Developing strategies for innovative learning contexts fostering integration in schools Erasmus Project

Project Title

Developing strategies for innovative learning contexts fostering integration in 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 : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Integration of refugees; Migrants’ issues; Pedagogy and didactics

Project Summary

The recent migration waves have been posing increasing challenges to the national education systems and to the quality of education and learning at large. In particular, the presence of an increasing number of pupils with a foreign background in pre-schools, primary schools and lower secondary schools has opened up questions about how to adapt the learning context to a situation characterised by the presence of pupils in the classes not only with different cultural background but different levels of language knowledge. The partnership has decided to address more effectively the organizational settings of schools in relation to the continuity between levels (pre-school and primary and primary and lower secondary). In this light the learning spaces (both virtual and real) and methods facilitating inclusion while offering opportunities for development and achievements to all students are an important element to consider. Last but not least the training of the teachers and other staff to deal more effectively with a multicultural situation in the class.The project has aimed to contributing to a reflection on the creation of a learning context at local level and at school level which is able to meet the challenges posed by the recent migration waves.The specific objectives have been:1. To exchange good practices on the organizational settings facilitating transition across the different educational levels especially for those with a foreign background2. To reflect upon and adapt solutions which can lead to learning spaces producing a faster integration without jeopardize achievements of the whole class3. To identify training needs of teachers in relation to learning spaces and the specificities of multicultural classes and define a training path.The partnership is trilateral and it is led by a bilateral network of local and regional authorities (SERN), four municipalities (Ravenna, Collecchio, Linkoping and Norrkoping) , one association of schools (CECE), two schools (IC Guatelli and IC Da Vinci) and a university (University of Parma). The participants in the project have been: teachers at pre-school, primary and lower secondary level, Headmasters and school leaders, educators policy makers.The activities foreseen by the project consisted of four transnational meetings for coordination and management (TPM) ; four transnational seminars (LTTA) targeting transition between school cycles, learning environments and skills of the teachers, a pilot training course based on the exchange of practices targeting teachers. The project partnership organised also four local dissemination meetings.The main results achieved by the project have been: an increased awareness about the importance of organizational settings in schools leading to a smoother transition across levels, an improved knowledge about strategies facilitating transition among headmasters, policy makers and civil servants in the three countries; improved skills of the teachers pertaining learning environment fostering school results and integration, and Improved knowledge about practices on management of multicultural classes; new practices tested and transferred in particular from Sweden to Italy.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 151820 Eur

Project Coordinator

SWEDEN EMILIA ROMAGNA NETWORK & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Utbildningskontoret, Norrköpings Kommun
• Istituto Comprensivo Ettore Guatelli
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PARMA
• County Administrative Board of Östergötland
• CONFEDERACION ESPANOLA DE CENTROS DE ENSENANZA ASOCIACION C.E.C.E.
• ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO SAN BIAGIO
• The Municipality of Linköping