Education system – democratic force that helps to prepare students to actively participate in all aspects of economical, environment and social life in local communities Erasmus Project

Project Title

Education system – democratic force that helps to prepare students to actively participate in all aspects of economical, environment and social life in local communities

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

High school students are immediate – “tomorrow’s” democratic force of our society who should actively participate in all aspects of economical, environment and social life in local communities. Unfortunately, performed surveys show they have scarce knowledge and are not interested in getting involved in any aspect of local community existence. The project aimed to contribute in increasing the present and future generations of high schools students’ skills and competences to face different challenges in everyday social life from different perspectives and to become active members of their local communities. To achieve this, the project focused on increased skills and competences of the teachers, for teamwork and cooperation that leads to development and implementation of common education approach for their students.

The project aimed to present advantages of using of “learning by doing” students-based approach in topics of high community interest. This project also supported teachers in adopting cooperative and innovative practices with their training to apply some of the existing web 2.0 tools (OER) and eTwinning platform to increase their skills in application of ICT-based techniques, which leads to development of more attractive learning approaches towards students.

The project was implemented by 9 PP, 3 partners form each country (Bulgaria, Slovenia and North Macedonia) involved, those were: 3 high schools (HS of Economics and Management (BG), HS “Ljupco Santov” (MK) and School Centre Velenje (SLO)), 3 local public bodies (Pazardzhik Municipality (BG), Public utility “Vodovod” Kochani (MK) and Ljudska univerza Velenje (SLO)) and 3 NGOs (CSEG (BG), MAGA (MK) and KSSENA (SLO)). High schools participated with teachers (3×3) trained on implementation of OER in school subjects and learning-by-doing methods, and they became part of teachers’ network, and were guiding students during the project; also 45 students (15×3) increased competences and skills in creation of Virtual Cities through team work.

CSEG, MAGA and KSSENA had responsibility to deal with coordination and organization of the project activities; preparation of education handbook; training for ICT-based tools, using of RES and implementation of EE measures; dissemination of project’s results; organization of national dissemination events. Local public bodies were engaged in teachers’ training for community managements topics, for human rights and anti-discrimination, preparation of Document for strategic transnational partnership and increasing of public awareness.

The activities carried out in the frame of the project were the following: project management, coordination and implementation; preparation of materials and necessary IT equipment for transnational meetings and short-term trainings; short-term trainings to increase teachers’ skills and competences; mentors and students’ teams work on development of “Virtual City”; development and printing of the intellectual outputs; development and maintenance of project web-site; preparation of brochures and leaflets; organization of media publications and press releases; preparation of presentations for final dissemination events.

Foreseen methodology that was used within the short-term joint staff training events and long-term teaching assignment was a mix of theoretical and practical participatory approaches, accompanied by using of ICT based methodologies. The most suitable is so called “learning-by-doing” method.

The results achieved with the project activities were: Handbook for teachers; Document for strategic transnational partnership; 9 HS teachers with increased skills for practical use of OER (web 2.0 tools); Established teachers’ network through eTwinning module; 9 teachers – mentors with increased competences and skills for team work to develop common theoretical and practical teaching approach on the topics related with community issues; 45 students with increased teamwork skills in developing own educational approach for facing the challenges of active citizenship in local community; 9 students with increased skills and competences in transnational cooperation; 190 stakeholders became familiar with new students based “learning-by-doing” educational approach and the 2 intellectual outputs; project Web site, which is presenting all project activities and will be active a minimum of 3 years beyond the project end.

Joint team work led to establishment of good partnership among project partners, increase their overall competences and skills for the implementation of new joint projects in the future. Secondary schools benefited from students’ satisfaction with the quality of learning methods, new methodologies and opportunities for research and learning, networking opportunities with other educational institutions, enhanced capacity for transnational cooperation.

Project Website

http://myvirtualtown.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 178316 Eur

Project Coordinator

SDRUZENIE Tzentar za Ustoychivost i Ikonomichesko Razvitie & Country: BG

Project Partners

• MACEDONIAN GEOTHERMAL ASSOCIATION (MAGA)
• Andragoski zavod Ljudska univerza Velenje
• PROFESIONALNA GIMNAZIYA PO IKONOMIKA I MENIDZHMANT
• Sredno Opstinsko Uciliste Ljupco Santov p.o. Kocani
• ZAVOD ENERGETSKA AGENCIJA ZA SAVINJSKO SALESKO IN KOROSKO
• Komunalno Javno Pretprijatie Vodovod Kochani
• PAZARDZHIK MUNICIPALITY