P@reils

Inside a "Mystery Bag" (a large opaque bag), is a carefully selected collection of everyday objects. Each student can only remove an object when she manages to make at least three statements concerning that object.

As the objects are revealed, different games are set up to find those that are "the same", having a common characteristic.

Each child builds her own collection of objects that are "the same". (For example, a student having selected a plastic object might then select other objects also in plastic, "the same" according to this criterion, in order to make her own set of similar objects.)

These collections are photographed and students are filmed assembling their personal sets of "the same", using a camcorder or a webcam. The objects in these collections are studied, and the descriptions students make of these objects are also filmed.

These elements are then assembled into an interactive digital dictionary created with the Didapages application so that they can be shared as a sort of game : the viewer has to guess how the different objects in each collection are "the same" (often this common characteristic of "the same" is not immediately apparent !) by thinking about them and refering to the original students’ descriptions.

Finally, the work of students tagged as having educational problems is shown in a positive light through the use of ICT, leading to positive reinforcement, thought-provoking activities and the creation of links with other students.

This project won the Special Audience Prize at the National Forum for Innovative Teachers and Educational Innovation, organized by the Educational Café in June 2010 in Dax (FRANCE). He was also selected to participate in The Innovative Education Forum 2010 organized by Microsoft to Cape Town in South Africa in October 2010.