Innovate Together Erasmus Project

Project Title

Innovate Together

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: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Inclusion – equity; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Traditional teaching methods often do not offer satisfactory solutions to bridge the gaps among different groups and meet the needs of all learners. New methodologies and strategies to engage pupils and encourage their participation should be implemented, also by keeping up with the changes in technology.
To tackle the issues, the following main objectives were met:
– the schools’ approaches and teaching methods in key competences education by sharing good practices have been improved;
– the children’s motivation for learning by using technology regularly have been increased;
– the teachers’ skills in providing the appropriate, individualized education for children of different learning abilities, social and ethnic backgrounds have been improved;
– better learning outcomes for all pupils from a long-term perspective have been achieved;
– intercultural competencies and knowledge have been promoted.
Our project brought together pupils and teachers from seven partner countries: Croatia (coordinator), Romania, Italy, UK, Portugal, Cyprus and Poland.
The planned activities included:
– learning and teaching about literacy, numeracy, celebrations, promoting regions;
– development of a Digital Competencies Guide for teachers;
– active participation in a number of classes of different subjects;
– learning the languages of the partners (multilingualism) and their cultural heritage.
The schools worked in parallel applying new approaches to improve basic skills. The methodology was pupil and teacher-oriented; foreseeing “learning by doing” instead of traditional lessons. Task-based, formal and informal learning strategies were used, which helped build transversal and life skills. Innovative methods of teaching were practised: use of reality, eTools and media, group work and peer work, with the care of mixing different learning levels.
Three transnational meetings were held (Croatia – the beginning of the project; Italy – after the first school year; Poland – end of the project). 54 teachers took part in them.
Also, four Learning, teaching and training activity meetings (LTTAs) were held: two Short-termed joint staff training events (in Portugal and Romania) and two Short-termed exchanges of groups of pupils (in the UK and Cyprus). 100 participants (64 teachers and 36 pupils) took part in them.
The evaluation results show that after LTTAs the teachers have become more confident at using English as a foreign language (67% refers to Portugal, 72% UK, 62% Romania and 78% Cyprus). All teachers expanded their knowledge about the host countries and other partner countries, building their intercultural awareness.
After LTTA in Portugal, all teachers became more confident at using ICT in their teaching (67% in Romania, 78% Cyprus).
Through observations of lessons and other activities included in the programmes of the LTTAs, most teachers enriched their experience with new teaching ideas and said they would use them later in their classes (83% in Portugal, 71% UK, 81% Romania, 78% Cyprus).
After LTTAs with pupils, most of the pupils also became more confident at using English as a foreign language (78% both the UK and Cyprus).
All pupils expanded their knowledge about the host countries and other partner countries, raising their intercultural awareness.
After LTTAs in the UK and Cyprus, 78% of pupils felt more confident at giving a presentation in front of the audience.
The pupils’ abilities to apply knowledge to practice were strengthened; their key and social competences and emotional maturity were enhanced; life and transversal skills were developed; the teachers’ professional development was enhanced and the knowledge of both pupils and teachers about the European regions was broadened.
Next, our project resulted in creating a pack of materials and guidance on learning/teaching through practice: collections of literacy and numeracy activities, collections of celebrations and promoting the regions, a guide for teachers, containing lesson plans and worksheets in the fields of literacy, numeracy, technology and regions, project website, 4 Newsletters (one per each project stage of six months), Twinspace for 3 eTwinning projects, Facebook Group. The results, evaluation and other relevant data are available on on our project website: https://brankalamza.wixsite.com/innovate-together.
The approximate number of pupils at all schools is 3600. Initially, it was decided to involve at least four classes at large schools (Portugal, Italy, Poland, Croatia) and all classes at smaller schools (Romania, UK, Cyprus). Approximately, there were 1000 pupils and 50 teachers directly involved in project activities, as target groups, while the number of people who indirectly benefitted from the project is approximately 12000 (other pupils and teachers from partner schools and other schools, parents, school boards, local and national institutions).

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 170725 Eur

Project Coordinator

II. osnovna skola Cakovec & Country: HR

Project Partners

• Szkola Podstawowa nr 19
• Istituto Comprensivo San Rocco Faenza
• St Michael’s Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School
• Scoala Gimnaziala nr. 1
• Agrupamento de Escolas de Loureiro
• 9th Primary School Limassol (K.A)