33 teachers from Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Poltava regions upgraded their qualifications and mastered modern STEM teaching methods, robotics, and Python. Now teachers receive equipment for their schools and share the latest skills and experience with their colleagues.
“We are part of a lifelong learning society. A computer science teacher is obliged to constantly learn, because information technologies are rapidly developing and these are radical changes,” says computer science teacher Nadiya Manko. She has been working at the school for many years, is a co-author of a computer science textbook and methodical publications for teachers. Pupils of Nadiya Manko win the All-Ukrainian Olympics in information technology and programming.
“Today’s children type code for and issue a ready-made program in a few minutes, which I used to write for more than three hours. Of course, they use artificial intelligence and this is also a skill. My task is to motivate children so that they want to think independently, set goals correctly. I always ask: what is more important to you, to give the teacher an answer right away, or to learn to create something of your own, to understand the process?” Nadiya Manko emphasizes.
Yurii Megel, a resident of Yavoriv last year, won first place among tenth graders at the regional Olympiad. This year, he took part in the All-Ukrainian Online Olympiad in Information Technologies. Satisfied with his results, he did not turn to tutors – he says that school computer science teachers helped him in everything. Teacher Andrii Manko explains the high success rate of his pupils by hard work.
“It will not be possible to extract the subject of informatics from books,” the teacher notes. The child must understand this direction. If students are interested in computer science, they need a foundation, an example from the teacher, and a technically equipped office from the school.
Then logical thinking develops, children perform increasingly difficult tasks and achieve results.”
A set of new equipment for the computer science office – 16 laptops, 16 sets of robotics and a projector with a screen for the school was brought by Ulyana Pak, the coordinator of the Ukrainian-Taiwan educational project.
“Within the project, two computer science teachers from 24 schools were selected to study at the Ukrainian Catholic University. I would like to note that the task was not easy and it was an additional burden on teachers during the school year. They studied modern methods, programmed robots. 33 teachers from 20 schools reached the finals. We are convinced that now the new technology will be used very effectively by teachers. Many children will get the maximum benefit from our project – this is new knowledge, victories in competitions and confidence,” explained Ulyana Pak.
According to Oksana Bamburova, director of the Yavoriv Institute of General Secondary Education I-III Levels No. 2 of the Yavoriv City Council of the Lviv Region, the team sincerely envied their colleagues who studied at one of the best universities – UCU.
“We have very strong informatics teachers, we have very high results. This year, three students became prize-winners of the All-Ukrainian Student Olympiad in Information Technology, they won 2nd and 3rd places in the highest level competitions. In our school, children learn computer science from the 3rd grade, in addition, computers are also used for other subjects. We are also planning to create a language room for learning foreign languages,” the director shares.
The project of innovative education and computerization “Leave no one behind partnership” is implemented by the NGO “All-Ukrainian Democratic Forum”. Its founder, People’s Deputy Mykola Kniazhytskyi, attracted support for Ukrainian education from the government of Taiwan. As a result of the project, new computer science classrooms will work in almost a hundred schools of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Poltava regions.
“Intellectual youth will be able to rebuild a successful, strong country. It is with technology that we have a chance to be interesting to the world. That is why it is so important to invest resources in children’s education, to improve the quality of education. Learning outcomes depend on teachers and comfortable conditions in schools. With new technology and innovative knowledge, our partners help us develop young people and be invincible and confident in the future,” Mykola Kniazhytskyi emphasized.
