Evolving Patterns of Diversity Erasmus Project

Project Title

Evolving Patterns of Diversity

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: Creativity and culture; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

United in Diversity is the European Union’s official motto. The project involved schools from diverse countries and cultures, in particular Malta and Graz, Austria. Throughout the project we worked together to embrace multiculturalism in Europe and to explore the many differences and similarities between the countries. This project aimed at encouraging students to discover and explore some of Europe’s cultural heritage, and to reinforce a sense of belonging to a common European family. The project focused on the countries’ evolving patterns of diversity, and beyond, in a holistic way: diversity in seasonal, geographical, nature, architecture and culinary patterns. This project, which was initiated in 2018, followed the European of Cultural Heritage slogan: “Our heritage: where the past meets the future”. The project served to bind past traditional patterns with the present and to form responsible citizens that will shape the future of Europe.
A project-based learning attitude was adopted, which allowed students to delve better in curricular subjects. Students developed skills to learn in a diverse way. Objectives and end results were:
1. To enhance the 5 Cs of education, mainly creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and cooperation, that are required to function as successful future citizens; This was observed when students created the educational brochures, posters, the final culinary book and other presentations.
2. To increase participants’ overall competencies and skills, in particular:
To widen the artistic skills and competences of all participants eg design of brochures, book etc;
To increase their scientific competences eg Environmental and Biology fieldwork and nutritional benefits posters;
To increase the students’ entrepreneurial skills eg they were tour leaders during exchange visits;
To increase the students’ competences in using digital tools and online programs that go beyond the traditional mode of teaching eg using InDesign to create brochures and book;
To adopt a holistic approach to the teaching and learning of languages, mainly during communication on social media between students and during the exchange visits;
3. To increase and instil amongst participants a sense of intercultural awareness and learning, as well as the importance of values of diversity and inclusion. For example organised workshops to educate students about cultural inheritance in various local museums. Other workshops to educate them about culinary inheritance were organised, during which students participated actively in the actual cooking.
4. To provide increased and varied learning and mobility opportunities for disadvantaged and at-risk learners. All activities were modified to include the less able students that participated in this project. Learning support educators guided such students.
All activities were carried out in small teams, enhancing leadership skills and collaboration.
Each partner school was represented by a team of enthusiastic teachers who all got actively involved in the activities of the project. The project was planned as a team and worked as one team. There was NO activity in which students worked on their own! This is a project about diversity and diversity amongst students has been promoted. They always worked in teams to support the less advantaged students. Furthermore, international teams were created to strengthen friendship bonds. Teams were changed from one activity to the following in order to build bonds among all involved.
The project has definitely enhanced the learning and teaching process. Tangible results, mainly educational and historical brochures, posters and the culinary book can be used by successive students attending the school. Being interactive, these products can increase retention of content and improve students’ attitudes toward learning.
Beyond the school scenario, this project served students to acquire skills to tackle realistic problems as they would be solved in the real world. Students found their voice through working in teams, and learnt to take pride in their work, boosting self confidence and self esteem. Students learnt to look at problems with a critical thinking lens, asking questions and coming up with possible solutions to such questions. It has instilled a meaningful change in all participants, promoting friendship skills, problem solving skills, a positive self-image, and respect for others. By the end of the project all students showed tolerance to the differences among their peers. This project has proved that when project-based learning is practiced, there is a decline in absenteeism, an increase in cooperative learning skills, and improvement in student achievement.

The project has been awarded:
The National and European eTwinning Quality Label
The Best National eTwinning Project 2020 (Secondary Schools)
The project with the Best Digital Use in the EMBED awards

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 71683,52 Eur

Project Coordinator

St Theresa College Secondary School & Country: MT

Project Partners

• RG Modellschule Graz