In a context characterised by the effects of migration, information and communication technologies, the situation of COVID-19 was a major challenge for social cohesion, inclusion and teaching practices in the different European education systems. Studies published at the time highlighted the digital divide experienced in schools by both families and teachers. However, previous studies had already recognised the competence and value of innovative and inclusive practices developed by teachers in schools with special difficulties.The aim of the PIECIT project is to promote social inclusion through a double priority: (1) inclusive educational practices with digital media and (2) training and capacity building of teachers based on their experiences. The project identifies, analyses and assesses previous inclusive practices carried out with digital media by different European schools. These practices are the basis for developing tools and competences that promote the implementation of creative and innovative solutions to the challenges brought about by the pandemic situation. In this way, other teachers can reinforce and develop strategies to respond to the needs of their schools.PIECIT is a balanced consortium of 7 partners from 4 EU countries committed to establishing a sustainable partnership over time. It is composed of 3 pairs of university-school partners from Spain, Italy and Portugal, and a technology partner which is the University of Cyprus. All the activities leading to the implementation of each of the project results, as well as the organisation of the multiplier events and transnational meetings, have been coordinated and led by different partners, establishing co-responsibility and cooperation as a fundamental pillar among the partners. Methodologically, the project combines (1) the design and implementation of a digital platform as a basis for the generation of a network of inclusive schools and (2) the design of a triple guide focused on teacher training for the development of inclusive practices through digital media within reach. The respective outcomes are as follows: (1) The creation of "a network of inclusive schools" in relation to successful practices for improving student inclusion. It is a digital platform open to participation and exchange that allows to generate and develop tools, materials and skills that help to discover innovative and inclusive solutions with digital media at hand, to disseminate them in schools and universities, and to generate new projects that reinforce the R&D&I system and the researched realities. (2) A triple guide, developed jointly by school teachers and university teachers involved, in conjunction with management teams, teachers and families, shows how inclusive practices are approached, based on the needs and potential of each context. The training and empowerment of teachers in relation to families and the community, from the reflection and reconstruction of their practices to facilitate the participation of all students is a result of significant importance. The open nature of the guides and their editable format allow them to be adapted for use in different schools. The project undoubtedly supports the inclusion of students and shows the value and potential of schools that, despite digital, social and territorial divides, respond to their social and technological needs and become examples of inclusion. The project contributes to the empowerment of schools, but its impact and benefits are also projected on Higher Education institutions and society at large at local, national and European level
The objectives that were aimed to achieve were as follows: (1) Expand and disseminate comprehensive knowledge of an educational reality within disadvantaged populations, driven by the involvement of both universities and schools. (2) Recognize this reality as an ideal framework for the development of research, policies, creative educational practices, and the empowerment of teachers, students, and families within schools. Specifically, the project objectives are as follows: Within the school environment Short-term: Strengthen the culture of innovation, creativity, and inclusion through interaction, self-awareness, and empowerment. Long-term: Develop and promote innovative projects of continuity in research. Regarding digital technology Short-term: Broaden and disseminate comprehensive knowledge of an educational reality within disadvantaged populations regarding the use of digital technologies. Long-term: Consolidate a structure of research and innovation of excellence. With global impact Short-term: Dissemination of project results. Long-term: Reinforce the strengths of the R&D&I System and alleviate weaknesses in educational policies and practices.
The PIECIT application was linked to the interest in contributing to the advancement of knowledge, understanding, and the development of innovative inclusion practices, with a transnational character, in countries experiencing high levels of migratory movements. The focus was on educational centers that work on population facing social, cultural, and economic disadvantages. All of this was achieved through cooperation among members of universities and educational institutions. The addressed needs are related to (i) the situations experienced during the COVID-19 period by school management teams, teachers, and families in schools facing particular difficulties, considering both the opportunities and limitations posed by digital media; (ii) the limited visibility of successful practices associated with the use of digital media carried out by the teaching staff of these schools; and (iii) the development of the value of genuine educational practices linked to digital media, utilizing the resources at their disposal to create new practices that address the shortcomings they faced due to the COVID-19 situation.