Our project “Carry on the flame - what we want to be kept for future” links the European year of heritage (2018) with innovative pedagogical methods.To foster modern pedagogical methods is the main objective - using our cultural, natural and personal heritage as a topic to implement them. Both addresses to the target groups of students and teachers - the latter ones also within their role as important multiplicators. Using the newly acquired competences and innovations will help to improve quality and efficiency of education and training. Traditions and personal heritage are very close to the core of identity which is a very central topic within the target group of senior students (14 to 18) and young adults. Our (cultural) heritage is very central to Europe's identity. Our schools cover different European regions - from north to south (Lentvaris: Lithuania, Babenhausen: Germany, Barcelona: Spain and Lisbon: Portugal). Core groups of students are in charge for using modern teaching methods and tools - supported by their teachers The great purpose of this project will be to offer a reflective, critical, and selective look at "cultural heritage" and what is or is not - truly identitary about it. The transnationality of this project is of relevance, because in Europe there are common origins and traditions.Only while sharing and promoting intercultural dialogue, through all forms of learning in cooperation we can find true identity. In a multicultural Europe of multiple technological advances and vertiginous production and exchange of information, what do current young people consider pertinent to keep for the future? Using modern technology participants will learn to find creative ways of documenting and presenting their heritage. Transnational training sessions will help to promote the three steps “learning from the experts” - “practise” - “presentation”. Among the innovative methods are creation of explanatory videos and human books, the use of gamifying tools like ‘Kahoot!’ or online-mags like ‘jilster’, Art of Hosting, thinking maps techniques and also problem based learning. Products will be a project blog, local exhibitions, an online magazine and a booklet of best practice addressed to teachers for multiplication purposes. The project will have effects on the involved person’s awareness of the importance of our heritage and their individual local and personal treasures. Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes and values necessary to preserve the world heritage for the future generations. Their skills in presenting results and their competences in language and debating culture will also increase. New methodology will last and be carried on with other subjects during pedagogical work and will be a kind of heritage acquired within the project.
Carry on the Flame” – if we want to keep our tangible and intangible heritage alive, we have to burn for it. Heritage became an EU priority in 2007 with the European Agenda for culture. But heritage in a wider view also covers natural and personal heritage. Memorial culture is especially important looking back on the history of Europe during the last century. Traditions and personal heritage are very close to the core of identity which is a very central topic within the target group of senior students (14 to 18) and young adults. Saving this and deciding what to keep for the future is important, especially keeping in mind that 2018 was the “European year of heritage”. Our (cultural) heritage is crucial to Europe's identity. Therefore, the focus topic of the project is fostering preservation of tangible and intangible cultural local and national heritage. For this reason we developed creative ways of keeping it alive and to carry on the flame to save it for future generations. Learning about the cultural heritage of partnering countries promoted a deeper understanding of origins and helped to create a multicultural view. Getting to know what others value is one way of preventing xenophobia as it brings together people of different national backgrounds. During the period of the project the number of participants changed from topic to topic. Every partner school had a core group of students in charge of keeping the project running. Other students were involved when necessary. Receiving guests from partner schools also involved a lot of families, not only the hosting ones, but also those of other students. Besides, many teachers were involved directly and indirectly alongside some staff members of the schools . Throughout the project a lot of activities were undertaken. These are linked to our four main topics. As for local heritage, students explored their schools, local surroundings and created presentations and videos to introduce themselves to their partners. Working with local heritage also included cooking and exchanging the recipes, playing traditional games, learning and singing folk songs in all the four languages, practicing traditional dances like the Flamenco and Garde, and exploring local memorial places or family trees of locally important historic persons. Students did research on the criteria that an object has to meet to be officially acknowledged as heritage. The activities done within this section included guided excursions to heritage places, witness talks, oral testimonies and visits to institutions dealing with heritage preservation. While exploring natural heritage, certain institutions were involved such as breeding centers, protection reserves and zoos, talking to zoologists and keepers and using online research about reasons for extinction and methods of protection. Besides presentations a lot of articles and videos were created. Students took photos of objects of personal importance and created descriptions of them and became aware of the reasons why they are important to them. Presentations and jilsters were the products created about them. A wide number of activities related to heritage was completed. Students learnt about and practised Quizlet and Kahoot and gamified learning tools, they used 3D-printers to create objects, experienced video mapping by creating an outdoor performance. They prepared exhibitions in all schools, jilster magazines and blog articles, played small sketches, practised drama techniques, took part in a drawing competition to come up with the logo and worked with videos and photos. They also learned how to observe copyrights by using the Creative Commons licences. The main objective of the project besides the reflection of ethical questions, was to foster pedagogical innovation. Every single one of our schools is specialized in some area of pedagogical innovation and shared this innovation with their project partners. Students became able to use a lot of new technology. All of the core group members learned how to apply them in practice. Video mapping, 3D-printing and Problem Based Learning techniques were new to the vast majority of the participants of the project. Also students improved their skills in video editing and the creation of subtitles, as well as in the use of online publishing and legal topics such as photo licensing. The use of English as a common language for working improved the quality of language skills and reduced the fear of communication. This experience was even more fruitful because living with a family of a different culture gives students another vision of tradition that a simple tourist cannot have. Besides, seeing others value our own local heritage, makes a difference in the way we see it and, as a result, inspires us to preserve it. The results will be seen in the long term in the relationship between people, in the future European citizens and in the way they accept their differences.