Project “Accessible PK KUT”, no. POWR.03.05.00-00-A027/20, is implemented under the Operational Programme Knowledge Education Development, co-financed by the European Social Fund. The main objective of this project, in the period 01.01.2021 – 30.06.2023, is to implement the MIDI path, i.e., to achieve a significant increase in accessibility for people with disabilities at the PK Krakow University of Technology compared to the current state, through the implementation of specific objectives: supporting organizational changes, improving the competencies of PK KUT staff, increasing access to education, increasing the accessibility of internal processes, eliminating architectural, technological, and communication barriers, and disseminating accessibility solutions in organizational units where deficiencies still exist.
The project will support: the PK KUT University of Technology, PK KUT teaching staff, PK KUT administrative staff, PK KUT management staff.
Recruitment for the project will take place in two modes: closed recruitment will mainly concern specialized training, and open recruitment will concern awareness training.
Project value: PLN 3,029,653.15
Co-financing: PLN 2,938,763.35, including European funds PLN 2,553,391.67, specific grant PLN 385,371.68
The main objective of the Little Engineer’s Laboratory project (hereinafter referred to as the Laboratory) is the development of universal competencies in early school-age children and older preschoolers. Participants’ age range is 5-10 years.
Most activities within the Laboratory will be based on manual workshops, which is particularly important for children in this age group. Such workshops will allow for improving the manual skills of early school-age children and preschoolers. Manual skills at this stage of development are extremely useful in shaping writing proficiency. Furthermore, the relationship between manual dexterity and correct pronunciation is well-known. Speech therapists are sounding the alarm that in the age of television and computers, the speech of preschool and early school-age children is severely impaired. The manual development of a child of preschool age allows them to perform activities requiring the improvement of dexterity and efficiency, as well as good coordination. Motor skills mean the development of abilities not only through artistic, drawing, or cutting games but also in practice. Developing motor skills can be done using traditional methods such as painting with crayons or using coloring books, or spatial games requiring greater creativity and imagination. Building various figures and constructions from blocks serves to develop motor skills.
Both artistic aspects and manual construction of spatial structures are included in each of the modules conducted within the project.
Three modules will operate within the project:
- engineering module (M1), which will include geological, chemical, and construction marketing classes. This module will aim to awaken cognitive curiosity in the basics of practical physics and chemistry, and entrepreneurial skills in young people. The module’s task will therefore be to show construction as a highly interdisciplinary field.
- traffic safety and programming module (M2). Again, the interdisciplinary nature of construction will be shown by combining two seemingly independent fields: road, rail, and transport engineering with computer programming. The first part of the classes, focused on the use of urban transport, will stimulate social development, while the second part, focused on the simple use of graphic applications in programming, will stimulate intellectual development, creative thinking, and imagination.
- transport and wind engineering module (M3). This time, the dynamics of transport traffic and aerodynamics have been combined into one module. Classes using a tram traffic simulator stimulate imagination and awaken cognitive curiosity in technical sciences. The simulation of dangerous phenomena in road traffic conducted within the module will make the principles of safe road movement more realistic and allow for the visualization of the consequences of dangerous behaviors (simulations do not contain drastic scenes). Classes in the wind tunnel will improve manual skills and motor functions, and by building structures resistant to wind, they will also stimulate imagination and engineering curiosity.
The implementation of modules within the Laboratory project will enable the development of the following competencies among workshop participants:
- broadening general knowledge (module M1),
- broadening specialized knowledge in solid body dynamics (module M3),
- development of interests, mainly technical, but also mathematical, IT, economic (all modules)
- stimulating educational activity in difficult exact sciences. Within all modules, we will try to demystify the negative attitude of most of society towards sciences related to mathematical skills – it’s not as scary as it seems.
The result of the workshops within the Laboratory project will be, in the future, professional activation in technical professions, which are currently the most sought after in the labor market. Technical professions at all levels, from general construction workers to technicians and engineers, are still not very popular among young people. The Laboratory project programme goes back to early school and preschool education, based on the principle of ‘as the twig is bent, so grows the tree’. In older primary school grades or secondary school, it is often too late to awaken interest in technical sciences. Children are then already negatively disposed to everything related to exact sciences. Within the project, we want to show the benefits of technical professions. Engineering professions are not boring; they are unique, require inventiveness, and provide satisfaction. Children, seeing these benefits despite the difficulties associated with mathematical and physical sciences, may choose a technical profession.
Technical sciences presented in an accessible, practical way at workshops stimulate innovative thinking and entrepreneurship. The project is aimed at children aged 5-10. Currently signed cooperation agreements cover large and small cities, as well as villages and suburban areas. Furthermore, within the project, a cooperation agreement has already been signed with an integrative educational unit, where children with disabilities KD2 receive education. In this way, the project will implement a sustainable development policy. Sustainable development is the pursuit of improving the quality of life while maintaining social equality, biodiversity, and the richness of natural resources (According to: Gerwin M., Local Development Initiatives). It will therefore prevent social exclusion regardless of the place of residence or the child’s ability.
Project “Mathematical Kaleidoscope” (WND-POWR.03.01.00-00-T044/18) was implemented under the Operational Programme Knowledge Education Development 2014-2020 and co-financed by the European Social Fund. The project execution is managed by employees of the Department of Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Computer Science and Telecommunications (formerly the Institute of Mathematics, WFMiI) of the Cracow University of Technology. Implementation began on March 1, 2019, and was planned until February 28, 2022. Thanks to additional support received from NCBiR, the project was implemented until December 31, 2023.
