Nowadays, we live in a technologically advanced world and it is becoming more and more digital. So far, teenagers have been provided with the necessary tools and knowledge that are needed in the current general profile of the graduate. However, the use of digital instruments has to be improved and enhanced to meet the needs and expectations of today’s students. The dramatic development of technology can be also observed at schools which are being equipped with the necessary devices - computers, smartboards etc., but still teachers are quite unwilling to take advantage of these appliances due to their lack of proficiency in this field. Teachers have to turn to additional, modern tools in order to attract students’ attention and make them more interested in things they should learn. . The parnership includes 5 schools RO, IT, PL, BG and TR. It is designed for a target group of students from 14-18 and English, ICT, social sciences teachers. AIM: to Improve digital skills and language abilities by means of movie-making, intention on paying attention to social issues as well as to both differences and similarities and putting emphasis on fundamental values. OBJECTIVES The project will enable students: - to enhance practical skills related to film-making - to develop imagination and critical thinking competences - to develop communication and interpersonal skills - to make students approach social issues in an active way - to recognise different cultural marks and analyse similarities and differences ACTIVITIES The project’s main topic is shared into 5 sub-topics spread to the five partner countries. As a result, there are 5 students exchanges: C1- DIGITAL CENTURY AND EDUCATION: Joint Staff (Teacher training ) C2- SHORT FILMS WITH IMPACT: The participating students will talk about the films’ matters and the main idea. They will take part in workshops about the stages of film-making and they will write storylines. C3- SHOOTING SHORT FILMS: Students will work in multinational groups on given topics to write storylines and create a short film. C4- EDITING SHORT FILMS: Students will learn to use film editing applications, make and correct new films in groups. C5- EUROPE UNITES US: Students will make films about the European characteristics of each country and put them together under the title “Europe Unites Us.” NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS - Direct participants 120 students (aged 14-18 from general secondary education), some coming from challenged social and financial backgrounds and 36 teachers (English, ICT, Social Sciences/Humanities) attend the LTTAs; - Indirect participants: 1400 students and 280 teachers from the partner schools. METHODOLOGY The project is designed to cover 5 main areas: A1. The project management – contains monitoring and assessment, risk managing, financial managing, cooperation and communication policy that will be applied during the course of the project. A2. Implementation of activities Prior to each LTTA, groups of students will work on the theme of the exchange, under the observation and management of implementation team members. Out of these students, 6-7 students will be selected to take part in the LTTA and it is a kind of reward for their active involvement. After the LTTAs, participants will organise workshops in which they will share the skills they developed in terms of filmmaking during the event with their peers. A3. Elaboration of a collection of materials related to film-making applications The process of elaboration starts in the second year of project. Each country contributes to it sharing materials presented during the LTTA hosted. The output will have a methodology for running a film club. A4. Dissemination Dissemination will be a constant practice. It will start in Sep 2019 and will finish after the project final date. The project website and e-twinning space are created at the beginning and updated once a month or at least after every major event of the project. A5. Follow-up and sustainability Each school will start a film club in the year after the project is over. RESULTS AND IMPACT Students will develop critical and analytical thinking abilities, level of English, ICT and film-making competences. They will be more aware of social issues, parallels and dissimilarities between their countries. They will develop their team work, negotiation and organisational skills. They will taught values such as tolerance, respect and acceptance of people from different countries and having different culture. Teachers will have an opportunity to exchange teaching methods and good practices as well as their opinions and they will improve their command of English and digital skills, organisational skills and teaching methods and tools. Institutions will strengthen their cooperation with other European schools and get wider experience in running Erasmus+ projects. They will benefit from better relations between teaching staff and students and between students.
Although the partnership project was proposed before the Covid 19 Pandemic and answered the need to respond to globalization,rapid technological progress and the demands of a digital era,the pandemic crisis once again demonstrated the need to increase the resilience of the education systems-systems that are more flexible,dedicated to all children,systems that educate through a variety of methods and technologies and that are better equipped to face possible crises.Reality has transformed before our eyes, with extraordinary speed,in an unsuspected direction.Nothing that we knew and accepted as normal until then was valid any longer. Online learning has become the only alternative. Were we ready for this challenge? The partnership included 5 schools in RO,IT,PL,BG,TR.-students between 14-18 years,and English, ICT, social sciences teachers PURPOSE:Improvement of digital and linguistic skills by making movies with intention to pay attention to social problems,differences and similarities,and focusing on fundamental values OBJECTIVES: The project achieved the following objectives: - improving practical skills related to making educational films - contributed to the development of imagination and critical thinking - developing communication and interpersonal skills - led students to approach social issues in an active way - developing respect for common cultural values and acceptance of differences,tolerance and non-discrimination ACTIVITY:The main theme of the project was carried out in 5 sub-themes: one exchange activity in each partner country: C1- THE DIGITAL CENTURY AND EDUCATION:Teacher training course for the use of ICT in teaching and assessment as well as the use of films as methods and tools in the educational act (Turkey) C2- SHORT FILMS WITH IMPACT:Meeting of students from the 5 partner countries where they discussed the social theme:"Future career opportunities: personal dreams vs. social realities". During the workshops they learned about the stages of making a film and wrote stories. (Bulgaria) C3- FILMING SHORT FILMS: Students worked in multinational groups on the topic of current affairs: "Realities of the Covid 19 Pandemic" they wrote stories and created short films. (Poland) C4- SHORT FILMS EDITING: Students learned to use film editing applications, to make and correct new films in a group. (Italy) C5- EUROPE UNITES US: Students made and presented films about another European challenge "No to war" and collected the particularities of each challenge under the title "Europe unites us". NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS - Direct participants were 120 students (aged 14-18 from general secondary education), some coming from difficult social and financial backgrounds, and 36 teachers (English, ICT, Social Sciences/Humanities) participating in LTTA - Indirect participants: over 1400 students and 300 teachers from partner schools METHODOLOGY The project targeted and was carried out in 5 main components 1.Project management – respectively by drawing up: the plan of communication and cooperation within the project, the risk management plan, the monitoring and evaluation plan and the financial management of the project 2.Implementation of the activities - Before each LTTA, the theme was established, the students worked within the film clubs, under the guidance of the members of the implementation team. From the participant target group there were 6-7 (5+1/2 reserves) were selected to participate in each LTTA based on their active involvement. Upon returning from the LTTA, participant students held workshops in which they shared with their peers the filmmaking skills gained from the project experiences. 3.Gathering a collection of materials related to filming applications – development started after the first LLTA in Bulgaria.The materials presented during the hosted LTTA were shared by each country and uploaded to E-Twinning in the project space resulting in a methodology for running a film club. 4.Dissemination – carried out permanently throughout the project: on websites and Facebook pages and the e-twinning space created at the beginning of the project and updated once a month and after each major event of the project. 5.Follow-up and sustainability-Each school will continue a film club after the project ends. RESULTS AND IMPACT Students have developed critical and analytical thinking skills, ICT and filming skills, they are more aware of social issues, similarities and differences between their countries. They will develop their English communication, teamwork, negotiation and organizational skills. They have acquired values such as tolerance, respect and acceptance of people from different countries and who have a different culture. Teachers exchanged best practices, practiced English communication and improved their digital skills, organizational skills and teaching methods and tools. The institutions strengthened their cooperation with other European schools and their experience in running Erasmus+ projects, made themselves visible on an international level and promoted a positive image.