SHARING EUROPEAN VALUES USING FILM AND CINEMA Erasmus Project

Project Title

SHARING EUROPEAN VALUES USING FILM AND CINEMA

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 : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

Of the goals epitomized by the European Union in its Agenda 2020, the areas of education, employment and social integration are of central importance to our project. The project – involving 5 secondary schools from UK, LT, PT, IT,TR and included students aged 15-20 – was an Initiative taking its rationale from a Press release of European Commission on 19 April 2013, Brussels. It recognised that ICT and digital skills level of students –in line with Key findings of the study EU Commission –needed improvement. (http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release)
The aim was to improve student’s skill level in ICT, digital literacy, competence in language skills. The media of films and cinema were used to work on fundamental values like tolerance, respect and acceptance in different life situations. We tackled challenging issues surrounding racism, people with additional support needs, belonging to a group, having different social backgrounds, refugees and gender inequalities. There were five subtopics one for each partner school.
Our focus on these themes encouraged the use of ICT, digital devices and soft-ware programmes. This approach connected two important issues in the heart of the project. Students and teachers focusing on social issues to develop skills and produce digital outcomes. Cinema was used as the central connection for these issues since it is the ideal medium to marry both social issues with skill development in ICT and technology. As the main body of our project, students observed, critiqued and made movies focusing on our social awareness themes as defined from national and international examples. The 4 exchange visits of pupils as L/T/T/A were vital to the success of the project since this allowed students to actively work together developing not only their ICT skills but cultural and social awareness.

MAIN ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT
CINEMA FORUM: Choosing a national movie to discuss the films’ contents and messages. Discussing the films in working groups.
SHORT MOVIES: Producing a short film for each mobility on the theme of the project meeting
OUR MOVIE: EUROPE UNITE US: This title will be the name of the film made by students, Production of an international short film during the meetings

OBJECTIVES
– To discuss the films’ contents and messages and learning to watch the right movies
– To develop critical thinking skills by analysing cultural documents (movies)
– To develop writing skills (scripts, screenplays, convention)
– To develop practical skills in: film making, editing, making posters, film music, producing photography
– To improve digital and artistic skills by making 4 short films
– To improve ICT skills
– To improve language skills and learn some elements of the partner languages

NUMBER AND PROFILE OF THE PARTICIPANTS
Students/teenagers: Project activities included at least 50 students in every school. There will be 10 groups of students and every group will involve 5 of participant students. Selection criteria was announced at the very beginning of the activities so none of the students’ sense of justice will be damaged. Approximately 1200 students/teenagers were indirectly affected.

Teachers/Adults: There were teams at least 7 teachers in each partner organisation so 35 in total were active in project activities. There were teachers from a variety of disciplines including English, Maths, Psychology Counselor, ICT teacher and a Physical Education teacher/trainer. Approximately 150 teachers/adults were indirectly affected.

Administrative staff: The head teacher/chairman and a depute head took part in the project. Approximately 25 administrative staff were indirectly affected.

Families: The number of family members was approx. 300 in total; they contributed by introducing the host country’s culture, traditions and traditional foods for international evenings. Approximately 480 family members were indirectly affected.
Local community: local press, municipality, directorate of national education and PTA helped to disseminate the project to a wider community. Approximately 800 people from local community were indirectly affected.

RESULTS AND IMPACTS
Through our project the five partners created both short-term and long-term tangible and intangible results. The biggest impact achieved was enabling students to overcome lack of self-esteem and develop as global citizens.
It helped to pupils in many ways i.e. prevention of social exclusion, of early school leaving, developing foreign language learning, national and international consciousness, improving ICT skills.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 125705 Eur

Project Coordinator

Kilmarnock Academy & Country: UK

Project Partners

• GOKSUN FEN LISESI
• Polo Liceale Statale “R. Mattioli”
• Siauliu sporto gimnazija
• EPA Carvalhais