Echoes from the Future – TED-Ed for Erasmus Erasmus Project

Project Title

Echoes from the Future – TED-Ed for Erasmus

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: Creativity and culture; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

The project “Echoes from the Future” was born from consolidated experiences of the partners and wants to build on them. Through the example and model of TED-Ed clubs, the proposed project focuses on the importance of spreading “ideas of value”, especially the ideas of our students, and on how we can help young people to spread these ideas effectively through the practice of public speaking. Throughout our 2 year experience as members of the TED-ED clubs’ network, we have had the opportunity and privilege to witness a dramatic growth in our students’ communicative and creative skills as well as in their self-confidence. The positive feedback received from teachers, students, families, local authorities and members of the community, has inspired this project which aims to further enrich the experience with an international dimension. We aim to embrace the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by designing a learning experience which engages students in practicing a wide range of skills fostering a sense of global citizenship, critical thinking and innovative ideas. The final outcome of this process will be a live TED-style event in which students of different European countries will present on stage their thoughts and ideas and will give voice to their dreams for a better, sustainable future. The European dimension will amplify the power and impact of the experience thanks to the contributions of all the partner schools to the research and development of “ideas worth spreading”. Students of different countries will work together with peers, building on their cultural backgrounds and supporting each other, to deepen their knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals, to discuss and to celebrate their creative ideas. Following the guidelines of the TED-Ed curriculum, they will learn how to present their ideas, reaching a larger audience and make their voice go global.
The group made of 5 partner schools has been formed on the basis of previous collaborations and background. Thanks to previous eTwinning and Erasmus projects we have already had the opportunity to work together. Each partner will contribute according to their profile and expertise to the development of ideas whether for practical solutions (as done by the vocational schools in the project “iVet4D”) or for green entrepreneurship (as done in the project “Yell” with the Belgian school). The only “new” partner is the Greek school that we came to know through the TED-Ed clubs’ network and soon showed great interest in the project. Being an international school whose motto is “Empowering individuals as architects of their own learning”, perfectly matches the project philosophy. The organization of project activities will follow the guidelines of the TED-Ed program, with the development of various stages to support students in the discovery, exploration, and presentation of their big ideas in the form of short, TED-style talks. Parts of the work will be done at a distance, thanks to a dedicated Twinspace on the eTwinning platform which will be an essential communication and collaboration tool, and partly during the Learning Teaching Training activities which will be an important step of the Face to Face process.
We believe multiple benefits and a positive impact will come from participation in the project with opportunities for reinforcing and enlarging the international network of partner schools. First, cooperation will produce an improvement in the quality of education in our systems. Secondly, learners will constructively build on new ideas with peers from other countries while developing communicative and public speaking skills. Thirdly teachers will be able to use new approaches and methodologies in the classrooms. Additionally, teachers and students will improve their competencies in ICT and foreign language. Lastly, students will broaden their horizons and strengthen their sense of belonging to the European community.
Dissemination of project experience could also represent a model and a reference point for other schools that would like to improve their international dimension and adopt novel and more active student-centered approaches.
By means of this collaboration, we will bring together students from different European countries, make them reflect on current world challenges, engage in collaborative research in support of possible solutions, spark their curiosities and creative, innovative ideas, all the while strengthening their belief that each of us can make a difference.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 103352 Eur

Project Coordinator

ISTITUTO TECNICO INDUSTRIALE STATALE ALESSANDRO VOLTA & Country: IT

Project Partners

• GO! atheneum De Ring Leuven
• Landesberufsschule Bregenz 1
• Staatliche Berufsschule Weißenburg