CULTURE UNITED Erasmus Project

Project Title

CULTURE UNITED

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 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Cooperation between educational institutions and business; Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage

Project Summary

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT
Our project is built on cultural events and heritage festivals as a driver to embed multidisciplinary ways of teaching in primary schools. The context behind our project initiative is to appeal to the interests and natural enthusiasm of children and to use this effectively in an interactive and engaging way to learn.

OUR APPROACH
Multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary learning is a “whole” or “comprehensive” method that covers an idea, topic, or text by integrating multiple knowledge domains . It is a very powerful method of teaching that crosses the boundaries of a discipline or curriculum in order to enhance the scope and depth of learning.
How does this relate to our plans? Synergy is the primary force behind multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary learning. Imagine being able to teach character development, basic math, and basic science concepts via a classic text. How about basic geography, writing skills, and point of view from the same materials?
Is it possible to also teach about comprehension, sequence, literal vs. non-literal, imagination, plot, theme, compare and contrast, opinion pieces, vocabulary, friendship, bullying, and critical thinking?
The answer is yes, and the genre is legends, myths, and fables. All found in regional culture & heritage. This is best experienced by having pupils and their teachers take part in exciting interactive cultural events, and by working inspired by these events & themes in a multidisciplinary way at school in the weeks/months before and after partaking in the event.

OUR OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
* For teachers:
As a result of their active involvement with CULTURE UNITED primary school teachers will improve their ability to:
1) plan and execute their curricula and lessons to be more regionally relevant,
2) align existing learning materials to this matter and develop additional materials where needed,
3) combine fields which are traditionally taught separately in a multidisciplinary way of teaching, based on regional culture and heritage, and
4) work with and involve third parties in education.

As a result their teaching will also improve because of their enhanced didactic skills. The teachers will have more didactic tools at their disposal, which will allow them to provide their pupils with a rich and engaging learning environment strengthening pupils’ sense of connectedness to their learning.

* For pupils:
The enhanced lessons will deepen the pupils’ immersion in the teaching materials. This will ensure improved final results in a more challenging learning environment.

* For school organisations:
The schools’ vision of education will be enhanced (regionally and real world oriented in a multidisciplinary way). Furthermore, the school will expand its outlook mainly as a result of the new contacts with regional cultural events organisers and other relevant key players to become a fully local community involved and outward-looking organisation. This process will create a new dimension in the range of education, which will allow the school to profile itself towards outwards to parents and the inspectorate.

In addition, we will target cultural event organisers with a specific output (IO3) and commit them via our Regional Education-Culture Unions (IO2) to primary education and education innovation.

All Open Educational Resources will go onto our IO4 Online community & platform.

METHODOLOGY
With primary school partners and cultural events organisers on board the consortium in every partner region working together, we transnationally join forces to come to innovative and universal support tools for school teachers and cultural event organisers to use across European regions. Making optimal use of expertise and resources found among our complementary partners.

The project will be delivered and sustained by 9 partners spread across 5 countries:
• Stichting Beleef & Herinner (NL)
• Kunstkade (NL)
• Municipality of Oulu (FI)
• Oulu International School (FI)
• Creative Spark (IE)
• Gael Scoil Dun Dealgan primary school (IE)
• Edinburgh City Council (UK)
• Unique Events (UK)
• Open Education Community (BE)

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 402860 Eur

Project Coordinator

Stichting Beleef en Herinner & Country: NL

Project Partners

• Gaelscoil Dhún Dealgan
• Creative Spark Limited
• OULUN KAUPUNKI
• Kunstkade
• THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL
• Open Education Community foundation
• Oulu International School:Oulu Kaupunki