Developing Innovative Practices to Encourage International Mindedness and Career-Focused Skills Erasmus Project

Project Title

Developing Innovative Practices to Encourage International Mindedness and Career-Focused Skills

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education

Project Summary

A number of projects and resources which require a range of defined skills, namely the IB Learner Profile were developed and created. All three schools deliver the IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme) and were all fairly new in the implementation of this within their local context.

We intended on sharing the outcomes through Twinspace, newsletters and other online and marketing methodologies such as links with other schools and teacher training providers in our local areas. Some of these elements were more successful than others. Students worked in intercultural groups throughout the project. In doing so, our project led to a better understanding of European identity, the link between languages and future employment, and the diverse and changing nature of the common education and employment market of Europe. Moreover, by actively looking for the common European identity, we were able to promote and consolidate acceptance and encourage students to examine identity and culture, and the role of language within that. Students had a chance to get to know their European peers from across the globe and keep in touch with them through ICT and planned exchange trips.

As well as developing pupil’s skills, we were able to share best practice amongst staff, particularly in reference to the IBCP, so that all partners can provide training and resources for the partners in their strengths, and access support to help them with any areas they wish to develop. This meant that the project was cross-curricular and embedded as possible, but will also lead to developed resources and experience that can be shared with stakeholders outside of the partnership through open access websites such as Twinspace, and eventually training and conferences that can encourage KA1 projects.

Project activities included active teaching methods including new technologies, school trips and workshops. These went someway to encourage our students to participate in the project and develop their sense of citizenship, literacy, and language as well as stimulating their interests in the cultural and linguistic diversity of Europe.

Our schools all support students from disadvantaged backgrounds who for various reasons face social exclusion and challenges in finding further and higher education, training and employment opportunities. We were predominantly focused on our older students (aged between 15 and 19) due to the nature of the IBCP qualification, and supporting these students with careers and skills development guidance to help reduce the number of students at risk of early school leaving, and instead broaden their horizons to the opportunities for training and education in the common European marketplace.

Activities included:
1. Personal and Professional Skills: in this scheme of work students the five themes were identified by the IB: personal development, intercultural understanding, effective communication, thinking processes and applied ethics. This element of the project focused on developing skills as well as international mindedness to prepare students for a globalised career marketplace.
2. Language Development: in this scheme of work students investigated at how multilingualism can contribute to future job prospects. They study a foreign language to a ‘survival’ level as a minimum as part of the IBCP Language, but the project gave them inputus to explore elements of the culture linked to the language they are studying.
3. Service Learning and Careers: in this scheme of work students were focused on developing skills and resources for future careers. Students got vital work experience by identifying a need within their community and developing a active citizenship project to support with this need.
4. Learner Profile record Log: this written output completed by students showed ways students can show and develop the skills targeted by this project. Namely the 10 Learner Profile attributes: open-minded, risk-taking, balance, knowledgeable, thinkers, principled, communicator, inquirer, reflective, and caring. The booklet forms evidence for the development of these skills, and will have a space to allow students to reflect on each skill and the methods they used, as well as the challenges they faced whilst developing it.

Number and type of participants were selected via the IBCP programme in place in each school. In order for participants to be active they must have to be enrolled on the IBCP and this project would serve to develop the necessary skills required to pass this qualification (some elements)

Through the project the skills were developed with the aim of a long lasting impact, developing connections with local communities and businesses.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 46215 Eur

Project Coordinator

The Abbey School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Oeiras International School
• Malmö Borgarskola