Effective International Partnership: Success for Every Student Erasmus Project

Project Title

Effective International Partnership: Success for Every Student

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: Pedagogy and didactics; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

In the national strategic documents (Lithuania progress strategy “Lithuania 2030”, 2014-2020 National progress program, State education 2013-2022 strategy) the aims to the country’s education system is ambitious: to create an advanced, modern and strong state, characterized by a harmonious society, dermis of economy and management. The greatest impact to the development of country have changes of Lithuania citizens culture, thinking, behavior and the prevailing valuables in society, so the imagination, creativity, critical thinking is seen as important for the country’s resources, trained from an early age all life. In the EU and Lithuanian educational policy documents education of higher skills are identified as most important factor of creation of country well-being and progress. In the European social market economy strategy “Europe 2020” emphasized that the high level of skills – the ability to learn, solve problems, to think rationally, independently and critically, collaborate, adapt to the constantly changing world are the most important strategic factors for growth of today economy.
At present, the weakest are the most important spheres of Lithuanian schools activities – education and learning, help for students. According to the data of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) conducted fifteen-year old international study PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) in 2015, the results of the Lithuanian students learning do not satisfied the community and public expectations.
PISA study shows that in the country there are many students whose achievements are low, and few of those who are able to achieve the highest levels of achievement. Compared Lithuania and partner countries (Norway, Latvia, Turkey) study results it is obvious that Lithuania, Latvia and Turkey student achievement results are lower than the OECD average. Norwegian pupils’ skills are higher than the OECD average, the country is interested in the achievements would be better, or at least remain stable. This situation brings the challenges to find effective measures to improve each student’s progress, to create a school that helps all students to spread their skills. The quality of education, improving student achievement – one of the most important partner countries education improvement challenges.
The opportunities for the changes of culture of thinking education could create the proper selection of education (learning) tasks that require strategic, creative, innovative approach and many measures for students education of thinking. There is a lack of systematic thinking of students in the different school levels. Till today there were prepared too little education (learning) measures that would educate a higher level of thinking through playful, interactive activities, integrating a variety of learning things and be eligible to the student achievement, needs, exciting the desire to learn.
By educational method “Thinking school” students and teachers are included to learn to think reflectively, critically and creatively, and to adapt these skills jointly constructing meaningful learning program. Successful achievement of students reflects in student’s skills to act independently and in cooperation, in the learning with satisfaction. More than 300 Thinking Schools operate successfully in the United Kingdom. According to the latest research, carried out by the University of Exeter (2012), these schools demonstrate the effectiveness of the method to students’ achievements, their motivation to learn, school attendance, as well as the benefit for the school community.
The aim of the project – to consolidate existing knowledge and to create training tools for learners and educators (teachers and parents) internationally, which would contribute a higher level of critical and creative thinking, through experiential, playful and information technologies training (learning) methods. The project developed innovative educational products: educational (learning) measures for students (different age groups) and the guide of educational (learning) measures to educators (teachers and parents). The main aim of measures (through interactive, playful activities, integrating a various subjects, using of outdoor spaces) to develop students’ higher-level thinking skills, holistic thinking. Ensuring the quality of education (learning) measures, in the partner institutions was done a practical testing of created measures. The activities of the project included 72 teachers and 360 students.
Created effective and modern educational (learning) measures improved the quality of teachers’ work, provide a higher quality education, help to the students to achieve better learning results, creates favorable conditions for the development of innovative education.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 174440 Eur

Project Coordinator

Kaunas in service teacher training center & Country: LT

Project Partners

• Rigas Izglitibas un informativi metodiskais centrs
• Kauno sv. Kazimiero progimnazija
• Kaunas “Saule” Gymnasium
• KOCAELI IL MILLI EGITIM MUDURLUGU
• Kauno lopselis-darzelis “Giliukas”
• Kauno Panemunes pradine mokykla
• Fitjar vidaregåande skule