Sc!Fy – Science for You

Sc!Fy is a not-for-profit organization, that develops cutting-edge information technology systems and freely offers them to all, including the design, the implementation details, and the support needed, in order to solve real-life problems. They make science accessible with special focus on blind students, but for all by introducing game-based, enjoyable teaching and learning tools. Students and teachers are trained to become multipliers and take part in co-creation of scientific research for deeper engagement with science.

Their overall aims, at the same time aims of their school programme are to
- bring cutting edge technology into everyday life for free.
- devise and implement open, freely accessible, complete information systems and offer them freely to the public.
- combine the skills of scientists and industry experts for our products, under continuous interaction with the public (e.g., consumer groups, other NGOs, the public sector, the industry).
- offer products, including all design and implementation details, to everyone and actively support the reusing and extension of offered technologies into new products.
- make science accessible with special focus on blind students, but for all by introducing game-based, enjoyable teaching and learning tools.

So far, they have been successful raising funds for their long-term operations, but dependency on private funding may be a threat.
They are opening to other fields to create income that then funds school activities, but they are careful to keep the main focus on school activities.

Co-creating solutions with students and teachers, they are involved from the first step. Monitoring learning, sharing it with teachers and also developers to further develop their tools. Incentivizing teachers and students to use tools in a playful, engaging way.
Training students and teachers to become multipliers, to take part in co-creation of scientific research for deeper engagement with science.

No national public funding, EU funding, private funding through foundations and individual donations

Managed to create a platform where teachers can create their own accessible, inclusive tools, especially for blind children.
Whatever is co-created can be used by anybody speaking English or Greek. Games can be created without programming knowledge.

The practice is inspiring for us for the following main reasons:
- They managed to enter Greek schools that are traditional and therefore difficult to approach.
- A methodology that was originally devised for the inclusion of a certain group (blind students) in STEM learning, became a tool for science engagement for all students.
- They have found a way for teachers to start learning from students and also made the teachers more experimental than before.

Co-creation

They are bringing new technology and game-based learning into traditional, difficult-to-change school environments.

Original methodology for making a needs analysis locally, teaching them how to formulate their needs. Tools developed are tested at schools with regular feedback.
Evaluation is also made through a tool developed by them, too.
Platform with inclusive science games and the co-creation platform for teachers.

Teachers and students co-create their own local tools together, more and more often through teachers following the lead of students.

Teachers work in multidisciplinary teams, and they also work with students while all partners learn from each other. Sc!Fy also learns from teachers and students and this impacts their internal processes and the tools they develop.

Teachers and students have been trained together. Students are more inclined to learn by experimenting, while teachers are more open to be told about methodology. Teachers need encouragement to experiment and it is sometimes done by students teaching their teachers.

The overall aim is to make science engagement, science learning more inclusive.

Teachers usually work in teams at school level, usually coordinated or at least originated by the IT and all science subject teachers are involved in the co-creation.

It brings together school teaching didactics, special needs pedagogy and game-based learning methods.

The programme is a co-creation practice that needs the collaboration of the core Sc!Fy team, teachers and students.

Teachers and schools join the project based on their own decision, freely. Students and teachers decide together on all aspects in a democratic way.

The co-creation space is open, but publication only happens after approval of Sc!Fy.

The overall aim of all Sc!Fy initiative is to promote the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence for more inclusive science engagement.

The Sc!Fy team is a highly dedicated, professional one. This is a good starting point for cooperation. In Greece it is very difficult to enter schools with any programmes, so their success in this is a sign of openness and cooperation. Once schools and teachers are on board, they have a long-term commitment, using the tools available, continuing to co-create and use the expertise of the Sc!Fy team on the long run. There are quality and process management tools in place, too. So, the quality of cooperation is good.

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Teachers are encouraged to be more experimental and also the overall aim is also for the school to become more inclusive.

A social impact manager is involved in the teacher community with established connection in schools (it is not easy to get an invite to a public school in Greece).
A project manager is responsible for managing projects on school level within the programme .A team of 3 to work with any issues coming up at the school.

Sc!Fy and schools evaluate the progress bi-weekly while there is regular feedback from all participants, especially teachers and students on their experiences.

When going to a school, they document the activities, number of participants, circumstances. They use an impact assessment tool.
Quality assessment is done by questionnaires for teachers and students, and their team also evaluates bi-weekly