Stress-free and inspirational learning for a more effective European classroom Erasmus Project

Project Title

Stress-free and inspirational learning for a more effective European classroom

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: Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Pedagogy and didactics; Research and innovation

Project Summary

The project is an investigation into the teaching strategies which motivate students and reduce their anxiety in the English and Science classrooms. This project is multi-leveled. On a student level the aim is to give the students not just the opportunity to learn about other cultures and to experience an exchange but also research experience.
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Students will learn both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The quantitative methods begin with a motivational teaching strategies questionnaire for students (200) in each school and the foreign language classroom anxiety inventory (FLCAI, Walker & Panayides, 2014) (200 in each school). During the first year tools will be designed for the science classroom for the second year. Qualitative data collection is based on students interviewing their peers and teachers. Students will learn to analyse data and use this to create questionnaires to use in local schools related to each aspect of the project. Autonomy is an important concept in the project and students will be advised and taught but mainly encouraged to reflect and work autonomously from their teachers and to learn to work in multi-national groups both during the mobilities and in-between via the Internet.
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On a teacher level, teachers develop professionally in the areas of motivation and anxiety and learn from their students as part of the ongoing pedagogical implications of the project. The project design is cyclical in that students and teacher investigate, analyse, learn, reflect and make pedagogical suggestions for the EFL classroom in year one and begin disseminating the findings while repeating the process in year two for the Science classroom.12 students and 8 teachers from each school will participate in the 5 training activities but due to the project design the overall participants will be exceed 2000.
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This means that the project will benefit a very wide audience during the project and the dissemination prospects are vast.Student profiles: every effort will be made to include the most diverse student population possible, including students with less opportunities.Teacher profiles: English, Science, Maths and ICT teachers as well as educational psychologists. At least 2 have extensive experience in research enabling them to guide and teach the students data methods. The original questionnaires are based on the doctoral work of one of the coordinators, she is therefore qualified to conduct professional development seminars and workshops. Many of the teachers have extensive experience in transnational projects and will be able to advise and guide the less experienced.Activities include: The research componentProfessional development webinarsCultural and educational activities during mobilities.
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The construction of learning trees during the mobilities which become a permanent fixture in the schools and an innovative form of disseminating the results of each aspect of the project.Results include:Insight into student motivational needs and experiences of classroom anxiety.Lists of teaching strategies which students scientifically prove to positively influence motivation and reduce anxiety.Publications in school magazines, and local newspapers on the Erasmus experience and results.Academic articles of the results so as to fill research gaps.Impact:Teachers in the participating school and local area will be able to implement the pedagogical suggestions and improve the learning experience for their students, combating ESL.Participating students gain cultural and research experience.
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All involved will improve their digital competences.As the language of communication is exclusively English, both written and oral English language competences will be improved.The local communities will gain from reduced ESL and cultural interrelations.Long-term benefits:More inspirational teaching practice which reduce anxiety.Improved learning experience for student of EFL and Science.Reduced ESL and students who are motivated and not anxious in the school environment are more willing to remain.Potential improvement of student results as motivated students tend to pay more attention and participate more in their studies.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 127020 Eur

Project Coordinator

Kalajoen Lukio & Country: FI

Project Partners

• INSTITUT MARINA
• Vilniaus Vasilijaus Kacialovo gimnazija
• IISS C. Marchesi
• LYKEIO POLEMIDION