Inside out – outside in. Building bridges in teacher education through encounters with diversity Erasmus Project

Project Title

Inside out – outside in. Building bridges in teacher education through encounters with 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 : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

The challenges and opportunities of diversity are at the heart of the European project with socioeconomic diversity, increased migration and arrival of refugees adding to the breadth of European identity. European schools are increasingly finding themselves on the frontline expected to be able to deal with diversity-related issues. Opportunities to experience diversity as educational enrichment are too often lost. Teachers struggle with inadequate pedagogical repertoires to work with and put into value diverse pupil populations and wider communities. Neglected groups and individuals too readily drop out from education as a result of an inadequate learning environment.

This project aims to address the diversity challenge and its negative consequences by improving the provision of intercultural competence and understanding in pre- and in-service teacher education. We contend that by broadening teachers’ pedagogic repertoires, awareness and understanding of diversity, the number of early school leavers will be reduced and diversity can be an enrichment rather than a challenge for European education.

The objectives of this project are to:
1. increase student teacher knowledge, awareness and understanding,
2. involve student teachers in developing intervention and compensation measures designed to keep pupils in education and increase the resilience of at-risk pupils,
3. educate student teachers to build bridges between formal, non-formal and informal education drawing on the resources and potentials of different local educational communities,
4. build capacity in innovative, cross-disciplinary teaching and research methodologies at all partner institutions
5. design a module to be implemented in teacher education programmes widening the provision of intercultural education in pre- and in-service contexts.

The participants from eight higher education institutions create a broad base of expertise for the project and key channels for the implementation of the resulting module. The participating institutions represent expertise in drama and arts-based education, adventure and language education, cultural geography, ICT, teacher development and action research. The partners have a track record of positive collaborations and shared interests, with complementary areas of expertise. In addition, 99 teacher students from all eight institutions and different disciplinary backgrounds have taken part in the intensive courses. Other stakeholders, such as decision makers in the education systems as well in service teachers will be addressed.

The activities of the project divide into project management activities and educational tasks. Project management includes planning meetings, project evaluation and dissemination tasks divided between the partners. Educational tasks include three intensive courses and cross-disciplinary methodologies, developing and piloting the course. Dissemination tasks include online publishing of resources, a pedagogical guide for teachers and multipliers, as well as publications in teaching oriented pedagogical journals.

The methodology draws on action research principles to build cross-disciplinary capacity among staff and at partner institutions. The three intensive courses with students from partner universities include applying and trialing pedagogical repertoires and competence building among student teachers. Student participation has been evaluated after each year in order to further develop the course and the resources throughout the project. The results of the project have been disseminated via evocative reports and conventional conference and research papers in order to raise awareness among stakeholders.

The results and impacts targeting teacher education at all levels include:
1. the design and implementation of a cross-disciplinary module for teacher education using innovative, interdisciplinary research and practice-based models of teaching,
2. the provision of online resources including the course design, accompanying guidelines for the methodological innovation, and informative articles on diversity in education.
3. development of research and pedagogical expertise at the partner institutions in the field of diversity and intercultural awareness with regard to different forms of learning
4. a stable cross-disciplinary network in the field of teacher education among the partner institutions, to enhance further cooperation
5. enriched understanding and broader pedagogical repertoires among participating student teachers.

Long term benefits include:
1. raising and sustaining positive attitudes towards diversity among future and current European teachers;
2. preparing common ground for greater transnational European teacher education,
3. facilitating the integration of neglected groups, including migrants and refugees,
4. embedding diversity within European identity,
5. the development of cross-disciplinary educational innovations and methodologies in pre- and in

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 240443,33 Eur

Project Coordinator

LINKOPINGS UNIVERSITET & Country: SE

Project Partners

• EOTVOS LORAND TUDOMANYEGYETEM
• UNIVERSIDAD DE MALAGA
• Pädagogische Hochschule Wien
• JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO
• EUROPA-UNIVERSITAT FLENSBURG
• UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER
• TARTU ULIKOOL