BRAINFINITY Detectives – Collaborative Problem Solving Challenge

Welcome to the “BRAINFINITY Detectives – Collaborative Problem Solving Challenge” Project number 2022-1-PT01-KA220-SCH-000086691, where creativity and problem-solving pave the path for future education. We aim to transform learning by fostering an innovative approach to developing students’ skills. We invite you to explore our unique methodology, get involved with our problem-solving exercises, and experience the excitement of our national and international competitions firsthand. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, a student, or a potential partner, we believe Brainfinity has something unique to offer you.

Project Results:

As we continue working diligently on the Brainfinity project, we are excited to share our upcoming results that will change the landscape of problem-solving and creativity in education.

1. Brainfinity Educational Content: We’re working on defining a Competence and Skills Matrix to guide our entire educational framework, ensuring that our students acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for their future
2. Brainfinity Teacher Training for Detective Tasks: In each participating country, we’re preparing to test pilot our innovative Brainfinity methodology. This will allow teachers to guide students through intriguing detective tasks, fostering their problem-solving skills..
3. Brainfinity National Competition: We’re laying the groundwork for a step-by-step guide to implement our Brainfinity national competition. Students across each partner country can challenge themselves and prove their problem-solving prowess..
4. Brainfinity Class Guide: We’re creating a guide that will help teachers seamlessly integrate the Brainfinity methodology into their curriculum, regardless of the subject. This will engage students and imbue them with excitement about their learning process.
5. Portal with Collections of Used Brainfinity Challenges: We are developing an online portal to compile all of the Brainfinity challenges used in our project. This resource will be a treasure trove of problem-solving exercises for future reference.

The Brainfinity Project is brought to life by a collective of eight dedicated partners across Europe:

The Agrupamento de Escolas nº 1 de Gondomar, located in Gondomar, Porto, is a cluster of 12 schools offering comprehensive education from kindergarten to adult training. Established in 2012, it has over 2,500 students and 500 staff, with over 100 years of educational heritage. The cluster strongly emphasises quality education, active citizenship, and vocational training.

JumpIN Hub, a non-profit in Portugal since 2019, promotes innovation and entrepreneurship through socio-cultural education and professional development. It supports entrepreneurial activities, regional growth, and citizenship and cooperates with educational institutions. Services include entrepreneurship, SME support, sustainability education, training, social inclusion, e-learning, and youth and adult education.

The Institute for Contemporary Education (ICE) in Serbia promotes innovative education through seminars, workshops, and conferences. As part of the LINK Educational Alliance, ICE provides educational consulting and organises the Brainfinity competition for problem-solving. They have trained over 13,860 teachers from the Western Balkan region and are active in the Science on Stage EU network for STEM education.

Established in 2011, Ragina began as a corporate training and language center, later expanding to include innovative educational methodologies and products for various age groups and professional sectors. The company offers an array of services, such as teacher training, youth extracurricular activities, digital competency and soft skills courses, entrepreneurial education, and corporate training. Additionally, Ragina is the leader in the market of English language books for kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and universities in 11 regions in Bulgaria. Besides, the company practices active corporate social responsibility, incorporating ISO 26000:2010 into its management system and participating in regional events to promote such practices.

The 119 Secondary School “Academician Mihail Arnaudov” in Bulgaria offers diversified education from primary to high school, focusing on foreign languages and entrepreneurship. It aims to foster lifelong learning, improve education quality, and enhance students’ digital and media literacy. The school participates in several successful Erasmus+ projects.

Smart Idea, established in 2017, specialises in innovative educational strategies, digitising education processes, and curriculum development. They have counselled over 70 Slovenian schools and have led a significant curriculum upgrade project. Their experience also includes developing data collection tools for school analysis.

OŠ Šalovci is a Slovenian public school providing modern, individualised education. It participates in several state and EU projects, offering IT-supported learning and formative assessment teaching. The school also organises cultural and educational camps and workshops and maintains strong community ties.