LET`S IMPROVE Erasmus Project

Project Title

LET`S IMPROVE

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 school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

This Erasmus+ project aims to show the cognitive benefits that can be acquired by even very young children when they are taught how to play chess. Several research support the educational benefits of chess, so that by using chess and other logical games as a component of maths instruction, the learning effect is multiplied. We use logical games to tackle under achievement in schools, which based on the recent PISA studies, all participating countries in this programme are in need.

Integrating practical and theoretical knowledge in primary education institutions` curricula can provide opportunities for students to gain the skills needed now and in the future on the labour market, and thus improve their future employability. The local authorities in each participating country have identified a need to improve the quality of education in Numeracy and Business Studies for future employability, therefore the Strategic Partnership will support a project-based collaboration between students and staff, to develop, test and adopt a joint curriculum between participating Primary Schools, based on an exhaustive needs analysis and focusing on a “real-life” transnational approach.

The objectives of the project are to improve the quality of education in maths and business studies and to increase the take-up of these subjects in upper secondary and higher education. The Strategic Partnership will support the development of better progression routes into higher education and graduation, with a specific focus on non-traditional learners, such as students from under-represented groups or with disadvantaged backgrounds, by transferring and testing innovative approaches.

With an aim of improving numeracy and financial literacy competences of disadvantaged student groups (socio-economically disadvantaged), monitoring and support of this student population will also be tested in particular via tailor-made services that aim at preventing drop-out and encouraging graduation within the expected time.

The Strategic Partnership will also imply teaching/learning activities, including student mobility. The final result is the adaptation of the model, its implementation by participating Primary Schools and the dissemination to organisations beyond the partnership, aiming in particular at other education providers and key policy-maker.
The project activities take place both through the project TwinSpace on the eTwinning site and face to face where a group of pupils from each school participate with their teachers. The project activities involve staff exchange between the participating organisations, with the aim of exchanging experiences and good practice. The partners share materials and resources, and develop units of cross-curricular work in maths and business studies, that are tested in primary schools. At the same time, a research compilation in the field is conducted, and discussed during a transnational meeting where a final handbook is developed and plans the testing and evaluation of the improved methodology

The contributions made during the project work will be published in English and national languages. It will be presented to the attention of the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, youth and science and other cultural institutions connected to the topic. The virtual exhibition will popularize the European heritage. The results from all activities will be popularized and published. The schools intend to make use of the results of this project in their educational implementations. To ensure sustainability and dissemination of project results, the Strategic Partnership foresees conferences at local, national and European level, as well as designs jointly a follow-up strategy.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 112110 Eur

Project Coordinator

Ballysillan Primary School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• 50th Primary School of Patras
• Budapest XXI. Kerületi Karácsony Sándor Általános Iskola
• Kirsehir 30 Agustos Zafer Ilkokulu
• Scoala Gimnaziala “Pia Bratianu”
• St Clare’s Primary School