This digital object has been developed from the University of Barcelona in Pedagogy Degree context, most specifically, in Environments, processes and technological resources of learning.
The project “KASA OBERTA”, was created at the University of Barcelona in the Faculty of Pedagogy by three students studying Entornos, Procesos y Recursos Tecnologicos de Aprendizaje. The first thing the creators of the project did (Elena Comerma, Josep Castro and Oriol Juan) was to think of what type of group they wanted to participate. Once they had decided on the group, Youths at risk of social exclusion, they decided to do an analysis of the needs of such a group. The objective of the analysis was to gain a profound understanding of the group with the objective of planning and creating all of the necessary action that would be implemented later on based on said needs.
Once the needs of the group were known we set ourselves some objectives, these objectives always had in mind the previous analysis of the needs.
The next step was to start to think about the environment that we wanted to create; we decided that it would be formed on two fronts; on one hand a physical space, and on the other hand a virtual space. Both spaces would conform to our educational environment.
The physical field would be a big multidisciplinary space that we have created by making the most of the space and the infrastructure of an industrial unit. In this space we have created different areas all linked together along the lines of an “Impact Hub”, that is to say, open spaces, interrelated, multitasking, in which you can do an infinite number of educational and social activities through a variety of different methods. This space will also have a library, an AV room, a group meeting room, a kitchen, and computer room, an outdoors space (allotment)… all of which will be connected in such a manner that the communication and the affective bond of the children will flow in the best way possible. The virtual space will be represented in the form of a video game, we have decided to bet on an extension of the game “Mine Craft”, given that via the game we can work many educational elements, such as: maths, technology, team work, group feelings, natural sciences…definitively, an alternative and innovative form of working educational aspects via a virtual world which will motivate and excite the willingness to learn of the children.
The idea is to unite both spaces, trying to offer an effective alternative to young people in risk of social exclusion, pitched at their respective educational stages of development. It will be a innovative space in the learning process in which the children are the protagonists, their interest and projects mark the rhythm and in which the relationships with other companions and workers of KASA OBERTA is essential to create the desired atmosphere.
Definitively, we want to offer these young people the possibility to believe in their future once again, to get them to participate in it, to create and construct their present, have them feel useful, active and with some objectives and views to the future to achieve.
We believe that KASA OBERTA, along with its workers, is an ideal space to take on all of these ideas. We have the training, the space and above all the willingness and wishful thinking.
By: Elena Comerma, Josep Castro and Oriol Juan.