Building a Nature-Friendly Houses with 3D Programs (Italy)
It is stated that 3D design activities increase students' visual literacy and that these skills are critical for digital design, which is used in many professions today (Verner & Merksamer, 2015). Pollution caused by large multi-story buildings is rapidly becoming a major threat to our world. In this activity, our students designed a small, single-story house using the Tinkercad 3D design program, an important element of STEM, and designed a solar energy system or wind turbine that could meet the energy needs of this house.
Organising and coordinating this Erasmus+ mobility on building nature-friendly houses with 3D programs has been a challenging yet highly rewarding professional experience. From the planning phase to the implementation of activities, my goal was to design a meaningful learning experience that combined STEM education, sustainability, and digital innovation.
ReplyDeleteThe core activity focused on the use of Tinkercad as a 3D design tool, enabling students to develop visual literacy and essential digital competences. By designing a small, single-storey eco-friendly house and integrating renewable energy solutions such as solar panels or wind turbines, students were encouraged to reflect on environmental responsibility and sustainable living in a practical and engaging way.
As the mobility organizer, I paid particular attention to ensuring that the activities were inclusive, collaborative, and student-centred. The international dimension of the project allowed participants to exchange ideas, compare approaches, and work together in a multicultural environment, strengthening both technical skills and soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and critical thinking.
This Erasmus+ experience also provided an important opportunity for professional growth. Coordinating the mobility enhanced my organisational, managerial, and pedagogical skills, while cooperation with European partners enriched my understanding of innovative STEM methodologies. I am confident that the outcomes of this mobility will have a long-term impact on our school, contributing to the integration of green and digital practices into everyday teaching and learning.
During the mobility program we held in Italy, hosted by our partner E. Mattei, from March 10-14, 2025, students from partner schools designed eco-friendly houses using Tinkercad in mixed groups. It was very enjoyable to watch their work on the last day. They all created beautiful designs. Students, who developed collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking skills in group work, also gave very good presentations. The fact that our students applied STEM skills, which is the most important aspect of our project, made us teachers very happy. We could see that our project achieved its goal.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how much fun I had on this project. We made a lot of friends, improved our English. We traveled a lot. We made our house with our team. It was very interesting to see new faces that we didn't know, we didn't know them and they didn't know us but now we are all friends. It was very fun and educational.
ReplyDeleteHayrünnisa Tıner- Türk Eğitim Vakfı Anatolian High School- Pupil
[23:54, 21.12.2025] Nigar: can't tell you how much fun I had on this project. We made a lot of friends, improved our English. We traveled a lot. We made our house with our team. It was very interesting to see new faces that we didn't know, we didn't know them and they didn't know us but now we are all friends. It was very fun and educational.
ReplyDeleteHayrünnisa Tıner
[23:56, 21.12.2025] Nigar: It was my first time being with people from different cultures. Although I was scared at first, I had no trouble communicating and building connections later on. My self-confidence increased. I'm now more excited to explore abroad. It was a wonderful experience. The only bad part for me was saying goodbye to all the friendships and memories I made...It will always be a week I will miss.
Esma İpek from Türkiye.- Türk Eğitim Vakfı Anatolian High School- Pupil
First of all, I feel very happy to have had the chance to experience this. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to take part in such a wonderful project. This project taught me a lot and helped broaden my horizons by allowing me to get to know a different country and its culture. The friendships I made are especially priceless—we’re still in touch and we plan to keep talking. We even want to visit each other’s countries in the future. Everything was amazing, and I really hope I’ll have the chance to be part of such a project again.
ReplyDeleteMeltem Dodanlı- Türk Eğitim Vakfı Anatolian High School- Pupil