Des Cartes pour Construire et Comprendre l’Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Des Cartes pour Construire et Comprendre l’Europe

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Creativity and culture; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

For this project of exchanges of good practices, we wanted to choose a study subject which would be interesting to deal with in all countries and by all students.We chose the maps because they are both a mode of representation and a means of expression and communication, in other words, a knowledge tool for understanding the world and move around, and a language that can also induce imagination.
Three of our schools had already been partners in European projects and we have been joined by a fourth school for which this was a first experience in Erasmus+ projects.
We started from the idea that Europe today is the result of a progressive construction, based on the links between the countries throughout their history, the complex relationships between them : what unites them, brings them together, makes them different and sometimes causes dispute between them. In the current context of tensions related to integration in a changing world, it is more necessary than ever to help pupils to understand relations in Europe and to build and strengthen a sense of community, a shared citizenship across the European space.
The maps have been a major means to represent our close environment, the world in general, the networks, and to transmit them to others. The aim of our work was, by using cartography tools in various situations, to get students to better master this language and make it a shared language. We followed two main ideas : use and create maps.
We used maps for orienteering activities, for discovering local history and heritage, or for localizing in unknown places.
We produced scientific maps to show travels of great explorers or of nowodays migrants, to create cartograms or city maps.
We also produced subective maps, imaginary maps, sound maps, artistic and sensitive maps.
We used various materials or techniques : paper, plastic, online programmes.
Demography or migrations are an example of the topics that we addressed in this way. We first studied the subject in local area and then put results in perspective at the European level, thanks to the works of each partner.
We realized that maps were a useful tool for addressing learning in various subjects. They are heuristic tools that helped to build and nurture reflection on the studied themes by comparing and varying the points of view.
The other aspect explored,wasto use the maps as a genuine means of expression. Mind maps make it possible to form some ideas and can help with the construction of the thinking. Moreover, the maps can also be a means to transmit personal and subjective impressions. We addressed the issues of sensitive geography. This was held in the field of interdisciplinarity so as to give more meaning to learning. Works have often been held by international groups of our pupils during the meetings in each of our countries.
By confronting the difficulties of the group work and the emulation between peers, social skills and a sense of European identity have emerged and been highlighted.
Monitoring of the project has been provided by steering committees in each institution, two transnational meeting and teachers meeting organized during the weeeks of pupils meetings.
A website hosts now numerous works, some of which are digital : http://www.ac-grenoble.fr/MBUE/.
The works held during the two years project have developped the following competences :The language skills of students and adults involved have been improved. Language for exchanges was mainly English but French was widely used among teachers. Everyone has also been encouraged to discover the other languages of participating countries. Drawing maps has allowed us to understand better the world, both the geopolitical realities and the sensitive or imaginary world. Students master better this multifaceted language.The skills of responsibility have been worked, especially during all communication opportunities, (written, oral, verbal, symbolic), with European peers. In the future, having discovered other students, their countries, their cultures, their education systems also, will ensure greater tolerance among Europeans. The maps highlight links, this project has made us mapping out new links between us.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 115440 Eur

Project Coordinator

Collège Alex Mézenc & Country: FR

Project Partners

• ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO BIRAGO
• Agrupamento de Escolas Dr Flávio Gonçalves
• Scoala Gimnaziala, Comuna Magurele