ACTIVITIES
School year 2024/25
Istituto Comprensivo n. 1 G. Dozza Via De Carolis - Bologna
A dense programme of educational activities has involved seven second classes of the Istituto Comprensivo n. 1 G. Dozza Via De Carolis in the metropolitan area of Bologna since the beginning of the current school year 2024-25.
The project was introduced in detail to the teaching community at the beginning of the school year by Prof. Milena Raffi, who first proposed the questionnaires carried out: one for the students and one for their families, to begin to understand the students' habits. Afterwards, an explanatory meeting was held for the food diaries that would be filled out by the students shortly afterwards, by female graduate students in human nutrition. These, as well as the questionnaires, will be repeated at the end of the school year. In December, two lessons of two hours each were presented for each class, with the participation of Prof. Marco Malaguti, PhD student Michela Bridi and the graduating students themselves, where the founding nuclei of correct lifestyles were introduced: from diet to choosing products and reading labels, hydration, the effects and benefits of physical activity and rest, including issues relating to chronic non-communicable diseases and in particular type 2 diabetes, as a consequence of incorrect habits. The children collaborated and interacted actively, sharing experiences and ideas, analysing shopping receipts and labels of popular products, learning how to design balanced meals and healthy foods. Thanks to the application of blood glucose sensors to some of the teachers who made themselves available, the students were able to observe changes in real time as a function of food intake. The course also included a meeting with the nutritionists in small groups to discuss the main topics and ended with a photo exhibition produced and realised by the students during the end-of-year party for their teachers.
DUSE Mobile App: Fun, Education, and Healthy Living for Kids!
The DUSE mobile app is here to make healthy living fun for kids aged 6-12! Designed as an interactive game, the app takes children on an exciting adventure in Vitalia, a magical world where they become guardians of the Eternal Olive Tree. Through daily missions, kids engage in physical activities like stretching, jumping, and exercising, while learning about balanced nutrition with games like "Creating the Food Pyramid" and "Matching Foods with Nutrients."
What makes the app unique? It uses **augmented reality (AR)** to guide kids through exercises, making workouts feel like play. No personal data are stored, ensuring a safe experience. Parents and educators can track progress, making it a great tool for families and classrooms.
With colorful graphics, playful characters, and rewards, Vitalia turns healthy habits into an adventure. Download it today and help your child build a lifetime of wellness!
School year 2024/25
Liceo Scientifico Statale “Augusto Righi” - Bologna
The Liceo Scientifico Statale “Augusto Righi” of Bologna participates with four third classes, thanks to the synergistic collaboration with professor Milena Raffi and the teachers who have devised the PCTO (Paths for Transversal Competences and Orientation) within the DUSE project: compulsory training programmes for three-year students in Italian schools whose main objectives are the development of transversal skills and vocational guidance; with theoretical and practical training, which will be discussed during the final status examination of the course.
Started directly in the institute with the introduction of the project to the school community at the beginning of the year, then moved on to the production of food diaries (introduced by the students in human nutrition sciences) and filling out questionnaires, one for students and one other for their families, which will be proposed again at the end of the course. It was then the turn of five lessons, started in the splendid setting of the auditorium of the Aula Magna of Physiology of the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, where the principles of nutrition, physiology, endocrinology, Then to practice in the laboratories at the university sports and science centre Record, gaining experience with electromyography, metabolic analysis, machines and equipment in the gym and learning about eating habits, reading nutritional labels and methods of food expenditure.
One morning was dedicated to the benefits of physical activity performed in an active and playful way, with the organization of volleyball tournaments, basketball, dodgeball and physical tests in rotation, which the young people took part in, divided into further small groups, covering various roles, from players to referees.
Last but not least, the innovation of the DUSE project saw the proposal of the App Inventor Technology where the students, following lessons in English, were engaged in small groups to design educational apps, that will be evaluated by an internal committee and awarded as part of the meeting to return the entire path.
DUSE App Inventor: Empowering Kids to Code for a Healthier Future
The DUSE project isn’t just about using apps—it’s about creating them! Through **MIT App Inventor**, teens learn to design their own health-focused apps, blending coding skills with wellness awareness.
The program starts with algorithmic thinking, then focuses on programming basics like variables and loops. Students build apps step-by-step, from a simple "Hello World" to advanced tools like a BMI calculator or sensor-based activity trackers. They even explore AR and machine learning!
Perfect for schools and workshops, this hands-on approach makes coding accessible and impactful. By linking technology to health, DUSE inspires the next generation of innovators.
Synergies between related fields
When the synergies between educational activities regarding healthy lifestyle and physical activities are interconnected, a pleasant and useful symbiosis results.
The DUSE project, which is implemented in Romania through the Association Sport for All Suceava, makes possible the connection between the associative environment, the academic university environment and the pre-university education environment. The basic subject is the education that teachers transmit to students from schools in the northern region of Romania regarding healthy eating, the dangers of food and culinary slippages, a disordered lifestyle or the lack of regular sports activity.
What is visible in this project is the fact that, in addition to students of different ages, teachers and parents were particularly interested.
Because we live in a society in continuous dynamics, lifestyle is the one that marks our existence. That is why the motto of the teachers and parents was to constantly transmit the correct information to the students but adapting it to the period of life they are going through. This project gave the possibility of exploring the online environment through the games created that have as their topic the healthy lifestyle and choosing a correct healthy diet.
So far, the feedback is positive and we believe that in the schools where the DUSE project is being implemented there will be significant changes in the approach to healthy living.