Virtual classrooms enable students undergoing long-term medical treatment at home or in the hospital to attend school. These students are provided with 22 notebook
The Foundation first began dedicating attention to ICT activities for students undergoing long-term medical treatment in 2007 by promoting the signature of an official agreement between the City of Rome, the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Intel Italia, and FMD for the creation of an assistance program that enables students undergoing such treatment to “attend” school through the use of virtual classroom technology. The agreement was signed by all the figures involved in this pilot experience conducted in Rome, and led to the launching of the e-Care project.
FMD and Intel worked together on the supply by Intel of the 22 notebooks programmed for video-conference with Centra (virtual classroom) software given to the students and young patients at the hospital. This software has excellent teaching function and lets these students continue “attending” their classes, with all benefits imaginable.
Students undergoing long-term treatment at home or in the hospital were provided with these notebooks. A second notebook was delivered to their schools, in this way allowing the student to “attend” school and maintain relationships with her or his schoolmates.
With support from Unidata, the Foundation also provided ADSL connectivity to the students’ homes and schools after obtaining the consent of their parents and teachers. This enabled the students to stay in touch with their schools both at home and in the hospital. To date, ADSL connectivity has been provided to 10 schools and 7 private homes previously without it.
Eleven students from various schools, all being treated at the Bambino Gesù Childrens’ Hospital, benefit from the use of the virtual classroom. The age of the students (six girls and two boys) ranges from 6 to 20. The schools that participate in the program include 6 primary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools, and are:
- I.M.S. “G. Bruno”, Rome
- S.M.S. “Virgilio”, Lavinio
- “C. Collodi” 3rd teaching district, Lavinio
- “Iqbal Masih” Teaching Center
- I.C. “Via Orrea”, Cesano
- I.C. “L. Rizzo”, Cairoli Building, Rome
- I.C. “Alberto Manzi”, Rome
- “Madre Teresa di Calcutta” 34th teaching district, Rome
- I.C. “Parco of the Vittoria” at the S.M.S. “Giovanni XXIII” building, Rome
- S.M.S. “G. Da Sangallo”, Rome (Ostia)
- IPSSCT “L. Einaudi”, Rome
- I.P.S. “R. Rossellini”, Rome
Fondazione Mondo Digitale supervises the implementation of the agreements and acts as the educational guarantor of the entire process, facilitating the fullest collaboration of all parties involved, from the families to the physicians at the hospital.
The first step consisted in sending a technician to all the schools and homes involved for the purpose of instructing parents, teachers, and students in the use of Centra “virtual classroom” software. The technician is also capable of solving any problem that arises during the use of the notebook.
The Foundation then conducted a survey of the teachers for the assessment of their experience in using this assistance technology for video-conference services.
The event
The Eurogoal for solidarity event, a three-team soccer match with the participation of the European Parliament’s Information Office for Italy, was held in Rome’s Flaminio Stadium on the occasion provided by the 2008 “Festa dell’Europa” to provide the project with additional support.