ECCHO Exchange-Communication-Connection-Huddinge-Oostmalle Erasmus Project

Project Title

ECCHO Exchange-Communication-Connection-Huddinge-Oostmalle

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

The ECCHO project (Exchange-Communication-Connection-Huddinge-Oostmalle) is a project between a high school in Belgium, Immaculata Secundair, and a high school in Sweden, Huddingegymnasiet, and has as its central theme the discovery of the cultural heritage of both countries. The project takes place in a two-year cycle and combines virtual exchange via eTwinning with the physical mobility of pupils.

In 2019-2020, the two high schools prepare for next year’s mobility by doing an eTwinning project on cultural heritage together.
In 2020-2021 pupils will continue to work collaboratively online but will also have the opportunity to meet their partners face to face and explore in real life the cultural heritage they already learned about online. During the mobilities, activities that stimulate cooperation and communication will be combined with activities to discover the country’s cultural heritage.

By doing this project together, the two institutions want to achieve three main objectives.
1. Plurilinguism (COMMUNICATION) :
Firstly, this project wants to stimulate the motivation to learn foreign languages. The eTwinning project and the mobilities create an authentic context that allows pupils to improve their language skills outside the school walls. Participating teachers will pool their experience in foreign language teaching to develop dynamic and motivating methods that can stimulate cooperation and interaction between pupils from both countries. By developing activities together, teachers have the opportunity to present their good practice to others and to learn from others.
2. Active citizenship (CONNECTION) :
Secondly, both schools want to stimulate their students to become active citizens who assume their responsibilities in a changing society. Through the eTwinning project and the mobilities of this project, pupils can connect with different European cultures to discover the differences and similarities within Europe. Through the discovery of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the partner’s country and of their own cultural heritage, students are encouraged to adopt an open attitude towards each other.
3. European dimension at school (EXCHANGE):
Finally, this project wants to stimulate European cooperation among colleagues from both schools so that more pupils can participate in European projects. The knowledge and skills acquired during this project will be used for future European projects. The project will also be a source of inspiration for other teachers in both schools.

Two groups of 17-year-old pupils who are taking a course in French and English as a foreign language with the two teachers responsible for this project will participate. In Belgium, a limited number of pupils outside this group will be able to participate after going through a selection procedure.

The two leading teachers have both experience with eTwinning projects and are willing to help develop the European dimension at school.

This project therefore expects long-term results and benefits for the participating pupils and teachers and for both schools.
Pupils will improve their language skills and their ability to communicate in foreign languages as the eTwinning project and the mobilities create an authentic context and offer motivating activities to practise speaking in a foreign language. The project therefore enables pupils to become aware of their own abilities to function and communicate in a new situation.
By visiting together the cultural heritage already explored online through the eTwinning project, pupils will deepen their cultural knowledge of the country. Through these visits and the social contacts that follow, the pupils will gain a better understanding of the similarities and differences between the two countries and thus develop an understanding and respect for each other to become active and responsible citizens.
By realising the virtual museum together and composing the mobility programme together, pupils will learn to collaborate with their group in the classroom and to collaborate at a distance with young people from another European country.
The participating teachers will share the dynamic forms of work developed during this project with the Foreign Languages departments in the two schools and with interesseted teachers from other schools.
For both schools, this project will be an opportunity to develop their European dimension and to show more teachers the benefits and advantages of European cooperation for pupils and teaching staff. The skills and knowledge acquired during this project will be used to continue and improve European collaboration and to create new European projects. Both schools will also be able to use the results of this project to develop concrete actions in the future to better motivate pupils to learn foreign languages and to stimulate pupils to become active citizens who will take responsibility in a changing society.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 30780 Eur

Project Coordinator

Huddingegymnasiet & Country: SE

Project Partners

• Immaculata Instituut OZCS Midden Kempen