Access21 Empowering Students Erasmus Project

Project Title

Access21 Empowering Students

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Access for disadvantaged; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

This project aims to address educational inequality through widening the participation of students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds in higher and further education (HE/FE) across Europe. Although participation rates in HE/FE have increased in general over the last few years, a pattern of inequality in access to and completion of quality post-secondary education/training persists among students, based on their socioeconomic status (SES) (Jerrim, 2013).
Widening participation is an important objective because low educational attainment influences other socioeconomic factors, such as unemployment and the risk of poverty or social exclusion. Higher levels of education prepare people to participate more fully in society and the economy (Eurostat, 2017; Jerrim, 2013); moreover, people with post-secondary education report higher levels of life satisfaction and personal well-being (HEFSE, 2017).
This project brings together four partners institutions, three schools and one university, from three countries across Europe, to develop, adapt, and expand an existing “widening participation” programme (Trinity Access 21, ‘TA21’) in European schools, ultimately helping more students achieve their potential. The Access21 Programme will be built around TA21’s four core practices: (1) using 21st century teaching and learning (21CL) practices in the classroom to prepare students with necessary 21C skills; (2) a mentoring programme, matching students with successful people from their community; (3) a pathways to college practice, providing students with the key information they need to apply for and to achieve in college; and (4) leadership through service, where students develop leadership skills through designing and implementing a community-based service project.
To achieve the project aims, the four partner organisations—who have various levels of expertise related to 21CL practices, mentoring, pathways to college, and leadership through service—will collaborate to develop best practices and resources. Through a series of workshops, as well as ongoing support, the teachers participating in the project will learn to establish/refine the core practices in their schools. The Access21 project is designed to have lasting impact: the workshops will also prepare those teachers to educate others practitioners in establishing and developing the four core practices.
Using a combination of the practical and practitioner-focused design-based research (DBR) methodology (Anderson & Shattuck, 2012), as well a design-thinking approach (dschool.stanford.edu/), which encourages an iterative process of development, the project will create an Access21 Programme coursebook, consisting of four modules, each addressing the process of implementing one of the core practices. These modules could be adapted for a variety of educational contexts and accredited by universities. An Access21 programme website will be created to publicly and freely share all of these materials, enabling a wider range of educators will to help their students achieve their educational aspirations and potential.

It is envisaged that the project will have a significant impact on multiple groups. First, the core cohort of participating teachers will develop their capacity and confidence in implementing the core practices in their schools; they will be empowered to create/refine an Access21 programme and will be prepared to teach other educators about them. Teachers will expand their network and potential to collaborate with other European educators, and build their action research skills.
The students of these teachers will also benefit from their schools’ involvement in the project. Students will develop: their (1) confidence in key 21C skills, such as communication, critical thinking, technological fluency; (2) their social network by being paired with a mentor, who guides them in making educational and career choices; (3) their understanding of a variety of post-secondary school options and application processes; and (4) valuable leadership skills and knowledge of critical social issues. Essentially, more low SES students will be equipped with the tools they require to achieve their aspirations.
Finally, this project will impact other universities, schools and educational institutions, who want to use the materials (such as the modules) for their own purposes, extending the impact internationally and beyond the project’s life. We also envision that the research related to the project will impact educational policy locally and throughout Europe, as it will be directly related to the EU’s focus on widening-participation in third-level education among a more diverse population of students.
The work completed for this project will evolve and continue to impact students of low SES backgrounds for years to come and provide more students of diverse backgrounds with increased educational opportunities.

Project Website

http://access21-project.scss.tcd.ie/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 247570 Eur

Project Coordinator

THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN & Country: IE

Project Partners

• I.C. Val Rendena
• Mercy Secondary School, Goldenbridge
• Institut Ribera Baixa