From March 3 to April 2, 2024, as part of Activity 5: Teaching and Training (Second Cycle) of the Erasmus+ project Erasmus+ project DIRECTORS – DIgital data-dRiven EduCaTion fOR kidS, the Croatian project team continued their efforts to enhance data literacy in primary education. This time, the workshops were held at Primary School Vrbani in Zagreb. A total of 61 pupils participated – 17 from 2A, 25 from 3C, and 19 from 4C – under the guidance of the class teacher Žaneta Milović and the informatics teacher Barbara Kulundžić.
As in the first cycle, these workshops addressed three levels of data literacy – basic, moderate, and advanced skills – adapting activities to the pupils’ grade level. The aim was to strengthen the children’s understanding of gathering, organizing, and interpreting data, using fun and age-appropriate tasks.
First Workshop – Second Grade: Basic Data Skills
Second-grade pupils revisited the idea of connecting their everyday experiences with the concept of data. To start, they looked at how they use smartphones – favourite apps, games, and approximated the amount of time spent on each. Pupils then created simple data cards, which helped them learn about grouping, cleaning and analyzing data, transforming it in the end into a clear, visual display in a form of word clouds.
In the next step, they moved on to collecting actual data from their phones and entering it into a shared dataset. By comparing their own data with the class totals, pupils discovered the significance of accurate data input and the importance of privacy/anonymity when sharing information online.
Second Workshop – Third Grade: Moderate Data Skills
Third-grade pupils explored the fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), learning how to represent real-world features on maps. In their first workshop, they used an orthophoto map as a base for “collecting” data — similar to the vectorization process in GIS. Working in groups, they traced various elements of the school environment (e.g., buildings, playgrounds, roads) onto transparent sheets, with each sheet acting as a separate “layer.” Stacking these layers together produced a complete map and demonstrated how GIS digitally organizes and analyses spatial data.
In the second workshop, pupils applied their GIS knowledge through a geocache escape room–style game called “The Mystery of the Missing Principal.” They used GIS layers and digital data to solve puzzles, while also applying spatial operations like buffering and data filtering. By following specific geographic coordinates and piecing together clues step by step, they eventually discovered a big box of candies—demonstrating how interactive, hands-on exploration of real spatial data can be both educational and fun!
For the first time, we had a visually impaired pupil in our workshop. He received specially adapted resources to ensure full participation. Instead of the standard orthophoto map, he worked with a high-contrast base map at a larger scale, making it easier for him to identify objects and lines. In the digital setting, he used special zoom settings and a simplified base map, allowing him to be fully involved in all activities.
Third Workshop – Fourth Grade: Advanced Data Skills
Fourth-grade pupils took on the most challenging tasks, delving into real-world data collection and quality assessment using technology. They learned about and experimented with various methods of measuring steps and distances – manual counting, mobile apps, smart watches, and even GPS-tracked walks. During the first workshop, they tested these approaches indoors, noticing differences in accuracy among methods.
For the second part, the pupils ventured outside, measuring longer distances of the school basketball playground with various devices (mobile phones, smart watches) while also recording GPX tracks on their devices. Back in the classroom, they compared the varied measurements and discussed why technology, although helpful, must always be approached with a critical mindset. The experience highlighted the importance of checking data from multiple sources for better reliability.
After each workshop, teachers provided feedback to help refine and improve future activities. This second cycle of workshops – part of Activity 5: Teaching and Training (Second Cycle) – builds on insights gathered in the first cycle. Following the evaluation process, final teaching materials will be created to integrate all lessons learned. These will contribute to the broader international assessment of the project, undertaken in cooperation with the Dutch team, and will help enhance both teaching methods and educational resources.
