The Open Wings project: Transforming students’ perceptions of self and society through the development of the homonomous self

Author(s):

Nancy Pyrini, (1st Primary School of Rafina, Rafina, Greece)

Orestes Johns Varonis, (Varonis NDE Consulting LLC, North Canton, Ohio, USA)

Evangeline Marlos Varonis, (Department of Professional and Graduate Studies, Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio, USA)

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Single Sentence Summary:

This paper illustrates the implementation and outcomes of the 'Open Wings' project and reveals that the students demonstrated gains in factual knowledge and changes in attitudes toward immigrants and refugees.

Abstract:

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the implementation and outcomes of the “Open Wings” project, a continuing effort to create a community of self-directed elementary school learners and to enhance their homonomy. Technology-enhanced international videoconference presentations resulted in both knowledge gains and attitude changes. These, in turn, inspired creative, collaborative interdisciplinary projects through which students demonstrated that they could embed themselves in contexts that contribute to homonomous identification and development.

Design/methodology/approach

Over the 2015-2016 school year, interactive international videoconferences were delivered to first and sixth grade classrooms in two elementary schools in Athens, Greece. Topics included a personal immigration story and responsible citizenship. Impact was measured quantitatively by a pre-test/post-test design that measured changes in knowledge and attitudes and qualitatively by student group projects at six stations inspired by e-reflect methodology.

Findings

Students demonstrated gains in factual knowledge and changes in attitudes toward immigrants and refugees. Individual and group work at each station revealed that they could plan, research, and present projects that demonstrated their personal sense of self and their place in the community.

Originality/value

With many in Greece directly affected by the economic crisis and an influx of refugees and immigrants, students feel they have no control over their lives and become fearful of outsiders. Even when resources are limited, innovative use of learning technologies can help educate students in the prescribed curriculum and guide them beyond hopelessness to see themselves as empowered individuals who can enrich their own lives and those of their communities.

Keywords:

Information technology, Educational innovation, Elementary education, Active citizenship, Homonomy, Immigrants and refugees

Type:

Case study

Publisher:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Received:

22 September 2016

Revised:

31 December 2016

Accepted:

19 January 2017

Acknowledgments:

Many thanks to Marcie Boucouvalas, Linda Morris, and the anonymous reviewers for their very helpful feedback on earlier drafts of this paper. Especially, thank you to the amazing children, families, and teachers of the elementary schools involved in this project for their engagement and enthusiasm, and for embracing the concept and leading the authors.

Copyright:

© Emerald Publishing Limited 2017
Published by Emerald Publishing Limited
Licensed re-use rights only

Citation:

Nancy Pyrini, Orestes Johns Varonis, Evangeline Marlos Varonis, (2017) "The Open Wings project: Transforming students’ perceptions of self and society through the development of the homonomous self", The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, Vol. 34 Issue: 2, pp.83-101, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-09-2016-0049

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