Developing Skills for a Brighter Future Erasmus Project

Project Title

Developing Skills for a Brighter Future

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: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Access for disadvantaged

Project Summary

School and colleges across the EU are working hard to prepare their pupils for the world of work. However, it is impossible to predict the careers and opportunities that will be available in the future. An increasing number of jobs – many of which haven’t been invented yet – will come to depend on STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) skills, and such careers are among the fastest growing worldwide.

From 2003 to 2013, the number of people working in STEM related occupations grew by 12%. According to a study for the EMPL Committee, Encouraging STEM Studies (2015) , ‘In the European Union employment of STEM skilled labour is increasing in spite of the economic crisis and demand is expected to grow. At the same time, high numbers of STEM workers are approaching retirement age. Around 7 million job openings are forecast until 2025’. For these reasons, the development of STEM related skills are a high priority for the schools and colleges of all EU countries.

Digital competencies are also seen as vital for today’s workforce. In the 2016 OECD report ‘Skills for a Digital World’, they explain that, ‘The pervasiveness of digital technologies in daily life is fundamentally changing the way individuals access and elaborate knowledge. Individuals have to process complex information, think systematically and take decisions weighting different forms of evidence. They also have to continuously update their skills to match rapid technical changes at the workplace’. Skills related to digital competencies are viewed as vital for future careers.

The schools involved in this Erasmus+ project have all identified a need to develop the STEM, digital competency and employability skills of their pupils. The lack of teacher skills and expertise, can be a barrier to the development of digital competency skills in school. For this reason, teacher training will be a specific objective of the project. Teachers will receive training to develop their skills in ‘coding’ using BBC Micro:Bits. Once the pupils have developed the ability to use the Micro:Bit software they will be given a ‘learning challenge’. They will be asked to develop the use of the Micro:Bit in their science or technology lessons. For example, they may decide to programme the Micro:Bit to record temperature during a science investigation, or operate a model car. Pupils will need to collaborate, express their ideas clearly, innovate and evaluate their products.

During the second year of the project teachers will continue to develop their awareness of resources which could be used in their own classrooms. They will learn about the ‘Project on a Page’ design technology resource which links science with technology through a range of practical activities. Again, pupils will be challenged to complete of the projects. They will share their work via emails, eTwinning and other digital technologies. At the end of the final year, the ‘Big Bang’ event will take place in Romania. As many pupils and teachers as possible will travel to the event to present and exhibit their work. They will have the opportunity to share the products that they have created and evaluate the impact that the activities have had on their learning.

Teachers will attempt to work alongside local universities and businesses to support their work within schools and provide a real-life context for the skills being developed. Learners will obtain an insight into STEM related careers and opportunities.

There will be three schools involved in the project and the target age-group will be 10-11 years. Approximately 100 pupils will be involved in the project across the three schools. Many of the pupils involved in the project are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Working with schools, universities and businesses across the EU will broaden the horizons of these pupils. The project will provide selected pupils with the opportunity to travel. For many, it will be their first time abroad. Pupils will be able to share ideas and learn from each other whilst working in a real-life contact. A baseline assessment based on the EU DigComp and EntreComp frameworks will take place at the beginning and end of the project to enable teachers to gather quantitative data about the impact on the skills of the pupils and teachers involved.

Training received and resources purchased as part of the project will have a positive long-term impact on the ability of the school to develop the STEM, digital competency and employability skills of their pupils. The activities are designed to build capacity within the schools. The project will also raise the profile of STEM related careers within the local community as pupils will be expected to disseminate their learning to the wider learning community, including parents and governors. This may be in the form of presentations, learning events and open days. Above all, the aim is to provide our pupils with some of the vital skills that will need to give them a brighter future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 52973 Eur

Project Coordinator

Malpas Court Primary School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Ecole JR GUILLOT
• Scoala Gimnaziala Nr. 4 “Elena Donici Cantacuzino”