With the development and availability of the Internet information of all kinds is easily available. Pupils are able to look up a piece of information but do not try to work with it any further, examine it or put it into context. However, working with information, its processing and interpretation are essential skills nowadays, demanded by future employers. The aim of the project is to arouse the pupils´ interest in significant figures of nation’s history of the partnership countries who have been successful in various fields and who have become famous abroad. The pupils should understand what national identity and patriotism mean and learn about the figures‘ impact in Europe. The other goal of the project is to improve the pupils‘ basic abilities and skills concerning working with information, planning and logistics. Also, the pupils will achieve and develop competences in reading professional non-fiction literature, communicating in a foreign language and giving presentations. Moreover, the project aims to broaden the pupils‘ culture and inter-culture knowledge and to develop their social empathy. By using simulations the pupils will have a chance to try out selected activities of the famous personalities and will grasp the importance of their work. Thanks to this practical approach the pupils will realize how vital their further self-education is. As teachers will be invited to participate in these activities too, the project will aid their professional development.
With the development and availability of the Internet information of all kinds are easily accessible. Pupils are able to look up a piece of information but they do not bother to work with the information any further, to prove it, and to put it into context. However, working with information, its processing and interpretation are essential skills nowadays that is demanded by future employers. The main aim of the project was to arouse the pupils’ interest in famous personalities of nation’s history of all part-taking nationalities. The work of these personalities has touched all nations. The aim was also to make pupils understand what national identity and patriotism are, and to learn about the personalities’ impact in Europe. Another aim of this project was to improve pupils‘ IT, logistics and management skills. The pupils have also improved their work with texts, foreign language, and psychological skills. They have also broadened their intercultural and cultural knowledge and social empathy. 5 partners from different countries took part in this project: 3 secondary schools (LT, TR, BG) and 2 vocational schools (LV. CZ). Every one of these schools has gained experience with project work from previous international projects they took part in. Each of these schools set a project team to work on this project. It was always a team of pupils aged 15-20. Each short-term exchange of group of pupils had the same structure: 1. theoretical part – getting to know facts about chosen personality (presentation) 2. practical – work with information and travelling to follow the steps of the personality 3. simulation – the pupils tried personally to do what the personality did (teacher- they taught) The products are following: logo of the project, websites, Moodle, book about the personalities, PowerPoint presentations about the personalities, documentary about travels, travel diary, and calendar. The pupils also got certificates confirming their taking part in this project. The project influenced all the people who took part in it, the pupils now love EU programs, are more interested in foreign languages, and are more motivated for their studies, and also in travelling and political situation in Europe.