Hei! – Hello European Islands! – Our STEAMM Journey Across Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Hei! – Hello European Islands! – Our STEAMM Journey Across Europe

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Health and wellbeing; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

Context/background of our project
Partners in our project have collaborated with European colleagues across Europe for over a decade, some of the engagement transpired through involvement in the Comenius programme and there is also a strong familiarity with eTwinning. We are passionate about European exchange, co-operation and learning. The experience gained through previous programmes led to teaching and learning being enriched by increased inclusion of the European dimension. The project idea grew through discourse based on recognising a need for improved positive attitudes towards our islands coupled with enhanced engagement with STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths and Mental Health) on our island schools.
Objectives of our project
Our project enhanced the ‘STEAMM’ teaching and learning that takes place in our schools by sharing the innovative practices which we use across the member islands. Teachers and pupils grew their abilities in all of the STEAMM subjects. Through collaboration and hosting workshops on our islands and online we created learning scenarios and experiences which will benefit the holistic development of our pupils and grow the confidence and skillsets of our educators. The project achieved this through technology embedded in teaching and learning. The project members considered it crucial to promote European values and enable the pupils and teachers to feel like an important part of the European Union.

Number and profile of participants
There were six primary schools in our project all of whom are situated on small and large islands across Europe;
1. Ireland, Dublin, Holy Family National School
2. France, Porquerrolles, Ecole De Porquerolles
3. Ireland, Galway, Saint Mary’s National School, Mountbellew
4. Cyprus, Agios Neofytos Elementary School
5. Italy, Sicily, Ragusa Moleti Primary School
6. Poland, Wolin, Bolesław Chrobry Primary School

Description of activities
Pupil learning, teacher training and technology played a central role in all of our activities. New digital learning strategies and pedagogies were embraced. Each mobility included an ICT Training Workshop. The effective use of Information and Communication Technology was greatly supported in this project through the sharing and exchange of ideas, practices and methods. The horizontal priority with this project was to embed technology use in STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths and Mental Health) teaching and learning through the technology workshop element of the project.

Methodology to be used in carrying out the project
Workshops, digital collaboration, online engagement, project work and presentations were the main methodologies used.

Short description of the results and impact envisaged and achieved and finally the potential longer term benefits –
The vision we had for the outcomes of our project was a far-reaching positive and inclusive vision. One which meant the pupils, teachers, school staff and the communities on our islands would increase their esteem of island-life and further develop a sense of European citizenship through learning from and about the other member islands. The impact of this project had an immediate benefit throughout the dissemination process in the 24 months of the project. We also observed the impact having sustainability in terms of the objectives that we reached and through the enhancement of teaching and learning into the future in our respective schools. We envisaged that the results of this project would be tangible and quantifiable by such means as survey responses. We envisaged a multi-faceted amelioration in all of our schools through engagement with this project for many years beyond the culmination of the project itself. For instance, the online relationships fostered between educators across Europe should continue to bring innovative teaching methods to light in all member islands. The benefit to the pupils will continue well beyond the lifetime of the project. The legacy of our STEAMM train will have a lasting impact on planning, teaching and learning for years to come. All member islands have agreed to maintain hosting of activities and results on school websites, Facebook, twitter and blogs for ten years.

Some of the quantifiable results achieved were ????????????????????

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 127570 Eur

Project Coordinator

Holy Family NS, Rathcoole & Country: IE

Project Partners

• Dimotiko Scholeio Kato Polemidion 15 (KA) -Agiou Neofytou
• ECOLE DE PORQUEROLLES
• St. Mary’s N.S., Mountbellew
• Szkola Podstawowa nr 1 im. B. Chrobrego
• RAGUSA MOLETI PRIMARY SCHOOL