Digi Hands Erasmus Project

Project Title

Digi Hands

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; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

The main priority of our project ‘Digi Hands’ was to develop digital competences to raise standards of basic skills in numeracy and literacy across the curriculum in all partner schools. We stimulated the pupils with our international theme of ‘Work and Leisure’ through focusing on four key purposes: ambitious and capable learners; enterprising creative contributors; ethical, informed citizens and healthy, confident individuals. Through international visits we received training to improve the quality of teaching through the transversal of skills and expertise of different countries. They were as follows: digital competences across the key purposes, developing Modern Foreign Languages, increasing and improving healthy living and developing stronger links with the wider community including local, national and international businesses. The above contributed towards ethical life long learning citizens and whilst working hand in hand with our wider communities we engaged all ages in an inspirational and innovative form. The objective was to develop European links in order to share good practice in the use of ICT to develop literacy and numeracy through including the whole community with a thematic approach ‘Work and Leisure.’ ‘Digi Hands’ was based on an international theme of ‘Work and Leisure’, past, present and future of four countries and involved five European schools, two in Wales, Denmark. Italy and France. Wales and France were three primary schools: with age ranges 3 -11. The Danish and Italian schools were primary and secondary age ranges 6-15. Skills were developed across the curriculum with a multilingual and intergenerational approach. WADIF (Wales, Denmark, Italy, France) our logo bear named and created by our pupils was an important member of our team who travelled to our partner countries appearing on ‘Twitter’ worldwide whilst sharing special moments. The activities which took place were as follows: Creating a multilingual e book on the theme ‘Work and Leisure’ in the past, present and future. Each school were given a particular strand to focus on which was linked to the locality and community of the school. They were as follows: Ysgol Y Dderwen – Leisure and Tourism – showing how Carmarthen has changed over a period of time; Ysgol Peniel – agriculture, how local farming has had to diversify in order to sustain; Holluf Pile Skole – Education, how education has devolved to prepare the pupils for the 21st century’s world of work; Istituto Comprensivo Mario Giardini – Arts and Crafts, how local craftsmen have maintained their culture and skills in an ever changing world; and lastly, Ecole Félix Chevrier – agriculture and leisure and recreation, how it has changed over a period of time as a result of changes in work patterns and lifestyles. Pupils developed their linguistic skills by using a Modern Foreign Language and digital competences when presenting their varied e books related to each strand. Our ‘Five a Day’ project showed healthy lifestyles across our partner schools. We conducted a survey to measure the daily intake and hours of exercise incorporated in their lifestyles. The French and Welsh school Peniel led this project sharing numeracy and personal health and social educational skills. Apart from increasing basic skills the wider community of each partner school has increased awareness of the importance of healthy living and the use of digital learning to enhance long life learning. The project offered training opportunities for staff, pupils and the wider community. ‘Hands at Work’ – provided pupils and staff to visit workshops of local Italian craftsmen and artists in order to use skills learnt and produce their own pieces of work. The training provided lifelong learning skills which were transferred and used in their teaching methodologies. Pupils and staff shared craft making skills with their local communities and local businessmen/entrepreneurs supported the marketing of products. We used the expertise that we knew existed between the partner schools to address staff development requirements during the project. The results and impact attained were as follows: the expertise and teaching of MFL had a significant impact on teaching pupils the importance of diversity and cultural differences of communities within Europe; healthy lifestyles and intergenerational activities for the wider community showed raised standards in literacy and numeracy through digital competences; the implementation of strategic ICT measured pupils’ learning and teachers’ competences; creative arts developed entrepreneurial skills in the wider community. The project results have been disseminated via ‘Twitter’ and school websites at each stage. The long term benefits are: five contrasting communities benefitting from our innovative partnership via international and intergenerational activities. ‘Digi Hands’ is the key to 21st century technology. Digital learning at its best!

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 124935 Eur

Project Coordinator

Ysgol Y Dderwen & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Holluf Pile Skole
• Istituto Comprensivo Mario Giardini
• Ecole Félix Chevrier
• Ysgol Gymunedol Peniel