Gives parents advice to simplify their children's school life

Technology can greatly simplify learning.

„Málfríður, Memrise, Rasmus, Notion, Brainrot. Do you know these solutions and apps?“ asked Jóhanna Birna Bjartmarsdóttir, an educational technology specialist and founder of the company HARTS, of the Year 8 pupils at Víðistaðaskóli yesterday morning. This was during the first of four lectures she gave that day. She then went over many of the apps and the benefits they offer for the children's learning.

Jóhanna has also met with teachers in Hafnarfjörður and will be giving a lecture for parents on Wednesday, 18th March at 7:30 p.m. about all the opportunities their children – and they themselves – can take to simplify their studies and get the most out of them.

• Where? The town cinema
• When? Wednesday, 18th March at 7:30 p.m.

Jóhanna has now visited most of the primary schools in the town of Hafnarfjörður since mid-February. She has given the children an inspiring lecture about technological solutions they can use to make their studies easier.

She has recommended some brilliant apps and good websites that have solutions many people aren't aware of. For example, they can read text into Google Docs instead of typing, to give a couple of examples. They can also take a photo of a maths problem, upload it to artificial intelligence websites and get an explanation of how to solve it.

Brilliance in the American school system

Jóhanna Birna is from Hafnarfjörður. She struggled in the Icelandic school system but did extremely well in the American one. There she studied at the University of Florida, graduating with top marks, being selected for the Dean's List—which is comparable to the President's List back home—and leading international research projects. Last weekend, she was inducted into the school's hall of fame. She achieved this despite having ADHD, dyslexia, and autism.

Jóhanna founded the ed-tech company HARTS in 2023 when she was 21 and now gives these lectures in schools in Hafnarfjörður. „Yes, the children were enthusiastic. Most of them can see themselves using one of the apps I mention in the lecture,“ said Jóhanna Birna after this first lecture of the day.

Jóhanna described the indirect obstacles the children face in a simple way. She discussed the school system and how she moved from the Icelandic to the American one with great success. She spoke to them about how important it was to look at the school as the problem, not the student, when it came to learning difficulties. It was important to adapt the teaching to each individual's ability.

„I left the lesson and didn't understand what was going on, unlike the other pupils who seemed to,“ she described her time at primary school.

„Everyone has been in this situation at some point, but if you experience this often, it's not good. Then we need to ask for an accessible setup, to be allowed to use aids,“ she told the children. She mentioned the programme Helperbird – which the City of Hafnarfjörður has purchased and which helps students with dyslexia.

Encourages all parents to attend at the Town Cinema.

Kristín Thoroddsen, chair of the education committee, says that Jóhanna Birna's lectures have attracted a great deal of attention. She encourages parents to attend the Bæjarbíó and see everything on offer.

„Technology is advancing rapidly, and it's so amazing to see all the support the kids can make use of.

„All parents will benefit from the solutions that Jóhanna discusses.  These are solutions that also help them support their children's learning. We quickly get to how we can help our children with their studies, but as parents, we know all too well how difficult it can be to help our children with their homework,“ she says.

„I am incredibly proud to have had Jóhanna join our team, and it is wonderful to hear stories from children who have attended the lecture, where they talk about gaining self-belief and hope for further education they never thought they could pursue.“