New education centre to bridge books and new media
Publisher Clavis Uitgeverij and PXL university college announce plans to open an educational centre in Hasselt that will combine books, new media and STEM subjects
“New media are indispensable”
The centre wants to offer children between the ages of four and 14 new ways of learning. “The specific purpose is to improve the language development and media literacy of children,” Leon Kustermans, general director of Clavis Uitgeverij, told De Standaard.
Both books and new media – such as computer games and websites – will get equal attention at the new centre, which is hoping to bridge the worlds of language, science and technology. Willewete also wants to offer teachers, educational experts, authors and illustrators additional resources.
School classes will be able to visit the centre for either a full or half day. Creative activities around children’s books, such as reading sessions and handicrafts workshops, will be organised during weekends. The centre will also train teachers to make books and new media more attractive to their pupils.
For PXL-Education, the college’s teacher education department, the new partnership expands the possibilities of providing students with practical experience. “The centre gives us the opportunity to educate students in a broader context,” said Marc Hermans, department head at PXL-Education. “The centre will be a unique place for internships.”
Ben Lambrechts, PXL general director, is especially pleased that the Willewete centre will help children to stay up to date with the latest evolutions in new media. “New media are indispensable for today’s life,” he said. “Nobody can afford to lag behind in this respect.”
Although the new centre at the abbey will only open its doors on 1 October, schools can already register for activities. In the first year, the centre will work around the theme of “In the attic”.
Photo courtesy PXL-Education
