During February 2022, DAISSy Research Group-Hellenic Open University, the Greek partner in AMeLiE, organised two internal kick-off meetings with the teachers and schools’ representatives (initial users-ambassadors) who form the initial stage of the AMeLiE Virtual Network of Schools.
At the experimental phase of the project, six initial users-ambassadors represent six associated schools which are interested to be trained in how to combat online hate speech and disseminate the AMeLiE method in their community; teachers, students, parents, stakeholders. After the announcement of DAISSy-HOU call of interest, the following six schools from pre-school, primary and secondary education from different regions across Greece were selected as pilot schools:
2nd High School of Xanthi
4th Primary school of Pallini
6th Elementary School of Pallini
Experimental School of the University of Thessaloniki
Music School of Larissa
Pre-school, Kindergarden Archontia Kathariou
Since January 2022 the interactive platform, considered as the heart of the European Schools Virtual Network, has been developed by HOU and it is ready for the experimental use. Accordingly, during the two internal kick-off meetings which were held if February 2022 by two trainers of HOU, the initial users-ambassadors were given the chance to;
- navigate the platform, check the different sections and tools, understand how each one functions (users groups and forums, interaction between users educational materials, case studies, best practices, repository);
- familiarise themselves with the educational content, specifically the worksheets offered in Greek language and categorised in 4 lists according students ages, from 3-18 years;
- reflect on the 10 articles which compose the Manifesto of Non Hostile Communication of Parole Ostili
- get to know the timeline of planned activities until the end of school year according to the Teachers Handbook;
- understand their role as ambassadors and multipliers of the AMeLiE methodology.
A core idea of the meetings was for ambassadors to realise the character of the platform utilization as it is not an ordinary MOOC but an innovative one based on the Sonnet-BULL practice; the concept is based on peer-to-peer training activities that enrich the creation of several self developed digital contents and co-construction of materials as well as awareness campaigns (crowdsourcing) against hate behaviours online. A constructive discussion followed the presentations with questions and feedback and concluded with an optimistic sense for the period to come regarding AMeLiE.
