Students at Hvaleyrarskóli strengthen their critical thinking

Communication that empowers our youth

30 students in the junior division of Hvaleyrarskóli are participating in an elective course in foreign cooperation with a school in Tartu Raatuse Kool in Estonia. The theme of the project is to promote critical thinking to reduce communication anxiety after the Covid pandemic. The project is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers (Nordplus). The plan is for the Icelandic students to go to Estonia in March next year and for Estonian students to visit Hvaleyrarskóli in May.

“At the beginning of the term, students took a poll about their trust in digital media, social media, news and their opinion on our technologically advanced world,” says Margrét Össurardóttir, 10th grade teacher at Hvaleyrarskóli. “The advertising market and the so-called influencers, will be researched and asked what kind of influence they have? The emphasis is on students being able to get by in English, learn to respect others opinions and strengthen cooperation.”

Looking back to the pandemic period

The students will look into the fact that during the pandemic, health systems around the world were under great strain. Many doctors and nurses experienced high levels of stress and burnout. Many companies closed or scaled back their operations, leading to unemployment and economic uncertainty. Governments around the world had to put in place economic measures to support businesses and individuals. People had to stay at home, which led to social isolation. This had a negative impact on the mental health of many people.

They also note that long distance learning and remote work have become more common, which has changed the way people work and study. This has led to increased use of technology and digital solutions. People have become more aware of their health and hygiene habits.

“People have become more aware of the connection between diet and mental health. A good diet that supports mental well-being. During the pandemic, peoples diets have undergone major changes, both in general food safety and peoples eating habits,” says Margrét.

Understanding information

The project, called POCO-COMMA, will consist of four joint workshops. The goal is for them to result in an understanding of a world where people are surrounded by information and need to show critical thinking in order to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources.

“It helps us make informed decisions, where we weigh the pros and cons, and think about the consequences. Critical thinking increases the ability to argue issues and come up with stronger arguments, which is an important element of discussions and conversations,” says Margrét.

The teachers of the junior departments at Hvaleyrarskóli will lead the project.