Working with movies - moving people and their ideas

This Project was designed between five secondary schools from TR, PT, LV, RO, IT and included students aged between 12-18. This study was an Initiative that took its rationale from Press release of European Commission on 19 April 2013, Brussels. It was observed that the ICT and digital skills level of our schools and students were –more or less- in the same direction with Key findings of the study EU Commission. ( http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release)We aimed to improve ICT, digital competences and language skills through movies by working on differences and similarities, putting emphasis on fundamental values like tolerance, respect and acceptance in different situations of life/coexistence as racism, differently handicap people, belonging to a group, different social backgrounds, refugees, gender inequalities. There were five subtopics distributed to five partner schools. While we were focusing on these fundamental issues as themes, project activities were done by using ICT and digital devices and soft-ware programmes. This methodology connected two important issues together in the hearth of the project. Students and teachers focused on social issues in one side, they produced digital outcomes in other side. Cinema was defined as central connection for those two issues since it is the best product of art which express all stages of social life in one hand and use digital equipment to do its outcomes in other hand. As the main body of our project, students observed movies in term of the themes we defined from national and international examples and they took 4 short movies during 4 four short term student exchange. Our project activities had 4 exchanges of pupils as L/T/T/As. These activities were the stages that project implemented actively. In every different meeting there was a workshop which was the step to achieve our objectives. This was why it was carried out transnationally. MAIN ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECTNATIONAL MOVIES: Choosing a national movie, discuss the films’ contents and massages SHORT MOVIES: Producing one short film dealing with differences/similarities and the mentioned values CINEMA FORUM: Discussing the films in working groups. Production of an international short film during the meeting OUR MOVIE: Creating specific movie including the topic of the project, EUROPE UNITE US: This title was the name of the film that shot by students OBJECTIVES WAS: -To discuss the films’ contents and massages and learning to watch the right movies -To develop critical thinking skills by analyzing cultural documents (movies) -To develop writing skills (scripts, screenplays, convention) -To develop skills in practical arts: film shooting and cutting, making of posters and film music, producing photography -To improve digital and artistic skills by taking 4 short films -To improve ICT skills by creating web forum and web page -To improve language knowledge in English & get to know some elements of the partner languages NUMBER AND PROFILE OF THE PARTICIPANTS Students/teenagers: Students/teenagers: Project activities included 50 students in every school. There were 10 groups of students and every group involved 5 of participant students. Selection criteria was announced at the very beginning of the activities so none of the students’ sense of justice was damaged. Approximately 1200 students/teenagers were indirectly affected. Teachers/Adults:There were teams of 7 teachers in each partner organisation so 35 in total took actively in project activities. There were a teacher of English, a Maths teacher, a Psychology Counselor, an ICT teacher and a Physical Education teacher/trainer. Approximately 150 teachers/adults were indirectly affected. Administrative staff: The head teacher/chairman and a deputy head took part in the project. Approximately 25 administrative staff were indirectly affected. Families: The number of the family members were 300 in total and they contributed to introduce the host country’s culture, tradition and to prepare traditional food for international evening. Approximately 480 family members were indirectly affected. Local community: Local community like local press, municipality, directorate of national education and PTA helped to disseminate the project to a wider community. Approximately 800 people from local community were indirectly affected. RESULTS AND IMPACTS. Through our project the five partners created both short-term and long-term tangible and intangible results and to achieve the biggest possible impact to future projects and policy processes such as leading students to overcome lack of self-esteem. It helped pupils in many ways such as: prevent social exclusion, prevention of early school leaving, developing foreign language learning, national and international consciousness, improving ICT skills. LONGER-TERM BENEFITS: During two years, students learnt how to use cameras and apps to edit and complete short movies, gained artistic skills and tips about acting.