Within the scope of the Community Service Applications courses (OOEG 308 and SOEG 312), Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Faculty of Education, Department of Elementary Education students carried out numerous projects in collaboration with 16 different institutions during the Spring Semester of the 2022-2023 Academic Year. Led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nihan Koran, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülen Onurkan Aliusta, and Senior Instructor İpek Kaleli Çiçek, students developed projects consisting of four weeks of activities pertaining to animal protection, raising awareness for early childhood education, environmental cleanliness, and improvement of outdoor play areas. Emphasis was placed on the dissemination and sustainability of the 20 projects produced by the students within the course.
Support from Stakeholder Institutions
Following the completion of the project implementations, students came together for the Community Service Applications Project Sharing Event. During this event, students had the opportunity to present their projects, receive information about projects carried out by other groups, and evaluate the course. Within the scope of the course, students identified social problems, developed projects aimed at solving these problems, and acquired the necessary skills to become individuals sensitive to communal issues.
The projects developed by students were carried out with the support of various stakeholder institutions. Certificates of appreciation, prepared by EMU Department of Elementary Education, were presented to institutions that supported students in implementing their projects, including Famagusta Maarif Kindergarten, Famagusta Vocational High School Practice Kindergarten, Alasya Foundation Kindergarten, Alasya Elementary School, Dörtyol Elementary School, Gazi Elementary School, Şht. Hüseyin Akil Elementary School, Dr. Suat Günsel Elementary School, Şht. Osman Ahmet Elementary School, Şht. Zeki Salih Elementary School, Famagusta Municipality Sakarya/Maraş MAGEM, Ali Mahir Park, Famagusta Municipality Atatürk Nursery and Kindergarten, Sonbahar Özen Elderly Center, Ay Işığı Elderly Center, Famagusta Culture Association and EMU Animal Shelter.
Prof. Dr. Ayşe Işık Gürşimşek, Head of the Department of Elementary Education, stated that social responsibility projects, which play a crucial role in developing students as teachers with a sense of social awareness, will continue to increase with the collaboration of supporting institutions in the coming years.
