Integrating practical and theoretical knowledge in primary education institutions` curricula can provide opportunities for students to gain the skills needed now and in the future on the labour market, and thus improve their future employability. The local authorities in each participating country have identified a need to improve the quality of education in Numeracy and Business Studies for future employability, therefore the Strategic Partnership will support a project-based collaboration between students and staff, to develop, test and adopt a joint curriculum between participating Primary Schools, based on an exhaustive needs analysis and focusing on a “real-life” transnational approach.The objectives of the project are to improve the quality of education in maths and business studies and to increase the take-up of these subjects in upper secondary and higher education. The Strategic Partnership will support the development of better progression routes into higher education and graduation, with a specific focus on non-traditional learners, such as students from under-represented groups or with disadvantaged backgrounds, by transferring and testing innovative approaches.With an aim of improving numeracy and financial literacy competences of disadvantaged student groups (socio-economically disadvantaged), monitoring and support of this student population will also be tested in particular via tailor-made services that aim at preventing drop-out and encouraging graduation within the expected time.The project activities take place both through the project TwinSpace on the eTwinning site and face to face where a group of pupils from each school participate with their teachers. The project activities involve staff exchange between the participating organisations, with the aim of exchanging experiences and good practice. The partners share materials and resources, and develop units of cross-curricular work in maths and business studies, that are tested in primary schools. At the same time, a research compilation in the field is conducted, and discussed during a transnational meeting where a final handbook is developed and plans the testing and evaluation of the improved methodologyThe contributions made during the project work will be published in English and national languages. It will be presented to the attention of the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, youth and science and other cultural institutions connected to the topic. The virtual exhibition will popularize the European heritage. The results from all activities will be popularized and published. The schools intend to make use of the results of this project in their educational implementations. To ensure sustainability and dissemination of project results, the Strategic Partnership foresees conferences at local, national and European level, as well as designs jointly a follow-up strategy.
This Erasmus+ project aimED to increase primary school educators’ understanding of multiple intelligences and to help them increase their abilities to create early learning activities that serves all kinds of intelligences, i.e. all individual child in their classrooms. The starting point for this purpose is the Multiple Intelligence Theory from Howard Earl Gardner. The main book (resource) we used was Thomas Armstrong, Multiple Intelligences in Classroom (3rd Edition). Link: https://twinspace.etwinning.net/23137/materials/files Objectives: This project was designed to increase awareness of the fact that there are different kinds of intelligences and it is possible to support each intelligence through creative and integrated activities in early childhood classrooms. Following a webinar/training hosted by St Brigid`s PS (Teaching Maths Through Games Using Multiple Intelligences; Registered on 05.10.2016), we sat up a clear time and activity schedule for our project. For most of the partners, Mr Gardner`s M.I. theory in class was new and the first year was really a learning process with testing different ideas and put the theory into action. This event/webinar, attracted participants from both amoung our partners, and other teachers on eTwinning (19). Link: https://live.etwinning.net/events/event/14793 Our expected results were: 1 Enable teachers to lead and facilitate more progressive approaches to Maths lessons to allow for more playful, creative and hands-on learning, Please visit: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/83zaoBsrVoY/hqdefault.jpg 2 Embed opportunities for hands-on learning throughout the curriculum to ensure that students of all abilities have the chance to learn by doing, Please visit: https://youtu.be/983sZ_mffP4 3 Creativity should not be regarded as a ‘nice to have’ and restricted to arts subjects, but as fundamental to successful teaching and learning in Maths subject, Please visit: https://youtu.be/hy3oegKzTjo 4 Ensure that non subject-specific skills for the future such as communication, problem solving and critical thinking were integrated throughout the curriculum, Please visit: https://youtu.be/lPBsBKvs998 Our children need strong ICT skills to be able to fulfill the so rapidly changing world of technology. Several modules were devoted to this topic itself within our programme plan to develop skills that our pupils need for the future. We worked closely with all the ICT coordinators to make sure that our programme provides the best possible outcome for both the teachers and pupils. By the end of this project we expecedt to see that all our children were able to use their ICT skills in real life environment and that this programme did make them more competent and better achiever on national tests to their counter parts, who do not take part in this project. Description of undertaken main activities: Main Activities: Multiple Intelligence (M.I.) in Classroom, M.I. Test, Understand M.I. Theory and Implement it (A1), Using Mathematical games (A2), Teaching Creatively (A3), Supporting M.I. in one Activitiy (A4), Promote International Cooperation Between Schools (A5), Astronomy & Space, Dinosaurs Science and Maths, Art for Maths, Maths with ICT/M.I., Careers, Life in Town, Traditional Games using the Body, Verbal Linguistic Smart, Picture Smart, People Smart, Pen Pal. Devices we used: Parrot Mini Drone: improving ICT in our school, we have used drones for discussing and demonstrate ICT/Programming skills and Engineering, through different Project Based Learning activities. Ozobot: is another great example of the latest technology to be used in class. Ozobot allowed us to introduce basic programming, using colour codes. And although we only used it for a short time, we are planning to have a greater use of this amaizing tool in the second year. Lightbot/Tynker/Scratch JR: These are all free apps, allowing our children to use them not only in school, but in their own home. Using free apps on both Iphone/Ipad and Android can be easily arranged, and provides many hours of joyful learning both in school and home. This is again something we would like to explore more in the second year. Other devices: bbc microbit, arduino, sphero, meetedison, basic electric circuits, etc. Results and impact: Our TMTGuMI project has won multiple eTwinning Quality Labels and European Quality Labels (10+), our POR partner won the prestigious National eTwinning Prize.