The situation of European schools offering higher secondary vocational education in Arts and Design can be called special in many ways. These schools usually cater for students aged 14 to 19, some of them additionally offer master classes for adults. Qualifications obtained usually combine an A-level in general education and vocational qualifications in specific fields such as Graphics and Communication Design, Film and Multimedia Art, Product Design and Presentation, Book Design, Ceramics Art Craft. Project INTERFACE tries to meet mayor requirements of its main target groups - teachers and students - such as: • The constant need for development of high quality arts and design education and training to remain attractive and competitive in comparison to the more practical skills-oriented settings and educational pathways offered by technical vocational schools. • Thinking outside the box and developing modern curricula that do not only meet legal requirements but help to remain innovative in processes and outcomes. • Answering to labour market requirements without neglecting free artistic development of students. • Acquiring the skills and competences to be competitive on a European job market • Rendering interfaces (admission procedures, initiation, access to the professional world outside, advancing to further tertiary level education and the European labour market) as effective and supportive as possible. To meet demands and answer to the needs expressed, the following goals and objectives have been set for INTERFACE: a) Increasing the attractiveness of vocational education in Arts and Design b) Comparing and discussing concepts, curricula, learning pathways in these fields with the emphasis on interfaces. c) Evaluating and highlighting examples of good practice concerning admission procedures, initiation processes, learning pathways and connecting with the outside world. d) Discussing and artistically implementing concepts revolving around the idea of “interfaces” e) Engaging students in disseminating processes and project outputs f) Fostering European exchange, intercultural communication and foreign language acquisition g) Supporting entrepreneurship and the acquisition of foreign languages in vocational contexts (CLIL) The project partners in INTERFACE - Ortweinschule(AT), Zespol Szkol Plastycznych im. Jacka Malczewskiego (PL), Liceo Artistico "Scuola del Libro" (IT) and Staatliches Berufskolleg Rheinbach (DE) - have teamed up to engage at least 96 students and accompanying teachers in 4 short-term learning activities in each of the countries involved. Results will be made available to stakeholders over a wide range of dissemination activities and channels and in the form of two publications: one containing a selection of examples of good practice in terms of effectively rendering interfaces in vocational education in arts and design, the second will highlight students` project activities and works of art dealing with the concept of "interfaces". Through our activities in INTERFACE, we especially expect an improvement of key competences, increased skills in mastering the latest techniques and computer technologies in the respective fields of arts and design, an increased awareness of employment opportunities on the European labour market and, last but not least, a boost in positive attitude towards the European project and the EU values.
The situation of European schools offering higher secondary vocational education in Arts and Design can be called special in many ways. These schools usually cater for students aged 14 to 19, some of them additionally offer master classes for adults. Qualifications obtained usually combine an A-level in general education and vocational qualifications in specific fields such as Graphics and Communication Design, Film and Multimedia Art, Product Design and Presentation, Book Design, Ceramics Art Craft. Project INTERFACE tried to meet mayor requirements of its main target groups - teachers and students - such as: • The constant need for development of high quality arts and design education and training to remain attractive and competitive in comparison to the more practical skills-oriented settings and educational pathways offered by technical vocational schools. • Thinking outside the box and developing modern curricula that do not only meet legal requirements but help to remain innovative in processes and outcomes. • Answering to labour market requirements without neglecting free artistic development of students. • Acquiring the skills and competences to be competitive on a European job market • Rendering interfaces (admission procedures, initiation, access to the professional world outside, advancing to further tertiary level education and the European labour market) as effective and supportive as possible. To meet demands and answer to the needs expressed, the following goals and objectives were set for INTERFACE: a) Increasing the attractiveness of vocational education in Arts and Design b) Comparing and discussing concepts, curricula, learning pathways in these fields with the emphasis on interfaces. c) Evaluating and highlighting examples of good practice concerning admission procedures, initiation processes, learning pathways and connecting with the outside world. d) Discussing and artistically implementing concepts revolving around the idea of “interfaces” e) Engaging students in disseminating processes and project outputs f) Fostering European exchange, intercultural communication and foreign language acquisition g) Supporting entrepreneurship and the acquisition of foreign languages in vocational contexts (CLIL) The project partners in INTERFACE - Ortweinschule(AT), Zespol Szkol Plastycznych im. Jacka Malczewskiego (PL), Liceo Artistico "Scuola del Libro" (IT) and Staatliches Berufskolleg Rheinbach (DE) - teamed up to engage 96 students and accompanying teachers in 4 short-term learning activities in each of the countries involved. Results have been made available to stakeholders over a wide range of dissemination activities and channels and in the form of two publications: one containing a selection of examples of good practice in terms of effectively rendering interfaces in vocational education in arts and design, the second highlights students` project activities and works of art dealing with the concept of "interfaces". See http://erasmus.ortweinschule.at/ Through our activities in INTERFACE, we saw an improvement of key competences, increased skills in mastering the latest techniques and computer technologies in the respective fields of arts and design, an increased awareness of employment opportunities on the European labour market and, last but not least, a boost in positive attitude towards the European project and the EU values.