The current migration issues have posed new social, cultural and educational problems. Diversity and disadvantaged backgrounds are challenges which schools have to face with new tools and which students have to comprehend in order to fight discrimination and to favour mutual cultural understanding and tolerance. In order to analyse the current changes, students must be given first-hand experience and schools need to set up partnerships of peers (both students and teachers) to experiment and promote innovative education and practices in order to develop awareness and to reduce socio-cultural and learning disparities.The project is the ideal continuation and development of two previous Comenius Multinational projects, the former about CLIL methodology/materials/modules and the latter about the development of key competences through modules and activities prepared for and with students. Some of the schools involved took part in both projects and a new partner has been included. The project will be student-centred and problem-based: it will use multidisciplinary approaches and will boost critical thinking by analysing cultural contexts, through using formal and informal activities in multilingual classes (e.g. study cases, debates, producing creative materials), and by promoting the acquisition and consolidation of most of the transversal competences (Communication in a foreign language, Digital competence, Learning-to-learn, Social and civic competences, Entrepreneurship, Cultural expression).The project will:i. identify common European (political, social, cultural, educational) basic valuesii. discover the political and social changes that have taken and are taking place as a consequence of being EU membersiii. discover what Europe means in and for the different countries involvediv. discover the impact of the EU on education and on culture in generalv. favour the integration of learners with disadvantaged backgrounds (e.g. migrants, refugees) through inclusive (formal and non-formal) education. The project will involve:- teachers from various disciplines - students aged 14-17: each school will form a special class who - where possible - will be able to work on the project for the whole three years- external organizations (i.e. NGOs) who will liaise with us to monitor and provide further supportAs regards students, the project will- favour social inclusion and the development of intercultural skills (e.g. by creating multinational/multilingual groups, by analysing and discussing the topic from different perspectives)- promote Sts’ acquisition and consolidation of basic and transversal competences in a life-long learning perspective- improve knowledge and understanding of the political and educational practices of the EU and of the countries involvedAs regards teachers, the project will - help them to create, test, adapt and exchange methodologies, integrated approaches and best practices to address diversity, which will strengthen their professional competences- improve knowledge and understanding of the political and educational practices of the EU and of the countries involved- favour the development and consolidation of their language competences
Context The project has been the ideal continuation/development of 2 previous Comenius Multinational projects,the former about CLIL methodology/materials/modules and the latter about the development of key competences through modules/activities prepared for/with Ss. The results of the previous experience have consolidated the idea that in order to truly influence Ss’academic and transversal competences(TC)both aspects must be taken into consideration. At the end of the project about TC,we(former partners)felt we had to put together our experiences/past results and to go further on into our research by creating a link between being a competent/knowledgeable EU citizen and being a competent/knowledgeable EU student. So the project has been an Action Research analysis of the founding values of the EU(freedom,identity,civil rights),which are being challenged today,and the need to guarantee integration/inclusion by combating discrimination. Some of the schools involved in the present project took part in both projects and a new partner has been included. Purpose of the project:to raise awareness of freedom and civic rights;to valorise/consolidate the role/importance of the EU for education/mobility/young people's lives and future;to reflect upon the EU's presence/role/functions today. The project has:identified common European(political,social,cultural,educational)basic values;discovered the political/social changes that have taken and are taking place as a consequence of EU membership;discovered what Europe means in/for the different countries involved;discovered the impact of the EU on education and on culture in general;favoured the integration of learners with disadvantaged backgrounds(e.g. migrants, refugees)through inclusive(formal/non-formal)education. Objectives for Ss:to favour the acquisition of academic TC and basic skills through formal/informal activities and educational materials;to reinforce self-confidence/self-esteem and enhance Ss’motivation to learn through learning in mixed nationality groups;to encourage creativity, to offer new viewpoints,to develop intercultural competences by taking part in activities with Ss from other cultures;Moreover,because of the current migration issues the project aimed to show an approach that differs from that of the mass-media in order to give Ss tools/first-hand experience to analyse the current changes. Objectives for Ts:to improve Ts’teaching and TC,to promote the exchange/sharing of good practices;to develop/improve Ts'inter-cultural competences through direct contact,comparison,analysis of different education systems,thus increasing Ts’uderstanding of some of the concrete difficulties that may arise when planning/organising inter-country school projects. Organizations The partnership has included 5 institutions from lower to higher secondary school. Each school has a vast experience in: a) international cooperation due to the participation to EU projects (Socrates,Comenius,Leonardo da Vinci,Mobility Charter,MEP,YPAC,Youth Forums in different countries,exchanges of Ss/Ts, the Veneto Region Move projects for Ss and Staff, Hungary-Croatia Cross-border Co-operation Programme, E+KA1); b) intercultural education and the use of CLIL/bilingual methodology; c)experience of social/cultural diversity due to the presence of national minorities/migrants. As regards the topic of the project,since the partners come from completely different historical backgrounds(founding members,middle group,most recent entries)each partner stood for a different view on the topic, having different experience with the issues that have been brought up. Activities In each school:Ts’team to manage the project,Ss’team to work for/during the LTTA;Project site to collect the main results/products;eTwinning platform to exchange results also outside the partnership;Logbook to collect the results of the (self)evaluation questionnaires;TPM in:Slovenia,Italy,Poland,Germany,Hungary,Italy,Slovenia;LTTA in Italy,Poland,Germany,Hungary,Italy Results/impact The project has helped Ss to improve knowledge/understanding of the political/social/cultural context of the entire EU and of the partners’countries as regards:freedom,local history,migration,inclusive education. It has:encouraged social inclusion;developed intercultural skills;promoted social cohesion/active citizenship;enhanced acquisition of academic competences/basic skills through formal/informal activities;increased/consolidated TCs;produced concrete creative materials (videos,songs,exhibitions,games);increased involvement in local/national/EU realities;favoured first-hand experience of other cultures. Benefits The team hopes that the activities planned during the projects will help Ss to be(come) more cognizant of the need for a EU with fewer frontiers for people who want to study and work freely. Thereby being active EU citizens.