Main objective of the project: development of so-called universal competencies of students aged 10-19 and support for adults assisting schools in the education process, by creating curricula and organizing didactic classes jointly with municipalities/schools from the Małopolska Voivodeship in the period 01.03.2019 – 28.02.2022. (extended by addendum until 30.06.2022 and by another addendum until 31.12.2023)
The project provides exclusively for the development of curricula, including programmes titled:
- Mathematical Kaleidoscope 4.0 (3 modules) (KM 4.0)
- Mathematical Kaleidoscope 7.0 (3 modules) (KM 7.0)
- Mathematical Kaleidoscope D+D (KM D+D) (adults+children)
- Mathematical Kaleidoscope L.0 (3 modules) (KM L.0)
and the implementation of classes jointly with schools from the Małopolska Voivodeship across 9 thematic modules: IMAGINARIUM 4.0, 7.0, L.0, EXPLORATORIUM 4.0, 7.0 L.0, MATHEMATICAL MISCHIEF, EMPORIUM 7.0, L.0, and the implementation of some classes jointly with adults.
The above activities serve, among other things, to:
- awaken cognitive curiosity in the exact sciences
- develop creative thinking and scientific passions
- stimulate intellectual, axiological, and social development
- stimulate mathematical imagination
- familiarize with the academic environment and the university as a place for scientific observation of reality
- integrate the local community around academic centers by creating conditions for conducting extracurricular educational and popular science activities.
In the period from March 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022, the main objective of the project was achieved. 1328 people participated in the classes, of which 374 were fourth and fifth-grade students, 550 were sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students, 149 were first and second-grade high school students, and 255 were adults supporting the education process.
From July 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023, an additional task was implemented.
Task 5 involved the development of curricula, including programs titled: Magic of Mathematics (MM) and Magic of Design (MP), and the implementation of free classes jointly with schools from the Małopolska Voivodeship, whose participants could only be individuals who arrived in Poland after February 24, 2022, from Ukraine and hold refugee status. Activities were conducted in the field of mathematical and natural sciences. Participants in the classes were children and youth aged 5-18. Groups of 8-12 children of similar age were recruited.
The first support platform (Magic of Mathematics): mathematical – was implemented on selected weekends.
The second support platform (Magic of Design): natural sciences – was implemented on selected weekdays (Monday-Friday) according to a new class concept. The above activities are consistent with the main objectives of the project and serve, among other things, to:
- awaken cognitive curiosity in the exact sciences
- develop creative thinking and scientific passions
- stimulate intellectual, axiological, and social development
- stimulate mathematical imagination
- familiarize with the academic environment and the university as a place for scientific observation of reality, and integrate children and youth.
As part of Task 5, 803 people participated in the classes. A total of 2131 people participated in the entire project.
Project SL2014: POWR.03.01.00-00-T021/18 “3-maj z fizyką – third mission of the university” is implemented under the Operational Programme Knowledge Education Development, co-financed by the European Social Fund.
The project aims to improve the competencies of secondary school teachers and students and to awaken interest in exact and technical sciences among secondary school students through laboratory classes in physics and robotics.
The project consists of three tasks. The first task is to conduct training for secondary school teachers. Within this framework, the PK KUT Institute of Physics organizes courses for secondary school teachers – these are primarily laboratory classes (covering experiments from Physics Lab I and II), but also include data analysis from these experiments and lectures.
The second task is practical aspects of physics – conducting laboratory classes in experimental physics. This task is addressed to secondary school students. The PK KUT Institute of Physics provides its specialized laboratories where secondary school students, under the supervision of PK KUT educators, independently conduct and analyze experiments from various fields of physics.
The third task is also addressed to secondary school students: physical aspects of robotics – practical classes with robots. During these classes, students, working in small groups, independently build and program robots and drones – using educational kits for this purpose.
The project will cover approximately 20 teachers and approximately 90 secondary school students from Krakow and other towns (e.g., Dębica).
Co-financing: PLN 329,252.5
Project WND-POWR.03.01.00-00-T093/18-00 is implemented under the Operational Programme Knowledge Education Development 2014-2020 and co-financed by the European Social Fund.
The main objective of the project is the development of knowledge and competencies in technical and exact sciences, as well as creative thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and innovative thinking. Children and youth participate in additional classes in mathematics, physics, robotics, and architecture. One of the attractive forms of interdisciplinary activities is, for example, a strategic game that combines the history of the Krakow Fortress with logical thinking skills – participants solve puzzles, with competitive elements in the form of escape rooms and augmented reality.
The project is aimed at students in grades 6-8 of primary schools. The project promotes the activity of scientific clubs, independent work of students under the supervision of PK KUT University of Technology staff, the development of social competencies, and the acquisition of new knowledge. Furthermore, the educational offer in the project is also directed at primary school teachers who want to expand their substantive knowledge and didactic experience in the aforementioned subjects. As part of the project tasks, we cooperate with schools from the Małopolska and Podkarpackie Voivodeships.
Project value: PLN 875,027.50
Project co-financing: PLN 875,027.50
