Student Teachers’ Practice for Democratic Culture Erasmus Project

Project Title

Student Teachers’ Practice for Democratic Culture

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 higher 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; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

The project Student Teachers Practice for Democratic Culture – STEP UP-DC attempts to connect Competences for Democratic Culture (CDC) and teacher training, especially Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD). It is essentially an innovative intervention in Practice Training Program (PTP) of student teachers and educators (pre-school, primary and secondary education). It covers the existing need for more cohesive and inclusive societies which allow citizens to play an active role in democratic life. So the project covers the existing need of introducing the training on CDC, disseminating at the same time the CDC training model in the education of the countries of Europe (Council of Europe, 2016). It includes the development and implementation of a Training Program (TP) and its Certification on teaching CDC during the PTP of the student teachers and educators. In order to fulfill that, it provides the creation of an Open Educational Sources website, aimed to support and disseminate project material/results throughout Europe. The fundamental aims of the project are to:
• connect CDC to the PTP of teachers,
• develop competences and skills of teaching CDC in pre-school, primary and secondary education,
• support those who deal with the teaching of CDC in Higher Education, providing open access educational material,
• influence educational policies on teacher training in order to focus on CDC,
• develop a democratic culture through education, and
• create a cooperation model between universities, dealing with innovative activities and their effective evaluation.
The objectives of the project are to
• promote the democratic culture in school education by enhancing skill, knowledge, and understanding of student teachers and educators,
• provide a clear and practical module of a Teachers Training Program on the implementation of CDC which could lead to certification connecting CDC and teacher training, especially Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in Higher Education Institutes and Organisations
• open up a discussion on how the PTP of preschool, primary and secondary student teachers should incorporate TP on CDC aiming that all teachers will be certified to have the skills to support the development of democratic culture through the curriculum and school life,
• respond to the growing demand of teachers for official certification of their knowledge and skills developing a certification process of teaching the CDC,
• provide an open educational web resource consisting of practical resources and guidelines accessible for student teachers and all structures, such as Universities, Colleges of Education, Ministries, in order to give them the opportunity to integrate a student teachers Training in PTP, during the ITT across Europe and beyond,
• develop a set of quality indicators for the implementation of CDC in PTPs.
The partnership and the objectives of the project refer directly to the EU modernization agenda and are strongly aligned with the Erasmus plus KA2 priorities focusing on achievement of relevant and high quality skill and competences supporting the social engagement of higher education institutions, promoting intercultural and civic competences of students, supporting innovation and creativity, through partnerships and inter-and transdisciplinary approaches, and ensuring education and research are mutually reinforcing, incentivizing and rewarding good teaching.
The project lasts for 30 months and is divided into four phases. It includes specific outputs, which are produced by the partners after cooperation, trainings as well as transnational meetings. In parallel, the TP and the Certification process are being designed, created, led by online Open Educational Resources in English and Greek and a model of evaluation of the pedagogical and educational project is developed, using impact evaluation process.
Furthermore, the project includes dissemination activities at the local, regional and European level. For this purpose, conferences, workshops, and trainings are organized. For the benefit of the activities, two short term joint staff training events play a significant role, including training and support by experts within partners and others.
The project is expected to have an immediate impact at the PTP of pre-school, primary and secondary education Departments of the participating Universities, the groups of student teachers that participate at the piloting of TP and its Certification, the school communities that take part at the PTP (students, teachers, head-teachers, parents), and the local communities since the project promote democratic culture.
Finally, it is expected to have an impact and results to the connection of higher education to the development of democratic culture in education and in society in general because it will contribute to the awareness development of those who wish to live together as equals in culturally diverse democratic societies.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 283471 Eur

Project Coordinator

ETHNIKO KAI KAPODISTRIAKO PANEPISTIMIO ATHINON & Country: EL

Project Partners

• PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS
• Agora Social Production ApS
• The European Wergeland Centre
• EDEX – EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE CORPORATION LIMITED
• LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY