The main objective of the project was to provide support to students from the mathematics-informatics specialization for the development and recognition of the skills of using the latest software and hardware technologies, by participating in a professional training course in the field of PC assembly, maintenance and troubleshooting, in AGRUPAMENTO DE ESCOLAS DE BARCELOS (and IT companies) to ensure immediate school success - obtaining a professional certificate in IT and to offer improved career prospects. At the end of the project, the 32 participants have: • the digital skills of designing and developing a web page improved by the pedagogical training in the country, proven by the 16 web page templates developed in dyads (specific aim no.1); • the digital skills of using software and hardware technologies improved by the internship, certified by 32 Europass Mobility documents, recognized in the sending institution, post-internship and at the professional certification exam (specific aim no.2); • linguistic, entrepreneurial and social skills improved through mobility, proven by the 16 web pages developed in dyads, completed in English with information about the internship activities (specific aim no. 3).
The project was in line with the policy, values and the school development directions. The need to initiate this project, in the field of PC assembly, maintenance and troubleshooting, also resulted from a questionnaire applied to students from the 9th grades, mathematics and computer science, in January 2019. Eligible students expressed desire to participate in certification exam of professional competences in informatics, to present and theoretically motivate a project that demonstrates digital competences. To develop the skills of using software and hardware technologies (the field chosen by them for the certificate), students need support in appropriate learning context, with the right curricular, material and human resources. In the curriculum of ICT IX level, the only one that provides content about hard and software, the information is general. The absence from the curriculum of the theoretical branch of practical classes with real economic agents and the lack of the necessary resources, do not allow the development of appropriate skills and abilities for PC maintenance and troubleshooting and reduce the chances of valorization of students in IT environments, highly competitive, often multinational and culturally different.