Abstract:

Nature is very important for the holistic development of a person, but due to the increasing technological advancements, they cannot be ignored either. To combine the advantages of education in nature with the latest technologies, a collaboration has emerged between the technology company EdTech and the Forest School in Klaipeda, Lithuania (NGO "Tower of the Happy Children").

Forest School emphasizes education in nature, which encourages physical, emotional, and cognitive development through:
- the recognition of a broader emotional spectrum in various life situations;
- the use of natural materials that promote the development of fine and gross motor skills
- the daily observation, touch, and hearing of various surfaces, the widest palette of colors in nature, and sounds.

With the collaboration with the EdTech company, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly being used in the Forest School, aiming to meet academic requirements in experiential education in nature. AI tools are used to generate tasks and exercises in real-time, adapting the teaching content according to the students' needs. AI tools are also used to assess students' tasks or provide immediate feedback, which enhances learning and knowledge retention. Through AI integration, the Forest School aims to ensure that children not only receive the benefits of nature-based education but also acquire the necessary academic skills needed for success in an academic school environment. AI tools also facilitate teachers' preparation for lessons, creating more opportunities for direct work with children, building relationships, and individual work. By collaborating with EdTech and the Forest School, the aim is to reshape early childhood education methods in primary education by utilizing both the advantages of natural and technological resources – thus the "Learnsharp" program was adapted and used in the Forest School.

The "Learnsharp" program, used in Dutch educational organizations for over 10 years, focuses on the assessment of tasks with open-ended questions. The main goal is to optimize the processes of creating tasks, tests, conducting, evaluating, analyzing results, and archiving to reduce teachers' time costs and the number of human errors. Learnsharp is a flexible system that can be configured according to the specific needs and situations of each school. This flexibility allows Learnsharp to precisely meet the unique requirements of each educational institution. The system supports both formative and summative assessments. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have expanded the system's capabilities, enhancing operational aspects such as content creation, feedback generation, and assessment.

During the presentation of the "Learnsharp" program, the Forest School manager will share their best practices in applying this program in everyday school life, practical tips, and insights on how to achieve high-quality education while facilitating the teacher's daily routine. The program developer will review the technical capabilities of "Learnsharp" and introduce how this program can be applied in other educational institutions.

Keywords:

Early years education, primary education, artificial intelligence, holistic education, education in nature, outdoor education, creation of content, evaluation of progress, formative assessment, summative assessment.