Digital Days: Digitalisation in Upper Secondary School Erasmus Project

Project Title

Digital Days: Digitalisation in Upper Secondary School

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

Context:
Young people today need to be equipped for a future which is getting increasingly digitalised. It is essential that this challenge is taken on by the educational system as part of the responsibility to train and form young people. That is the aim of this project: to prepare students for digital requirements both in their civic life and as future professionals, to strengthen the students’ ability to think critically by focusing on digital formation, and to give teachers the required digital skills.
In order to achieve the objectives, the project is divided into 4 themes:
1. Digitalisation in everyday life
2. Digitalisation in school and exchange of best practice
3. Digital citizens in a democratic society
4. A future digital work life

Participants:
Skanderborg Gymnasium (Denmark), Sortland Videregående Skole (Norway), Mosa-RT (Belgium) and Teknikum (Sweden). Project leaders: Anne Blum (Denmark), Neil Clarke (Norway), Maarten Hermans (Belgium) and Joel Esaiasson (Sweden) + 14 subject teachers (4 from each school). Approximately 120 students from the participating schools will participate in the project, and 24 students between 16 and 18 will go on each Learning activity (6 from each school).The main beneficiaries of the project are thus the students and secondly the teachers. Parents and families will also benefit from the project as will local associated partners.

Activities:
1. Digitalisation in everyday life
The first theme focuses on digitalisation in everyday life of the students. The students will examine their own use of digital media and discuss consequences and effects.The students will become aware of digital addiction, as well as experiment with digital detox in order to qualify the discussion. The theme will also deal with digital formation and ethical guidelines on online behaviour.
2. Digitalisation in school and exchange of best practice
In theme 2 teaching methodology is a focal point by exploring how to use digital media in the educational system, both in terms of already known and new digital programs. Also, the theme will carry out activities without the use of digital media and compare learning results with other groups of students. Thereby, the students will be able to consider and discuss strengths and weaknesses of digital media in learning processes. The teachers will exchange best practice and discuss digital solutions from a didactical angle.
3.Digital citizens in a democratic society
In this theme we delve into the students as citizens in the surrounding society. The students will interview social groups marginalised to the use of digitalisation. This will raise their awareness on the consequences for these groups and enable the students to debate possible solutions to the digital challenges of society, preferably with local decision makers. Lastly, this theme will enhance the students’ critical thinking by dealing with the urgent issues of fake news and cyber-crime.
4. A future digital work life
The final theme adds to theme 3 by looking at the need for digital skills in the future. Here the students will choose an associated partner, e.g. a local company or a public workplace, in order to make an in-depth analysis of current digital skills and needs for the future. The student groups will compare and contrast their results and conclude whether the educational system needs to change its practices in order to equip students for a future work life.

Methodology: All activities will be implemented by a wide range of innovative teaching methods both in and outside school: critical thinking, digital competence, collaboration and teamwork, communication skills, metacognition and personal and social responsibility. The European Framework for the Digital Competences of Educators will be used when equipping teachers with required digital skills, and the EU SELFIE-tool when assessing how the project has succeeded in applying digital technologies into teaching and learning.

Results:
Increased reflection among students regarding digital solutions, increased skills of handling new digital programs, knowledge of what is required in future workplaces, enhanced critical thinking and awareness regarding threats in cyberspace, and skills in ethical communication as part of engaging in a democratic society as responsible citizens. As for the teachers, they will have a firm foundation when it comes to teaching with digital solutions, as an essential addition to their current methods and didactical practice.

Long-term benefits:
At the core of the project are the students who will benefit by having enhanced digital knowledge and skills. They will be digitally equipped to a greater extent than preceding students, and they will benefit from new teaching methods. Also, they will develop personally and culturally by being part of a cross-cultural event. At each school the project will be mainstreamed and used for succeeding classes, thus securing sustainability of the results.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 17300 Eur

Project Coordinator

Skanderborg Gymnasium & Country: DK

Project Partners

• Teknikum
• Sortland Videregående Skole
• Mosa-RT College Heilig Kruis – Sint-Ursula B