Sports formula Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sports formula

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; Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); Natural sciences

Project Summary

Participants from five countries: Croatia, France, Italy, Poland and Latvia (coordinator) participated in the “Sport Formula” project. This included high school students aged 14 to 19, who are studying mathematics, IT and science. Partners have acknowledged that PISA results are average or below the average level, and general didactic results show that schools: 1) formal mathematical tasks are more likely to be dealt with than connected with a real life; 2) the use of ICT can improve students’ motivation to learn by allowing them to control learning outcomes. Therefore, the project was aimed at developing students’ ability to combine their acquired skills in mathematics and science in a complex way that would allow students to read and discover the world around them. In order to achieve this goal, it was necessary to renew and develop teachers’ methodological teaching skills. The methodological renewal was implemented by sharing online and during our meetings, practical classes, and collaborating with international universities (University of Latvia, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Perugia University, Zagreb University), other schools and science centres (Copernican Science Centre in Warsaw and Futuroscope In France), which helped partners bring valuable experience in short-term joint staff training activities.
Teachers also discussed and developed methodological materials on “problem generation and solutions” in various aspects, as required by the actual situation analysis. One of the most innovative aspects of the project was the use of this methodology by offering students the choice of sports problems themselves (such as floor ball, darts, and long-distance), where the themes selected helped students rise motivation to learn science subjects. Particular attention was paid to the development of various digital learning tools (GeoGebra, “Using R” and other free softwares) and activities that were based on the use of various ICT resources. The main result of the project was an e-book “Enjoy Maths and Physics through sport”, which was developed in cooperation with the teachers of mathematics and science. This e-book, step by step, will help students solve their sports-related challenges. In order to solve these problems, it was necessary to use ICT resources and in some cases at a particularly disciplined level. The products that were created during the project will inspire our colleagues in Europe to use new teaching methods, tools and assessments that address to general and specific skills in science.
The project also involved pupils aged 14-19 years: they participated in project planning and evaluation at all stages of the project. During their nobilities in partner schools students actively participated in discussions: how to improve the quality of learning in mathematics and science; what kind of problems in sport can be solved through mathematics and science, where students learned to base their opinions and find arguments for research work. Different ICT tools were used to create pupils’ works and presentations. Many activities involved teamwork. The final result of a pupil project is an e-book “Sport with Maths and Sciences eyes”, which is so formed during the visits and interactions between all of them. At the international conference, students presented theoretical arguments about one of the sportsmen through mathematics and science. During the visit pupils and teachers were introduced to the cultural heritage, history, customs and traditions of other countries, thereby reinforcing the sense of personal, national and European identity.
An eTwinning project was created as a main means of communication between teachers and pupils. Communication between teachers was also via e-mail, Facebook, Goggle Drive and WhattsApp (as informal communication). All materials created during the project were posted on the project website at www.sportsformula.eu, on the school homepage and on the eTwinning platform. The above sites will be available until they are no longer valid in the evolution of technology. The communication language was English and this helped to develop the ability of pupils and teachers to communicate in another language. Thanks to successful cooperation, most of the partners worked on developing a new project and submitted an application for the continuation of the Erasmus + project “Mathsbuster”, approved by the Latvian National Agency in summer 2018 and the main coordinator is Secondary School of Kalnciems.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 102870 Eur

Project Coordinator

Jelgavas 4.vidusskola & Country: LV

Project Partners

• EPLEFPA de Poitiers-Venours
• Druga gimnazija Varazdin
• Zespol Szkol Elektronicznych i Licealnych
• LICEO SCIENTIFICO EDOARDO AMALDI