Travel broadens the mind Erasmus Project

Project Title

Travel broadens the mind

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: Creativity and culture; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

‘Travel broadens the mind’, duration-24, involved 6 schools from 6 countries- Bulgaria (Vocational School of Agriculture-coordinator) and partners: Turkey (Secondary school), Romania (College of Economics), Italy (Secondary school), Poland (Primary, Gymnasium and High school) and Portugal (Pre-school to Secondary school). The idea of the project was related to consolidation of knowledge and skills acquired at school, building up on them and gaining new ones in different areas such as geography, history, culture, traditions, folklore, the way of life, culinary. Тhe project aimed at broadening students’ mind, developing their skills to a higher level and reaching sustainability of basic knowledge and skills. It helped their personal development, strengthened social inclusion, gave access to quality education and lifelong learning. All participants observed the principle of equal opportunities and non-discrimination.
General objectives: elaboration and applying of methodology, rules of understanding and communication with the different; live contact between people from different countries, traditions and cultures; a students’ observation of possibilities, ways and habits of socializing and understanding the different; establishing partnerships to exchange knowledge and good practices; visits to other countries to increase chances for development.
Specific objectives: attempts for communication of people from different countries, style of living, traditions; regular contacts; knowledge and skills to avoid risk behaviour; enhancing teachers’ personal and professional skills.
Participants: students (aged 12-18), who took part in the project activities on a national level, including 9 students with special educational needs, teachers, families, stakeholders. Three transnational meetings(TM) were held: (M1) in Bulgaria, November 2016; (M2) in Poland, October 2017, (M3) in Turkey, April 2018.
Methodology: teamwork and collaborative work; compliance with students’ opinions; encouraging students participation by contributing ideas and doing project work; adopting and applying creativity and innovative approaches of learning, developing foreign language skills, priority to intercultural communication and integration, respecting linguistic, cultural and social differences.
Main activities: After the project approval all schools selected project teams. We created an email group, a Facebook page and made registration in eTwinning Portal. The participants agreed on the dates and set the tasks for each TM. Each school recruited and assigned the tasks to students and selected 2 teachers to present the implemented tasks at the TMs. We analysed the implemented activities and tasks, had discussions about difficulties and made decisions regarding the ways of resolving them. The participants exchanged information and products, had discussions on applying different methods for overcoming barriers in intercultural communication. After the meetings partners made school windows and familiarised their students and colleagues with the results. We informed the public through publications in the local media and on the school websites. The team regularly uploaded project materials in eTwinning and the Facebook page. We conducted surveys to find out how big the participants’ footprint is and the participants’ satisfaction from the project. We drew and included parents and local communities in the project activities. The teams did a preliminary study of companies providing travel services. The accountant organized the accounting and stored the project documentation. The proper implementation of the budget was monitored.
We achieved: promoted tolerance, social cohesion and solidarity; gained experience in being tolerant; students understood why people are different and behave differently; it helped them to overcome the barriers in communication; teachers improved their communication with international students and colleagues, exchanged ideas about ways of communication; developed intercultural dialogues with colleagues and students; established better relations between teachers, students and the community; made our schools more attractive.
Influence: The acquired knowledge and skills were shared with the students studying a foreign language and different professions. The public got acquainted with high quality education and spread good experience.
The project impact on students found expression in enhancing general competences; strengthening students’ motivation and increasing their self-confidence. The planned activities contributed to development of a complex of competences. They became more resourceful, organized and shared their experience with other students. The project results contributed to reinforced collaboration with other educational institutions.
Long-term benefits: All participants gained experience in working on European projects and have motivation to contribute to development of other projects in the future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 60730 Eur

Project Coordinator

ZEMEDELSKA PROFESIONALNA GIMNAZIA KLIMENT TIMIRYAZEV & Country: BG

Project Partners

• Haci Cevriye Unsal Ortaokulu
• Colegiul Economic M. Kogalniceanu
• Miejski Zespol Szkol
• Agrupamento de Escolas de Vila Real de Santo Antonio
• Istituto Istruzione Superiore “G. Carducci”
• Publiczne Gimnazjum w Cieszanowie-Nowym Siole