Schooltopia – Visions of our school of the future Erasmus Project

Project Title

Schooltopia – Visions of our school of the future

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Creativity and culture; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

How can three European partner schools combine the common concern of strengthening central key competences of their pupils with the idea of expanding the intercultural capacity of action of young people through life-oriented learning? – Through a joint project in which the learners are encouraged to actively participate in the design of their “school of the future”!

The aim of our project is to make young people aware of their potential to actively contribute to the design of their living environments by developing their own creative ideas for a “school of the future” and working cooperatively on its implementation. By taking responsibility for their own learning and action and focusing on goal orientation and teamwork, the project aims at contributing to a comprehensive personal development on the one hand, and on the other hand to bring a European sense of belonging and awareness of active European citizenship across to the pupils. The possibility of working across borders gives the students the chance to shape European visions of the future together. In the long term, we want to encourage young people’s willingness to get involved in improving their own reality of life and to recognise European cooperation as enriching.

The work on the contents and activities of the project will take place within the school curriculum during special project hours and during three real exchange phases throughout the project. Project work within the school includes the creative development and shaping of ideas for a “school of the future” as well as the exchange of ideas with partner pupils through eTwinning and preparation for mobility. In both real and virtual situations, the pupils create different products for their “school of the future” during the joint workshops during the exchange phases. These products should both be concrete results that can actually be implemented in their own school during the project (e.g. the design of certain rooms or schoolyard areas or forms of school togetherness) and ideal ideas of what a “school of the future” could look like. This need not be feasible at first, but can be designed digitally or artistically. During their stays abroad, the pupils receive further impulses for designing their “school of the future” both by getting to know the partner schools and by participating in thematic workshops.

All real and virtual exchange activities during the project are conducted in English, so that all participants can participate and international communication is encouraged. During the planned project activities, which all originate from their own life reality, the students should consciously and mindful deal with their environment. Through contact with the partner schools, they not only learn about the visions of the other participants on the subject of “Future Schools”, but also get to know their (school) reality. The comparison creates an openness towards the “other” and promotes the joint development of ideas and the implementation of innovations for their own school.

A central key competence is taking over responsibility for one’s own learning process and actions. This will be promoted during project hours and workshops in the context of real exchange phases through forms of independent learning in which the students work together in teams. Interdisciplinary suggestions are given and the teacher is seen as a companion of the project. The ongoing exchange of ideas and results through eTwinning also contributes to a goal-oriented way of working.

The participating pupils are between 12 and 15 years old. There are approximately 20 pupils per school working in the project groups. During each of the three real exchange phases, approximately 10 pupils will travel to one of the partner schools. This will ensure that all participants will have the opportunity to gain an insight into another school and to experience the country´s and partner school´s way of life and culture in direct exchange.

To publicise the project results, all three schools will organise exhibitions at the end of the project to which not only those directly involved in school life but also the general public will be invited. A joint digital exhibition of the results will also be published in the TwinSpace. This will allow the dissemination not only of the main ideas of Erasmus+, but also of the concrete visions of young people towards a European “school of the future”.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 84064 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gymnasium Köln Pesch & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Sammonlahden koulu
• Stichting Katholiek Voortgezet Onderwijs Nieuwegein/IJsselstein e.o.