Our project Digi Hands' is based on an international theme of Work and Leisure, past, present and future of the five countries involved. The objective is to develop European links in order to share good practice in the use of ICT to develop literacy and numeracy through including the whole community with a thematic approach 'Work and Leisure.' Skills will be developed across the curriculum with a multilingual and intergenerational approach. Having undertaken a variety of activities the end results will show increasing progress in children's standards across a range of skills. Apart from increasing basic skills the wider community of each partner school will have an increased awareness of the importance of healthy living and the use of modern technology to enhance long life learning. The project will offer training opportunities for staff, pupils and stakeholders. We will be using the expertise that we know exist between the partner schools to address staff development requirements. Additionally, we have agreed upon developing community cohesion by addressing intergeneration events, activities and incorporating local expertise e.g. craftsmen, local entrepreneurs. The collaboration between local entrepreneurs and pupils will influence and offer opportunities for future employment and transferable skills. By participating in such events and training the whole community will benefit. Their innovation of the use of i pads and online learning inspired us to further develop our use of ICT emerging into the 21st century. All schools have some innovative ideas that we can all learn from and transfer back to our respective schools.Activities will be arranged to ensure that all age groups will have opportunities to participate in the partnership such as preparing the presentations of their own region to be shared. This also includes a a number of teachers who are eager to develop an expertise in a certain area. Before commencing any project a baseline assessment will be undertaken, and evaluations at the beginning, middle and end will take place. The co-ordinator of each school will be responsible for the implementation of these assessments and evaluations with the project co-ordinator overseeing the whole process. Also, children and parents will undertake questionnaires in response to activities and the other stakeholders, depending on the nature of the task, will have opportunities to evaluate for example, intergenerational activities.All project results will be disseminated via schools' websites, hwb+ (a Welsh national online learning platform), newsletters, open events, local media and e twinning.Our projects have sustainable values and results. Our healthy living project will have a direct impact on the pupils', staff and local communities' lifestyles, with the aim of them continuing with these healthy ways. Children will acquire other skills such as ICT and numeracy skills which they will be able to apply in other cross-curricular activities. Teachers will also develop their skills to be included in their future lesson plans. Also, linguistic knowledge will support the pupils in secondary or higher education. A significant number of participants will benefit. Between the five schools over 2,000 staff and pupils will benefit. In addition to this number, five contrasting communities will benefit from our innovative partnership in particular via our intergenerational activities.
The main priority of our project ‘Digi Hands’ was to develop digital competences to raise standards of basic skills in numeracy and literacy across the curriculum in all partner schools. We stimulated the pupils with our international theme of ‘Work and Leisure’ through focusing on four key purposes: ambitious and capable learners; enterprising creative contributors; ethical, informed citizens and healthy, confident individuals. Through international visits we received training to improve the quality of teaching through the transversal of skills and expertise of different countries. They were as follows: digital competences across the key purposes, developing Modern Foreign Languages, increasing and improving healthy living and developing stronger links with the wider community including local, national and international businesses. The above contributed towards ethical life long learning citizens and whilst working hand in hand with our wider communities we engaged all ages in an inspirational and innovative form. The objective was to develop European links in order to share good practice in the use of ICT to develop literacy and numeracy through including the whole community with a thematic approach 'Work and Leisure.' ‘Digi Hands' was based on an international theme of ‘Work and Leisure’, past, present and future of four countries and involved five European schools, two in Wales, Denmark. Italy and France. Wales and France were three primary schools: with age ranges 3 -11. The Danish and Italian schools were primary and secondary age ranges 6-15. Skills were developed across the curriculum with a multilingual and intergenerational approach. WADIF (Wales, Denmark, Italy, France) our logo bear named and created by our pupils was an important member of our team who travelled to our partner countries appearing on ‘Twitter’ worldwide whilst sharing special moments. The activities which took place were as follows: Creating a multilingual e book on the theme ‘Work and Leisure’ in the past, present and future. Each school were given a particular strand to focus on which was linked to the locality and community of the school. They were as follows: Ysgol Y Dderwen – Leisure and Tourism – showing how Carmarthen has changed over a period of time; Ysgol Peniel – agriculture, how local farming has had to diversify in order to sustain; Holluf Pile Skole – Education, how education has devolved to prepare the pupils for the 21st century’s world of work; Istituto Comprensivo Mario Giardini – Arts and Crafts, how local craftsmen have maintained their culture and skills in an ever changing world; and lastly, Ecole Félix Chevrier – agriculture and leisure and recreation, how it has changed over a period of time as a result of changes in work patterns and lifestyles. Pupils developed their linguistic skills by using a Modern Foreign Language and digital competences when presenting their varied e books related to each strand. Our ‘Five a Day’ project showed healthy lifestyles across our partner schools. We conducted a survey to measure the daily intake and hours of exercise incorporated in their lifestyles. The French and Welsh school Peniel led this project sharing numeracy and personal health and social educational skills. Apart from increasing basic skills the wider community of each partner school has increased awareness of the importance of healthy living and the use of digital learning to enhance long life learning. The project offered training opportunities for staff, pupils and the wider community. ‘Hands at Work’ – provided pupils and staff to visit workshops of local Italian craftsmen and artists in order to use skills learnt and produce their own pieces of work. The training provided lifelong learning skills which were transferred and used in their teaching methodologies. Pupils and staff shared craft making skills with their local communities and local businessmen/entrepreneurs supported the marketing of products. We used the expertise that we knew existed between the partner schools to address staff development requirements during the project. The results and impact attained were as follows: the expertise and teaching of MFL had a significant impact on teaching pupils the importance of diversity and cultural differences of communities within Europe; healthy lifestyles and intergenerational activities for the wider community showed raised standards in literacy and numeracy through digital competences; the implementation of strategic ICT measured pupils' learning and teachers' competences; creative arts developed entrepreneurial skills in the wider community. The project results have been disseminated via 'Twitter' and school websites at each stage. The long term benefits are: five contrasting communities benefitting from our innovative partnership via international and intergenerational activities. 'Digi Hands' is the key to 21st century technology. Digital learning at its best!