Digital Schools Contest Erasmus Project

Project Title

Digital Schools Contest

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); Research and innovation; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Context/background of the project
The Survey of schools: ICT in Education, ( Digital Agenda for Europe) outline how the ICT provision and use in European schools is improving but several obstacles remain. Firstly, teachers still believe that insufficient ICT equipment is the biggest obstacle to ICT use in many countries. Secondly, whilst teachers are using ICT for preparing classes, ICT use in the classroom for learning is infrequent. Teacher training in ICT is rarely compulsory and most teachers devote spare time to private study. Thirdly, students and teachers have the highest use of ICT and ICT learning-based activities when schools combine policies on ICT integration in teaching and learning. However, most schools do not have such an overarching policy. Therefore it is not surprising that teachers generally believe that there is a need for radical change to take place for ICT to be fully exploited in teaching and learning. Despite the fact that having access and positive attitudes towards implementing ICT into their teaching and learning, teachers often find this difficult and require on-going support – not only technical but also pedagogical.

Objectives
Throughout the planned activities, DISCO project enhanced the key competences and skills on ICT and learning performance of young people attending schools, through promoting quality improvements, innovation excellence at the level of education, in particular through enhanced transnational cooperation between education and training providers and other stakeholders in the field of ICT integration in Schools (teaching and management).
Moreover the project has boosted the emergence and raise awareness of a European lifelong learning area designed to complement policy reforms at national level and to support the modernization of education systems, in particular through enhanced dissemination of good practices and cooperation. Also special attention was given to enhancing the digital integration in learning, teaching, at various levels: supporting ICT-based teaching, as well as ICT-based assessment practices. In particular, supporting teachers, educational staff in acquiring or improving the use of ICT for learning and related digital competences.

Number and profile of participating organisations;
There were 5 partners in the project from 4 countries:
– SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY TETOVO – Macedonia, (SEEU) is private, public, not for profit higher education institution, consisting of faculties, centers and institutes as its integral part, specialized in socio-economic sciences.
– SSOU MOSHA PIJADE – Tetovo – Macedonia, VET high school with students from 14 to 18 years old. The school is a regional center as well in which students from the city of Tetovo and surrounding villages are attending the lectures and educational process in general.
– Pakize Kokulu Anadolu Lisesi- Turkey, governmental organisation working within the National Education Department of Mersin Province.
– Inercia Digital S.L. – Spain, young company, established in 2012 in Andalucía (Spain) which provides specialization e-learning on several sectors.
– ZENDENSINO – Cooperativa de Ensino IPRL, Portugal. The Professional school of Esposende was created in 1993, as a result of a Contract Program celebrated between the Ministry of the Education and the promotional entities, respectively the City Council of Esposende.

Description of undertaken main activities
Study of best practices and case studies – During the first 6 months of the project, a comparative survey was carried out in each participating organizations’ countries with a focus on the strategy of ICT integration in schools.
Training on methodology on ICT in education – Training on methodology in ICT integration in education in 5 best practices selected, was delivered for 25 teachers.
Digital School Distinction – Contest for Digital schools was organized
Web site and OER – Web site was created (www.digitalschools.eu) and all materials from the project were shared.
Dissemination multiplier events – In order to spread the results of the project, 9 multiplier events were organized.

Results and impact attained
4 case studies, 25 best practices, 25 trained teachers in ICT, Guide for schools, more than 20 schools participated in contest are the results from the project that have impacted more than 2000 teachers, more than 2000 students and about 30000 stakeholders.

Longer-term benefits
The project have encouraged long-term collaboration between schools and other research and training organizations with a view on ICT integration in education establishing exchanges of good practices, for the creation of a dedicated network.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 142831 Eur

Project Coordinator

SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY TETOVO*INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH & Country: MK

Project Partners

• Pakize Kokulu Anadolu Lisesi
• ZENDENSINO – Cooperativa de Ensino IPRL
• SSOU MOSHA PIJADE – Tetovo
• INERCIA DIGITAL SL