Staellinika technology reaches Greek language students and teachers in Africa and the Middle East

Staellinika continues its mission to promote Greek language and culture education to Greek diaspora communities around the world. 

On Friday, November 13th, Greek language educators from twelve countries across Africa and the Middle East participated in a teleconference, organized by Dr. George Vlachos, the educational coordinator of the Consulate General of Greece in Johannesburg, for a presentation on Staellinika.

An online platform and suite of apps developed by the SNF New Media Lab at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies, Staellinika provides individuals ranging from preschool-aged children to young adults, with innovative tools and resources for learning Greek language and culture. The initiative, designed to reconnect Greeks around the world with their heritage language and culture, is a collaboration between the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies and officials from the General Secretariat for Public Diplomacy and Greeks Abroad of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, headed by the General Secretary Mr. Ioannis Chrysoulakis. The initiative was made possible thanks to generous support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

Mr. Chrysoulakis opened the meeting with introductions and an overview of Staellinika’s origins and objectives. Staellinika was developed by an interdisciplinary team of developers, animators and educators, who worked together to produce a product that facilitates a modern way of learning that is fun, engaging, and easily-accessible. To this end, he spoke not only of the ability of the platform to provide resources to beginner heritage learners, but also for philhellenes and their children. 

SFU Education PhD student and SNF New Media Lab Research Coordinator, Dionysis Arkadianos, then presented Staellinika’s pedagogy to the participants, emphasizing the platform’s use of gamification and self-regulated learning, as well as the range of analytical features available to help instructors better support their students. The latter is supplemented by manuals, videos, as well as direct support offered by the team at the SNF New Media Lab.

Mr. Arkadianos additionally spoke of the online nature of Staellinika and how teachers can use the platform and its curriculum to quickly adapt to remote learning environments—underscoring its value during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Two months after its full launch, Staellinika continues to attract Greek language learners around the world, now reaching over 18,000 registered users in 118 countries.

Learn more about Staellinika at staellinika.com or download the apps now staellinika.com/apps.

For more information about the SNF Centre for Hellenic Studies and its programs, please visit our Media page.

You can visit the Staellinika website for more information. The SNF New Media Lab has for years been at the forefront of educational technologies, and you can learn about their current and past projects on the Lab page, elsewhere on our website.