ICT in USE Erasmus Project

Project Title

ICT in USE

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

One of the key competence of the 21st century is digital competence. We cannot deny that technology is an integral part of our everyday lives and all the jobs we prepare our students for are connected with that. According to the results of the survey done by the European Commission in 2013 “ICT in education” ICT provision and use in European schools is improving but several obstacles remain. These obstacles are similar in each project country Estonia, Finland, Portugal and Turkey like students’ ICT use during lessons still lags far behind their use of ICT out of school, affecting their confidence in their digital competences and that we need to build capacity for ICT pedagogical expertise at school level. Therefore there is a need for raising the digital competence of both students and teachers and this is an important part in all the curriculum of partner schools and countries.
There were two target groups of this project – students aged 13-15 and teachers teaching these students. Participants of the project were the selection of the representatives of the target groups mentioned above.

Therefore the most important objectives of the project were:
1. To raise the digital skills and competency of teachers who deal with students aged 13-15 by supporting ICT based teaching (share the experience of using ICT in outdoor learning and learning new methods, learn the flipped classroom methodology that integrates ICT tools for learning and teaching)
2. Raise the students usage of ICT tools (both devices and resources) in effective and efficient way for the work in school
3. Test new methods and methodologies using the mobile devices
Through these objectives we hoped to increase the motivation for learning for both students and teachers and that students are more active, entrepreneurial and creative. As the project was done transnationally the objectives were also connected with better cultural understanding and raising tolerance.
During the project 4 transnational learning events were held. All the transnational learning events were organized around one topic: the first in Estonia about flipped classroom methodology, the second in Finland about ICT in students’ everyday life, the third in Portugal about outdoor learning using ICT, the fourth in Estonia about applications and sites for learning. The first and the third meeting was for teachers only which gave the teachers the necessary knowledge and skills to prepare the lessons and materials and test these on students. The second and the fourth transnational learning event were for students. All the four topics resulted in certain outcome – lesson materials, orienteering games, videoclips, database with apps and sites that can be used in different subjects and creating own apps. A lot of activities were done in between the transnational learning events and these were connected with these four topics and carried out on local level and shared through the e-platform on international level.

The main results of this project are:
– The students and teachers raised their digital competence and use a lot more of digital solutions in their classrooms and learning. Teachers learnt and tested methods using ICT in outdoor learning and used flipped classroom methodology and prepared the lessons and materials with the knowledge gained. https://ictinuse.wordpress.com/ Students tested different applications and sites for learning, learned how to create their own applications and how to use ICT tools for video creation.
– Most of the students’ and teachers’ motivation and confidence in using ICT rose. In all the partner schools teachers now use more ICT tools for creating something (presentations, movie etc) and for exercises.
– Students improved their language skills and co-operational skills. During the meeting in Finland 78% of students said they got better at speaking English and 100% said they got better at working with people from different countries. During the meeting in Estonia 96% of students got better at speaking in English and 98% got better at working with people from different countries. According to teachers observations it can be said that students got a lot more confident in public speaking, communication, creativity and entrepreneurship.
– The main impact for the participants was the raise in motivation and confidence to use ICT in learning and teaching. As it is an international project, then the impact is also in broader cultural understanding through cooperating with peers and colleagues from different countries.
Students who participated in the project gained useful knowledge and skills needed in their professional life in the future. The skills gained during the project will continue within each individual and will be used after the project. The project helped the schools to take a step further implementing schools’ strategic directions, but also helped the countries to get closer to their envisaged vision in ICT education.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 118143,78 Eur

Project Coordinator

Viimsi Keskkool & Country: EE

Project Partners

• Porolahden peruskoulu
• Agrupamento de Escolas de Loureiro
• Sehit Sait Erturk Ortaokulu