TBox City includes an innovative educational proposal that facilitates the use of multiple technological tools

TBox City includes an innovative educational proposal that facilitates the use of multiple technological tools for students to solve real-world tasks. With this proposal, TBox advances in creative, safe and relevant use of technology to support schools in the integral formation of students.

TBox City proposal deepens in the Project Based Learning methodology and takes up the TBox teaching strategy: research, explore, build and apply. The proposed tasks motivate students to explore multiple technologies and ways they can use them in different situations.

Computational Thinking

The purpose of TBox City is to strengthen students Computational Thinking: combine the power of technology with critical thinking to solve specific problems.


Computational Thinking allows students to achieve better learning outcomes in different school subjects, as they strengthen their higher-order thinking skills.


Currently it is difficult to find an occupation in which people and technology do not interact. Through Computational Thinking students can understand how, when and where computers and other digital tools can help them solve problems more efficiently, further expands their own thinking.



“All children should have the opportunity to learn computer science at school, such as learning to read and write.”

“Shut Down or Restart?” Report
The Royal Academy of Engineering (United Kingdom)

Followed standards


TBox City is aimed at students in 1st through 8th grade. The “Cambridge ICT Starters” international standard is used as a base, which proposes a path of technological areas and objectives that students must achieve.

According to the 2016 version of the “Cambridge ICT Starters” standard these are the technology areas that a student should be able to use:



Initial Steps [1-2]
STAGE 1
Starting with Text
Starting Images
Starting Graphs
STAGE 2
Starting Control
Starting Searches
Starting Email
Next Steps [3-5]
STAGE 1
Exploring Documents
Exploring Images
Exploring Spreadsheets
Exploring Databases
STAGE 2
Exploring Control
Exploring the Internet
Exploring Email
Exploring Multimedia
On Track [6-8]
STAGE 1
Documents for a Purpose
Multimedia for a Purpose
Spreadsheets for a Purpose
Databases for a Purpose
STAGE 2
Control for a Purpose
Website Design for a Purpose
Networks for a Purpose
Video or Animation for a Purpose

In addition, TBox City proposal uses ISTE NETS standards to integrate the skills required to students in the life and work of the XXI Century.

Methodology and Strategy


TBox City works with the Project Based Learning methodology. This methodology is based on constructivism and has a comprehensive approach to the educational process, as it addresses the contents in an integrated and not partialized way.


Significant experiences are promoted through a sequence of activities enriched with technology that allow to complete a task or solve a problem by connecting learning with the reality of students.


The teaching strategy designed by TBox provides a clear path to make real the Project Based Learning methodology. In TBox City students complete projects by following the four stages of the strategy:

 Research
 Explore
 Build
 Apply

Educational Principles


TBox City is based on the following educational principles:

Learning by doing
Provide a safe and supportive environment
Make learning fun
Promote significant learning
Evaluate objectively




Digital Citizenship

Within the TBox City proposal digital citizenship is seen as a transversal axis in all the educational technology projects. Thus, alternatives for students to reflect and put their rights and duties as citizens in the digital age are offered to put them into practice.


This transversal axis is not in a theoretical level in TBox City, as all projects incorporate spaces to address safety issues, ethics and responsibility in the use of current technology. The purpose of this transversal axis is to support students to minimize the risks that brings the use of technological tools and responsibly take its advantages.


    Among the areas covered by digital citizenship are:


  • Netiquette: behavioral rules or how to proceed with electronic media.
  • Communication: electronic information exchange.
  • Access: full electronic participation in society.
  • Commerce: electronic buying and selling products and services.
  • Responsibility commitment actions in the electronic media.
  • Rights: : the freedoms of all people in the digital world.
  • Ergonomics: physical well-being in a technological world.
  • Risk: precautions to ensure safety in electronic media.

Student profile

During the TBox City learning trip students development and strength is sought by following the next competencies, which clearly define the student technological profile to be formed:


Creative and significant use of technology
Communication of opinions and ideas effectively
Teamwork
Problem solving
Efficient and responsible management of information

Welcome Kit

TBox City proposal offers all the material 100% online from the TBox Academy platform. This digital material is completed with a “welcome kit” including:

  TBox project map for each grade

   Identification document “TBox Student”

   Letter to parents

Frequently asked questions



TBox City is designed to be taught in grades 1-8, reaching students ages 7-14.
TBox City will be available in Spanish and English. The development plan for this solution is organized in four stages:

  • Stage A: 1st to 4th in Spanish – November 2016
  • Stage B: 1st to 4th in English – July 2017
  • Stage C: 5th to 8th in Spanish – November 2017
  • Stage D: 5th to 8th in English – July 2018
We carry the TBox City proposal through the schools that are part of the TBox network and that have all the technical conditions to be able to develop it in an optimal way. TBox City's educational projects are at the heart of the technology plan for students according to their grade level.
If a student is enrolled in an institution of the TBox network and in his grade he will learn technology through TBox City, all he needs is to activate his account and accept the terms of use. The activation code is on the card inside the printed TBox City material.
All TBox City educational projects are available from the TBox Academy learning platform. You must access this platform from a web browser like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome and cover the following features:

  • PC or tablet.
  • Minimum resolution: 1024 x 768.
  • Minimum screen size: 8 inches.
  • At least 2 GHz speed processor and 2 GB of RAM are recommended on PC.

Contact


In each country, TBox works with a local partner with extensive experience in the field of educational technology.

The partnership between TBox and its partners in each country facilitates timely attention to the needs of schools.



Distributor:
TBox El Salvador
Phone:
+(503) 2505-8269
Address:
Calle Circunvalación No. 43, Colonia San Benito, San Salvador.
  info@tboxplanet.com

Distributor:
Soluciones Educativas
Phone:
+(504) 220-5414
Address:
Edificio San Miguel, 4to. nivel. Barrio La Plazuela, Tegucigalpa.
  sinlimites@solucioneseducativas.net

Distributor:
ETC Costa Rica
Phone:
+(506) 2505 5665
Address:
Escazú, Plaza Roble, Edificio Terrazas B, Quinto Piso, Oficentro Regus, #514.
  info@etc.co.cr

Distributor:
Knowledge Group
Phone:
+(507) 391-5497
Address:
Chanis, vía principal, Edificio Knowledge Plaza, 100 m después de la Farmacias METRO.
  info@knowledge.com.pa

Distributor:
Consultora Promover
Phone:
54 11 4788-6898
Address:
José Hernández 2080 Piso 23B, 1426, Ciudad de Buenos Aires.
  info@consultorapromover.com.ar