COVID crisis at spring 2019 revealed absolute unpreparedness of Middle European school systems in terms of digital and distance learning. With a few exceptions, schools and teachers found it very difficult to teach remotely / digitally, and if so, they were unable to take full advantage of all the possibilities and benefits of this type of education. Our project responses not only to the urgent situation but wite also reflect longterm tendencies in modern education, it's built on educators needs, our knowledge of the school environment and also the private sector, experience in creating valuable outputs. The goal of the project is to gather innovative educational methods and approaches across the partnership countries, to support teachers and increase their knowledge and skills in education using digital skills and approaches to education, that reflect changing society and changing needs of pupils. Through the project, we will prepare a platform dedicated directly to teachers to help them to prepare our kids for the future. The platform will consist of: - 21 sample lessons - prepared by teachers - innovators, who managed the distance learning using their own methods, individual approach and creativity. Lessons will cover the widest possible range of digital tools, all age groups in basic education, a wide range of approaches while maintaining respect and netiquette. In these lessons, teachers will show how to pass the material remotely while developing relationships and key competencies. - guide "Education for future" - rules, tips and tricks on how to educate kids using digital tools, take care of and build relationships, respect kids needs, reflect their strengths, build their competencies and creativity - database of digital tools dedicated/accessible to teachers and database of digital tools lecturers - database of open education resources Quality of the project output will be ensured by the expertise, devotion and experience of partnering organisations and the project team consisting of project managers, methodologists, digital tool lecturers, education workers and IT specialists. The project will be implemented in the period from IV/2021 to III/2023. A wide range of organisations and individuals from the field of education are involved in the preparation and implementation of the project - NGOs, founding and umbrella organisations, schools, a private company, municipality, digital tool lecturers, individual teachers, methodologists and representants of elementary schools.
The objective of the project was to gather innovative educational methods and approaches across the partnership countries, to support teachers and increase their knowledge and skills in education using digital tools and approaches to education, that reflect changing society and changing needs of pupils. The knowledge was supposed to be (and in fact was) shared among project countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland) and outside (therefore translated to the English language). We wanted to provide teachers from Poland, Czechia and Slovakia with support, knowledge, sources and motivation to use a wide range of digital tools in order to provide distance/digital learning on a high level, to include digital tools in regular education, show teachers different approaches to educations that reflect the needs of pupils and their growth for the future.
The project was created as a response to the COVID pandemic and the new situation educators were suddenly facing. From one day to the next, schools were closed, teaching was transferred to the online space, and teachers had to immediately jump into distance learning, with which they mostly had no experience until then. As part of the survey of the needs of the target group, we found that the problem for them is not ignorance of technology, but a lack of inspiration on how to use digital technology in practice. The project goal was discussed with the target group (primary school teachers in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and the final project was adjusted to their current needs. The project activities were complementary to the regular activities of the individual actors of the partnership and developed and enriched all of us further.