In March, about fifteen international teachers joined the first round of the DALI4US teacher training and experimental workshops in Laško, Slovenia. Two months later, it was time for the follow-up with the Slovene teachers.
We visited the Kajetan Kovič primary education school in Radenci and the primary education school Mislinja. The goal was to test the data exploration and machine learning activities that were showcased in Laško, but this time in the classroom with students.
The first activity we tested in Radenci was Identifying Quadrilaterals. In the activity for the 7th grade, the students revised the characteristics of quadrilaterals while learning about the principles of prediction models in AI.
- In the first part of the activity, they were using a data entry page we prepared as a part of the project to enter the characteristics of different types of quadrilaterals.
- In the second part, they used Orange to observe the errors they made, and were then shown how the computer can use the provided data to discover the rules for classification of quadrilaterals: with the students, we built a classification tree, first with their collected data, and then using the correct data.
- In the final part, we discussed how the algorithm distinguishes between important and unimportant attributes in the data, and wrapped up by giving concrete examples of where predictions models are used in the real world.
In our second session in Radenci, we tried an activity called Animal Classification Key in the 6th grade. This activity is similar to the one before, except that it is suitable to be used in Biology for revising different traits of animal groups.
In the school in Mislinja, on the other hand, we took the opportunity to test a similar activity that can be used in a Geography or History lesson, called Traditional Slovene Houses. There, we did two sessions in the 5th grade.
Each experience in the classroom and the students’ response to the activity proved quite different, providing valuable takeaways for reflection and further fine tuning and development of the activities that will be made publicly available in English through the DALI4US project. We look forward to sharing them with you in our upcoming news!


