European DNA Erasmus Project

Project Title

European DNA

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

When examining the needs of our students, we noticed deficits within the broadly understood area of cultural heritage. With the aim of solving this problem, we came up with the initiative of the project which is inspired by the European Year of Cultural Heritage. After diagnosing the needs of our students, we started looking for schools of partners with similar problems. We defined the project goals that were consistent for each school:
– raising the awareness of young people about the cultural heritage of their country and other countries taking part in the project
– creating awareness that protects the common heritage of the world
– making students aware that cultural heritage is a strategic element for achieving a united Europe that guarantees peace, security and freedom
– contributing to inter-cultural dialogue and cooperation
– promoting openness, tolerance and respect for diversity by educating the project participants to establish and maintain contacts with representatives of other cultures
– stimulating responsible citizenship
– improving language skills of teaching staff and students
– showing the participants of the project the necessity of improving their English language proficiency in order to communicate freely and increase their opportunities on the labour markets of other countries
– use of new IT tools in teaching and international cooperation (Edmodo / Skype / Kahoot / Padlet)
– strengthening the European dimension of the school through the cooperation of international schools
– skills in discussion and debate
– counteracting stereotypical thinking
Successful implementation of these goals will bring concrete and measurable results and will solve the problems identified in our institutions. We want to help project participants become conscious citizens of the European Union through their implementation.
During the process of project implementation, language competency shaped by frequent and natural communication situations, will also increase.
Another notable need in times of universal digitization, is developing the competencies of students and, especially teachers, in the field of IT. Therefore, program participants, both young people and school staff will use modern technologies in the project work related to learning about cultural heritage.
Visiting historical places, analysing photos of places related to the history and culture of individual countries, and processing them in various applications will broaden students’ knowledge, historically, linguistically and in their use of IT.
Virtual and live tours will refer to the history and culture of our countries.
Workshops on preparing regional dishes, presentations on the Mediterranean diet, as well as a festival of song, dance and music, will allow students to observe cultural diversity. An element of cultural heritage that will be proposed to students will also be a craft lesson (pottery).
Visits to interactive museums will present the story in an accessible and attractive way.
A Skype club will be created, which will improve students’ communication skills and open their class to the world.
A project website will be created, which will be the journal of the project events.
By implementing the project’s goals, we will organize on-line project meetings. Teachers will be able to freely use tools that are attractive to their students, and thus increase their motivation to learn.
Using English in all project works, creating materials, presentations and communication will definitely result in a more efficient command of the language.

Students aged 15-17 will be involved in the project. Various school community groups, teachers, pupils, parents, school staff and, indirectly, representatives of local authorities will participate in the project. The project will cover several hundred students and teachers among the community of five schools – participants of the project, who will be the main recipients of our project. Teachers of different specialisations will be involved : history, art, culture, national languages , English and Latin language teachers and IT professionals.
Participation in the project will definitely contribute to the development of the schools involved in the long-term perspective.
Both teachers and students will acquire new skills such as communication and presentation skills, decision making, problem solving and conflict management, creativity, teamwork and solidarity. Project participants will become Europeans aware of their cultural heritage. The sense of personal development and achievement will lead to increased motivation and satisfaction.
We will actively use the results of the project after its completion, introducing the subject of cultural heritage to the curriculum in our schools, which will ensure the use of the projects results in the long term.

Project Website

http://europeandna.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 114283,04 Eur

Project Coordinator

Zespol Szkol Technicznych & Country: PL

Project Partners

• MARTI SOROLLA COOP.V.
• Agrupamento de Escolas Dr. Alberto Iria
• 6o Gymnasio Patras
• Vilniaus “Santaros” gimnazija