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We live in a digital age where the development of information technologies and the easy accessibility of the virtual world can negatively affect our thinking capacity with ready-made information entering our pockets. Our students also have the illusion of being satisfied with the existing thinking rather than thinking in this environment.
Keeping the scientific curiosity of our students alive at a time when magazine curiosity is rapidly spreading through social networks in our society was the starting idea of the ÇİT project–the need for an environment in our schools where virtual accessibility is supported, but where it is learned that new and more advanced things can be achieved with practice.
The Technology Innovation Dumpster (ÇİT) project aims to give our students, who will shape the future, a start in the field of engineering and to realise their interests and talents. It was designed to stimulate scientific curiosity and innovative thinking skills.
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The Technology Innovation Dumpster project was implemented to achieve the following goals:
- To develop an awareness that technological waste is not garbage and that its sub-components can be separated and reused in new projects.
- To have a basic knowledge of the components and working principles of technological tools.
- To develop the idea that the materials we have can be reused in different areas with innovative thinking.
- To ensure that future engineering candidates recognise themselves at an early stage.
- To contribute to the Zero Waste Project and waste prevention by using the technology waste that runs parallel to the rapidly developing technology in the educational environment.
What has been done?
The ÇIT project is an educational environment where students can work freely in the field of innovative thinking.
In the learning environment created by this project, our students dismantle end-of-life technological devices, disassemble them into their components, obtain basic information about the components, reassemble them if they wish, or start an innovative work using the parts they have obtained.
At the beginning of the project, we requested end-of-life computer cases for classroom equipment from the Support Services Unit of the Directorate of National Education. Our request was granted and the unused technology was placed in the learning environment. At this stage, we also received material support from our teachers. Screwdrivers, pliers, etc. required for our students to disassemble and reassemble these tools.
The tools were purchased with contributions from our parent and teacher association. Solar panels and electricity storage units were provided by our technology design workshop. In addition, posters introducing the components of the technological devices were prepared and hung on the classroom walls.
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To our students; seminars were held on zero waste, reuse, recycling and innovative thinking.
Electrical energy was provided by solar panels and batteries in the ÇIT, where electricity from the city grid was not used. In addition, the electrical energy generated by the solar panels was stored and used in our rechargeable battery.
ÇIT has become a brand in our school and our students have started competing to join ÇİT and work in ÇİT.
Our students, who are keen on technology, innovative thinking and producing alternative solutions to problems, disassembled, reassembled and sometimes broke, but as a result they tested their interests and skills in this field.
Fencing is a learning and development environment that is currently only available in Ayşe Ilıcak Imam Hatip Secondary School in our country. FEN can be extended to all secondary schools due to its low-cost installation and great contribution to students.
Technology Innovation Dumpster was determined as the abbreviation for learning environment (TR-ÇİT, EN-DIT). The reverse aspect of the acronym has a backward expansion to indicate the importance given to the Zero Waste Project and recycling practices.
ÇİT is a free learning environment whose boundaries will be determined by the horizons of our students. ÇİT is a beginning. A door has been opened beyond imagination with ÇİT.
About the author
Yasin TEMOÇİN has been teaching science since 2002. He lives in the charming city of Yozgat, which can be considered the geographical middle point of Turkey. He has preferred a lifestyle dedicated to revealing the spark of scientific curiosity in students.
Tags: engineering skills, hands-on science, innovative thinking, learning practices, recycling, technology, waste prevention, Zero Waste Project
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