After Osnovna škola Kamešnica in Otok, IX. Gimnazija in Zagreb, Gimnazija Frana Galovića from Koprivnica, and II. Osnovna škola in Bjelovar, and Osnovna škola Antuna i Stjepana Radića in Gunja, Osnovna škola Popovača has joined the Classroom of the Future project in Croatia. This school is the sixth to have a Classroom of the Future opened, which will enable interactive learning supported by the latest information technologies. This is a continuation of the joint project between the Croatian Academic and Research Network – CARNet and Samsung Electronics, with the support of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports.
Popovača Elementary School is attended by 750 students from 10 settlements in the City of Popovača. In addition to the main school, classes are also organized in five branch schools (Voloder, Osekovo, Gornja Jelenska, Potok, Stružec).
"The main and branch schools have high-speed internet, which was a prerequisite for introducing e-diaries in the main and branch schools starting this school year. All classrooms in the main and branch schools are equipped with new, modern computers. In addition, classrooms for subject teaching and classrooms for grade-level teaching are equipped with multimedia equipment, which has greatly facilitated the work of teachers and students in mastering new content. Today, the school also received a new digital classroom, which is a great achievement of the IT teachers who are working on numerous projects, and whose work has been recognized by the Croatian Academic and Research Network – CARNet and the company Samsung Electronics. The school actively participates in promoting the use of new technologies in schools in our area," emphasized Dražen Mlakar, principal of Popovača Elementary School.
As a reminder, Future Classrooms are equipped with a teacher's computer, tablet computers, and an interactive whiteboard, enabling interactive knowledge exchange for all students. Teachers can quickly share information, lecture notes, and have instant insight into students„ understanding of a particular lecture. They can share content on the interactive whiteboard and, with just a few “clicks," send it to the students' tablets. Students and teachers will simultaneously take lecture notes, highlight key information, or draw, both on their tablets and on the interactive whiteboard. Teachers can quickly check if students understand the lecture through short quizzes, polls, and discussions.
"Technology has not been adopted in schools as much as in other segments of our lives. We are working to change that and we want our children who graduate from school to be as prepared as possible for further education and for the job market. Popovača Elementary School is one of the leaders among elementary schools in the Republic of Croatia in terms of ICT use, and we hope that this equipment, worth almost HRK 300,000, will help them continue to educate students who will leave school fully computer literate, educated, capable of independent thinking, and good team players," emphasized Zvonimir Stanić, director of the Croatian Academic and Research Network CARNet.
The history of the elementary school in Popovača dates back to 1894. In the last twenty years, the school has been thoroughly renovated inside, the playground has been asphalted, a computer classroom has been equipped, and computer science has been introduced as an elective subject. Popovača Elementary School employs 62 teachers, 5 educational associates, and 18 administrative and support staff.
"Our common goal in Croatia and the region is to take appropriate steps and work diligently to create a solid foundation and define where we want to be in the next 15 to 20 years. With this in mind, we must emphasize the quality of education, from the earliest to mature age, as well as foster creativity, competitiveness, and lifelong learning. We support an environment that encourages and shapes a generation of young people who are highly educated and ready for the jobs of the future. This is part of Samsung's vision, which includes the future of the education sector, where we want to be active participants and help shape the future of learning, empowering teachers and students through new learning experiences," concluded Tae Hwan Hwang, President of Samsung Electronics for the region.
At the opening of the Classroom of the Future in Popovača, the Classrooms of the Future at Zagreb's IX Gymnasium and Fran Galović Gymnasium in Koprivnica, which have already implemented these educational solutions into their curriculum, were connected via video conference. It was emphasized that networking the Classrooms of the Future, in cooperation with CARNet and Samsung Electronics, will enable an even higher quality exchange of knowledge and experiences, with the aim of best applying information and communication technologies in the professional and personal lives of students and teachers.