Let’S make A difference bY combating xeNOphobia! Erasmus Project

Project Title

Let’S make A difference bY combating xeNOphobia!

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: Migrants’ issues; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

In the project SAY NO! (Let’S make A difference bY combating xeNOphobia!) participate 4 schools from 4 countries: Almåsskolan in Mölndal, Sweden (coordinating school), Colegiul National Al. Odobescu in Pitesti, Romania, Zespol Szkol w Staninie Publiczne Gimnazjum in Stanin, Poland and Grunnskóli Vestmannaeyja in Vestmannaeyja, Iceland

Xenophobia and racism have been the central issue addressed in this project, however, this was broadened into areas such as: race/cultural equality (or lack of it), reasons for immigration (war, poverty), awareness of different faiths/religions.

The purpose of the project was to contribute to combating xenophobia and racism in our schools and communities and increase respect between people of the world.

The project:
– gave our students an opportunity to interact with students from different background and other countries, and thus broadened their perspectives and raised their awareness of xenophobia so that they now can make legitimate decisions based on experiences derived from this project
– gave our students an increased sense of responsibility for their own learning, by implementing peer learning methods
– gave students increased self-confidence in sharing their knowledge with other students
– increased teachers’ teaching skills concerning the theme of the project by exchanging experiences and knowledge
– integrated ICT into learning and teaching, so that the students’ and teachers’ ICT skills improved

The school subjects involved in this project were English, Computer Science, History, Social Science and Arts and Craft. The topic xenophobia was divided into two areas:
1. The history of xenophobia and racism.
2. Xenophobia and racism today.

We have combined ICT tools with peer learning methodologies as a way to engage students in a theme that is important for their development into respectful human beings and for the promotion of human rights of all students, regardless of ethnic/racial/religious backgrounds.

The method of peer-learning focused on student centered learning rather than teaching to the students in order to transfer knowledge and abilities. The students had to be creative, seek knowledge and adapt this knowledge to the different challenges they faced in this project. The students had been encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and challenged to improve a number of skills, such as cooperation, social interaction, creativity, verbal and argumentative skills etc. The participants have shared their knowledge with others in different ways using different ICT tools. Students worked in 15 local and 15 transnational study groups. Most of the work was conducted in school lessons. During each semester they worked with a number of different activities within the subject area. Students were communicating with each other via social media, vlogs and Skype, and through physical meetings in connection with the student exchange activities, in order to learn in depth about the other countries xenophobia expressions and the way it is combated, both by the authorities and by the hosting school. Directly involved in the project were approx. 200 students.

Teachers have also communicated digitally. They were monitoring the students’ work, documented the whole process of peer learning, success factors and failures. These experiences have been discussed and analyzed, compiled into a short methodological guideline for teaching and handling the topic of xenophobia in a classroom as part of the eMethod Book. Furthermore, teachers have exchanged best practices in teaching, tested them in their own context. These were also included in the eMethod Book. Directly involved in the project were approx. 40 teachers.

Results of the project:

The students:
– understand the problems associated with xenophobia better
– are more responsible for their own learning
– have improved their social, linguistic, cultural, digital competences
– have developed a sense of respect towards students with different backgrounds
– have learnt how to cooperate with other students and adults
– are more aware of cultural differences, associated to xenophobia.

The teachers:
– have increased our knowledge, skills and confidence for tackling the students’ values
– have increased their digital competence
– have improved communication skill in English
– have enough courage to prepare materials in English
– have communicated with other partners’ teachers, and still do
– have created new relationships, new networks
– have got a project experience
– have improved their cooperation skills

Our schools:
– have strengthen co-operation between the partners in the project
– have increased quality of education in the involved schools
– have gained new educational methods for combating xenophobia
– have improved the staff’s knowledge and skills
– have become learning organizations
– are more attractive to future students
– have created international relations

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 122585 Eur

Project Coordinator

Almåsskolan & Country: SE

Project Partners

• COLEGIUL NATIONAL AL. ODOBESCU
• Grunnskóli Vestmannaeyja
• Zespol Szkol w Staninie