The common goal of all the schools involved is to provide young people with more opportunities: all the staff involved in the project, whether it be from Germany, Romania, or Northern Ireland, have the united aim of giving our young people a unique new opportunity. The nature of the project from the outset is to provide our pupils with something different that is based on the STEAM subjects' curriculum but goes further than the traditional school curriculum. The Drones/robotics Club is a new venture for the Romanian school and for the boys of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. Both schools will be relying on this ERASMUS plus partnership for guidance, expertise and coaching of the pupils enthusiasm in this area. Crucially this extra- curricular activity fosters the very problem-solving skills that are required in industry, both locally and globally. The Club is a very practical way of remedying the need to prepare our students earlier and better for employment in the STEAM/ MINT based industries of Engineering and ICT. This is not only relevant to St Dominic’s, the all-girls school, who are committed to promoting such university courses and jobs among girls. It is the common desire to all four schools to make students better understand environmental issues like damage and subsequently use modern drones technology to monitor the scientific observations and arrive at solutions. Phase Two of the project focuses on the exchange of drones creations and creative ideas. It goes without saying that the modern era is a global era, where one’s success lies in the ability to adapt to, understand and empathize with another culture. Participation in this three - year project will expose young people to at least two different European nationalities. Furthermore, the Northern Ireland schools are coming from two very different religious, political and gender based divisions. Ultimately, all the participants hope that it will be possible to shape European citizens that will in turn use their skills to better serve their future place of employment, society and country. The final summit-style conference in Munich in year three will allow students to put their newly-acquired international diplomacy skills to the test, when the findings about environmental damages will be presented and the attempts at solutions will be discussed by a panel of young scientifically fit Europeans from Romania, Northern Ireland (Great Britain) and Germany. A project of this scale cannot happen without the genuine commitment of the staff involved. Even to have reached this stage in the planning has required the time commitment of the individual staff and the schools involved. While each school will benefit in a slightly way; we feel strongly that all the schools involved have much to gain from their participation.
Through the project work at the project schools and the mobilities to Iasi and Belfast, which formed the central pillars of the project, all participants were able to experience what it means to work on a joint project across countries. Using MS teams, a lively exchange was always possible. This project promoted not only technical but also intercultural and linguistic skills. It was mainly carried out by additional courses at all partner schools and a P-seminar at the KAG. In addition, there were activities for the school community (e. g. Open Day). Mobility 1 – Belfast (GB): 5.11 - 11.11.17 The delegation from Erding (seven students, five teachers) was hosted by the "St. Dominic's Grammar School for Girls" for seven days. The schedule focused on the use, programming and control of drones, specifically on the transport of goods and the recording of aerial photos. In addition, various possibilities of future-oriented education and study branches were presented in several actions and workshops, and with the Giant's Causeway an example of applied environmental protection was explored during an excursion. Mobility 2 – Erding (D): 25.2. - 5.3.18 At the KAG, the content and skills already developed were intensified. The work with/on the drone formed the red thread of the week, especially the building of an own drone and photogrammetry were the focus. The self-built drone was taken home by the project schools and served as a possible basis for further project work. With the Chair of Flight System Dynamics (TU Munich) we were able to integrate the scientific aspect of the drone as a tool into the project. In addition, further excursions (e. g. Deutsches Museum, IBM-Watson Center, State Opera) took place. The nature conservation aspect was integrated into the working week by an excursion to the Berchtesgaden National Park (Königsee). Mobility 3 - Iasi (RO): 7.10. - 14.10.18 Nature protection was the focus of the third meeting at the Lyceum “Vasile Alecsandri”, in which seven students and five teachers of the KAG took part. The research focus was on determining the degree of pollution in the waters of the Neamt region. In the laboratories of the TU Iasi, the data from samples collected on different sites were analysed and evaluated together with the students. The camera-equipped drone was used for aerial photography of the trees at the “Lakul Rosu”. In addition, the participants received an introduction into Arduino programming as part of various workshops (e. g. for the sensor equipment of the drone) and waste upcycling. Mobility 4 – Belfast (GB): 31.3.- 6.4.19 Five students and three teachers from the KAG travelled to Belfast for the meeting. In addition to the workshops at the school, visits to the universities of Ulster and Queens were also essential for the project work. The knowledge of robotics and the skills in programming Arduino microcontrollers was deepened and extended with new application possibilities. In addition, it was also possible to present the results achieved so far (e. g. Investigation of bark beetle damage, visit to the Chair of Aquatic Systems Biology TU Munich) to a larger audience. The environmental aspect was emphasized by a visit to the Mourne Mountains. The drone was also used for filming to analyze huge clearings in the forests and the granite open-cast mines. Mobility 5 – Iasi (RO): 20.10.-26.10.19 Five students and three teachers participated in this meeting in Iasi. Before the mobility, a meeting at the Film Academy in Munich and several workshops gave students an inside in different techniques of film making. A comparative study between Romania, Northern Ireland and Germany regarding air pollution, waterrecycling and waste management was an essential element for that meeting. Apart from the visit of different university departments and a trip to the Carpathian Mountains where drones were used, students started to collect and exchange footage and results of their individual projects to be able to work on their final presentation and Erasmus+ project film. Being able to stay with host families made it possible to experience the culture and life of students in Iasi. Mobility 6 – Erding (D): 26.1. – 2.2.20 Before the mobility, intensive work has already been done on a joint project film. The meeting was continuously organized in workshops. Presentations were prepared in a working group to provide detailed information about the work and successes of the project. On the artistic side, large photo cubes with impressions of the project years were created, posters for the presentation of results were designed and an exhibition planned. Drone control skills have also been further intensified. Possible applications of the drone were clearly demonstrated during an excursion to the Ludwig-Bölkow-Campus of Airbus. The climax of the week was the ceremonial opening of the exhibition and the presentation of the project results to a large audience.