Cultural heritage in the focus of European schools Erasmus Project

Project Title

Cultural heritage in the focus of European schools

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage

Project Summary

Given that Europe is going through a momentum of change, it is essential for every organization in the educational sector to make sure that all European countries cooperate so that Europe can succeed in guaranteeing a common future for the younger generation. Erasmus+ is oriented towards the “Europe 2020” strategy (smart, sustainable and inclusive growth) and the “European Education and Training 2020” strategy for European cooperation. The focus of our project was to contribute to these common European purposes and priorities by encouraging young students to learn about European values which enable them to participate in the European cultural and social life.
By working together on our project, including exchange visits and meetings in the partner countries, we directly followed the guidelines of the Paris Declaration, “Europe belongs to us and we belong to Europe”.

In dealing with the European cultural heritage we could clearly demonstrate our common roots to the younger generation.
This connecting element, the tradition and numerous cultural monuments were made aware.

The project work and the securing of the results was be done by means of digital media. First of all, the participants were introduced to the appropriate use of new media. This knowledge was used by them in class and will be useful in their future working life.

That is why media literacy (or media education) has already been adopted in many European curricula. It was supported by a critical analysis of new digital products.

As part of the project, digital media enabled open, differentiated forms of learning, offered opportunities to do justice to the individuality of the individual and promoted independent learning.

The students used various apps to present their final results. These have been published on our homepage (www.european-heritage.rocks) and can be viewed and used at any time.

The participants got to know the meaning of an existing, already awarded European cultural monument and took responsibility for choosing a cultural monument from their hometown that was worthy of appreciation and had not yet been awarded a prize. A self-designed cultural label was awarded in the end.

For the final presentation, members of the community, school and representatives of the press have been invited.

In order to ensure sustainability, we want this award to continue to be part of school development in the following years.

We want the close cooperation, not only with the local authorities, but also with the participating schools beyond this project.

When we selected participants (age group 15-18, number 5 to 8 students per school), we paid attention to choose students from socially disadvantaged families, have an immigration background, suffer from any kind of learning disability or even be a potential school dropout.
Experienced teachers who were open to innovations as well as willing to share their experiences have accompany the project.

Not only the participants were involved in the project, but all the other pupils and teachers of the schools, too; also representatives of companies and trade centres; professional craftsmen, artists and musicians; parents and other family members; representatives of the public authorities, the media and the politics; as well as other relevant persons from every partner country.
Finally, the project was evaluated by all those involved in the form of a questionnaire.
With this project we were able to increase the professionalism of the teachers through the exchange of experiences and innovations. Private contacts between the project participants continued beyond the project. European cooperation was felt to be very valuable in the working groups.

Our participants, the youngsters, the “heirs of our heritage” themselves will become ambassadors of our European cultural heritage by experiencing common roots.

Project Website

http://www.european-heritage.rocks/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 122886,85 Eur

Project Coordinator

Erich Kästner-Mittelschule & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Gymnazium Kromeriz
• IPS F.S. CABRINI
• The Canterbury Academy
• Daugavpils_15.vidusskola