Simona Zobec, IV. osnovna šola Celje, Ivanka Federnsberg-Turinek, IV. osnovna šola Celje

The project work “The Tree in Three Seasons” used to be conducted during natural science classes by collecting observation notes and putting them into folders. However, in the school year 2013/2014 the notes and feedback records are made electronically in the EUfolio project. In the e-portfolio learning platform, students note, draw and store photos they make during their observation of the selected tree throughout three seasons (autumn, winter and spring). They enrich their knowledge of natural sciences using IT and also form critical friendships with their classmates and teachers. In this way, students can follow their work, but also have the possiblitiy for a quick feedback, self-evaluation and self-regulation. First, students were given general written instructions on how to observe their selected tree throughout the seasons. Then, they were shown how to work with the e-portfolio, which some students liked and others did not. The students who adopted the form of work easily and were excited about it helped other students, thereby becoming the project’s co-creators and collaborators.

Students’ participation in the project acquainted them with experiential and cross-curricular learning, team work, critical friendship, formative assessment and self-evaluation. The learning goals of each student are to get acquainted with the characteristics of their selected tree, to understand the changes in different seasons and to observe, analyse and evaluate the changes that have occurred. Their awareness helps them recognize the principles of events happening in the nature. The selection of the tree was followed by making the tree’s identity card, weekly observation of changes, continual note taking, drawing, photographing, entering data into the e-portfolio and evaluating one’s own work.