The only Italian on the panel of experts at the annual ELIG Conference held in London, tomorrow, Alfonso Molina, Professor of Technology Strategy at the University of Edinburgh and Scientific Director of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, will present the Italian Phyrtual Innovation Gym Model, along with the “La Buona Scuola” (The Good School) Report prepared by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR).
The idea of running school laboratories like an Innovation Gym was launched by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale last March at the inauguration of the Phyrtual Fab Lab, the first Roman digital manufacturing lab based on MIT’s Centre for Bits and Atoms within the Phyrtual Innovation Gym. Now, this idea has been adopted by MIUR as an integral part of the government: "La Buona Scuola." “Today, we must interpret laboratories as innovation gyms that are capable of stimulating creative abilities and problem-solving skills in students.”
Alfonso Molina, Professor of Technology Strategy at the University of Edinburgh and Scientific Director of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, considers the Innovation Gym a strategic model for the development of Life Education (knowledge, skills and values). It is a locus for open innovation in which to plan answers based on social innovation to the crucial challenges of the 21st century, starting with youth unemployment and the Neet issue.
The annual Elig - European Learning Industry Group Conference will be held tomorrow (Friday 19 September). Alfonso Molina will host his presentation at 11 am in the session dedicated to “Fostering Local Creativity, New Partnerships & Business Models”.
The Phyrtual Innovation Gym at the Rome Citta Educativa hosts four activity areas: Fab Lab, Robotics Centre, Ideation Room and Activity Space. During the week, the Fab Lab is open to Makers and independent users, while on Saturday it is open to the public. The Fab Lab also organises events, including inter-generational ones such as Scratch Day, Open Day - Learning Together, Robot in a Kit, etc.), that have been covered by our news and social channels.
Over 200 hours of coding for all school levels have been provided by the Robotic Centre, which hosts one or more classes every morning with four options based on the age of the aspiring programmers: from Bee Bot for primary schools to a Renewable Energy Lab for secondary schools.
The Global Brain Institute’s YouTube Channel has already published Alfonso Molina’s presentation: "Theories and Practice in an Emerging Physical/Virtual Environment for Social Innovation and Education for Life," which was given during the seminars organized by ECCO (Evolution, Complexity and Cognition Group) [see news on Global Brain Institute].
