On Friday 6 June, the International Telefónica Volunteering Day was celebrated, an event during which Fundación Telefónica, together with nearly 20,000 volunteers and more than a hundred social organisations, makes visible its commitment to promote social and digital inclusion, using technology. Throughout the morning, Distrito Telefónica, the group’s headquarters in Madrid, hosted dozens of activities.
ProFuturo was present with a workshop on computational thinking aimed at young children. As an introduction, during the first half hour, dozens of children drew pictures of beaches, seas and oceans. Guided by several volunteers, they also reflected on marine pollution and its possible consequences and solutions.
Then, tablets in hand, it was time to use the OctoStudio app, a tool that allowed them to create their own video game. Once designed, the challenge consisted of cleaning the seabed by creating a system that would subtract points when litter appeared and add points if the seabed remained clean.
“OctoStudio is a block-based programming app that works without internet connection, which is one of ProFuturo’s hallmarks: being able to reach unconnected environments”, explained Magdalena Brier, its CEO. “It helps children to think creatively, combining drawing, ideas, teamwork and critical thinking to find solutions. The child is part of the solution here. They are actively involved in it”.
At the end of the day, each of the workshop’s tables oXered a diXerent vision of the same reality. “Technology is a very powerful tool for education. It greatly enhances learning. It encourages curiosity and motivation”, Brier recalled. But, on its own, it is not enough. Hence, one of the pillars of the programme is precisely the training and support of teachers in the schools where it is present. Last year, ProFuturo trained more than 251,000 teachers and reached 940,000 students in 30 countries.
“Today, the commitment of all employees is highlighted”, she concludes. “For a social project like ours, whose mission is to provide quality digital education in the most vulnerable environments, the celebration of this day is fundamental”.
