Abstract:

Family and School are the main pillars of the social interactions of the child in his or her environment (Vasti et al., 2005). However, one of the important factors in these impacts is the space in which the child lives. Modern childhood, which carries with it the characteristics of a digital society, where even the education system encourages significant computerization of the learning and teaching process, does not rarely or insufficiently or superficially respond to the challenges of modernizing and digitizing the school. A Primary school work is based on regular forms of teaching and on the so-called organization of children's free time in school, which is defined as extracurricular activities. Forms of extracurricular activities of children in school that play the role of recreation, rest, but also development of personality and represent significant opportunities that foster children's connection with the environment and child well-being resulting from these interactions, but also a scientifically proven motivator of environmentally responsible behaviour (Nisbet & Zelenski, 2014).

In addition to the significant advantages offered by new IC technologies in modernizing educational processes in schools, they also bring with them certain disadvantages. These shortcomings are reflected not only in the different areas of growth and development of children, learning and teaching, but also in the overall well-being of children and their way of life. One of the significant factors related to these deficiencies is the problem of connection (or absence) of children's contacts with nature. The concept of connection with nature in the last decade is very topical in scientific and research sense, especially from the interdisciplinary point of view. One definition of the concept of connection with nature is that it represents the enjoyment of nature; empathy towards living beings, a sense of belonging, and responsibility towards nature (Chang and Moore, 2012).

Numerous studies confirm that the Connectedness with Nature of children is related to the quality of leisure time of children, in the family and at school. It has also been confirmed that there is a significant correlation between the nature and use of ICT and the well-being of children as they grow up. It is very important to emphasize that this is not only a problem of family education, but also a significant issue of the educational system, the role of the school, but also of teachers and their competences. In this paper we present a project / research that aims to provide an answer to the issue whether it is possible and how to foster a more meaningful connection between children and nature through quality leisure time organization and the use of ICT at school. Based on the results of the research, guidelines will be established aimed at developing a more significant connection with nature, better implementation of students organized leisure, the use of digital technology, and the enhancement of teachers' competences and practice. This research will contribute to new insights aimed at raising awareness of the importance of connecting with nature, the responsible use of digital technologies and improving the leisure time, i.e. quality of life of students, teachers, schools and sustainable community development.

Keywords:

Extracurricular activities, Connectedness with Nature, ICT, students, teachers.