The Digital First project recently completed a pilot implementation in Greece at the High School of Kato Kastritsi in Patras, where 20 lower-secondary students aged 12–15 participated in classroom activities focused on digital communication, online interaction, and artificial intelligence.
The pilot formed part of the broader Digital First initiative, an EU-funded project aimed at strengthening informatics education and digital competences among young learners through practical, reflective, and scenario-based learning approaches.
The Greek pilot followed the teacher-training activities previously implemented under the project and provided educators with the opportunity to apply Digital First teaching scenarios in real classroom settings. The activities focused on two key thematic areas:
- Communication and Online Interaction
- Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Future
The classroom sessions encouraged students to reflect on how they communicate and behave online, while also exploring how AI technologies already influence everyday life. Through discussions, collaborative activities, and guided reflection, students examined topics such as:
- respectful online communication and netiquette,
- digital identity and online collaboration,
- AI opportunities and risks,
- misinformation and reliability of AI-generated content and
- privacy, bias, and responsible use of technology.
One of the key observations from the pilot was the strong student engagement generated by the practice-oriented and scenario-based format. Teachers reported that learners were particularly responsive when activities connected directly to their daily digital experiences and social interactions.
Beyond technical digital skills, the pilot also supported the development of transversal competences such as:
- critical thinking,
- teamwork and collaboration,
- empathy and responsible online behaviour,
- communication and problem-solving skills, and
- self-reflection and decision-making.
The AI-related activities also opened meaningful classroom discussions about the ethical and societal implications of emerging technologies. Students explored the importance of verification, awareness of bias, and the risks of over-reliance on automated systems.
The pilot additionally highlighted the importance of teacher preparation and structured educational approaches. Although students are highly familiar with digital platforms, the implementation confirmed that young learners still benefit greatly from guided discussion and carefully designed activities that help them develop mature digital competences and responsible online habits.
Overall, the Greek pilot demonstrated that the Digital First approach can effectively support lower-secondary education by combining digital skills with creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical reflection. Teachers valued the flexibility of the scenarios and the possibility to adapt activities to different classroom needs and age groups.
As digital technologies continue to reshape society, initiatives such as Digital First contribute to preparing young learners not only to use technology, but also to critically understand, evaluate, and shape the digital environments around them.
