Off the Beaten Path: Studying the Architectural, Historical and Social Heritage of Local Communities in European Cities Erasmus Project

Project Title

Off the Beaten Path: Studying the Architectural, Historical and Social Heritage of Local Communities in European Cities

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

“Off the Beaten Path: Studying the Architectural, Historical and Social Heritage of Local Communities in European Cities” is a project involving 6 secondary schools from 6 partner countries (Hungary, Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Poland and Lithuania) and is running between 2019 and 2021. The project’s main aim is to study 12 (2 per country) neighbourhoods in the partner schools’ home cities that are architecturally, historically and socially characteristic and relevant but not in the forefront of public interest. With the activities of the project, the partner schools will bring these local communities closer to the public and each other. Another aim of the project is to help these local communities, make them known outside their cities or countries and boost local economy by increasing the number of tourists visiting these neighbourhoods. From the students’ and teachers’ point-of-view, the main aim of the project is to strenghten the position of History, Arts and Social studies in the participating schools, increase the students’ motivation towards these subjects and get better exam results at national exams. The project also aims to increase students’ tolerance and respect towards other cultures and local communities all around Europe. With the help of the project’s activities, the students will be able to develop their team-working and presentation skills, as well as their English language knowledge. They will use modern multimedia platforms and devices to get to know and present the chosen local communities to the wider public. During the mobilities they will visit the chosen neighbourhoods and make interviews with locals, historians, business owners, take photos, shoot short video clips, do further research on the history of the communities. At the end of each mobility, they will organize a mini-conference at school, during which they introduce the neighbourhoods to the school’s studentship. Between mobilities, the participating students and their teachers will engage in various activities connected to the place and topic of the previous mobility: they will work on the materials created during the mobility, upload them on the project’s website and eTwinning page, create and send each other online quizzes related to the studied topics and communities and organize local history walks to the chosen neighbourhoods for their fellow students, students from other schools or the wider public. The project’s events are evenly distributed for the periods between mobilities and cyclical, so they will be easy-to-follow and can become a practice during the project and afterwards. The results of the project include a website and a mobile app introducing the 12 neighbourhoods from the 6 cities for the wider public and tourists, preferably. The project will have its own multimedia and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channel), on which the materials will be made public. The students will also design brochures introducing the neighbourhoods and their sights to tourists and these brochures will be placed at local hotels, tourist agencies and restaurants. With the help of the local history walks, students will be able to introduce the neighbourhoods to tourists and they will learn to respect local communities.
The students participating in the project will be between 14 and 18 years of age and many have fewer opportunities. The project intends to involve these students at various stages of activities. The students, their teachers and local community members will be the main focus of the project. These 3 groups will benefit from the project the most.
The students’ motivation towards subject such as History, Arts and Social studies will be increased. Consequently, they will get better results at national exams. They will also learn to respect other cultures and be proud of their own. They will develop such interdisciplinary skills as team-working, presentation, self-discipline, self-confidence, cultural awareness multimedia and foreign language knowledge. The teachers involved in the project will be able to engage in activities new to them and this way they will reinforce their commiment toward the teaching profession. They will learn and practice to use multimedia devices and platforms, learn how to integrate them into their teaching and this way their lessons will be more modern, interesting and engaging for their students. The local communities will also benefit from the project. They will be able to present themselves to the world, show their values and “hidden treasures”, tell their own stories. This will not only make them more appealing to the wider public but streghten their own sense of pride and local patriotism. They will meet with members of other local communities and engage in talks with them. They will be able build relationships and exchange good practices that may lead to a long-lasting relationship between local communities around Europe. “Off the beaten path” will become mainstream.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 173535 Eur

Project Coordinator

Budapesti Müszaki Szakkepzesi Centrum Petrik Lajos Ket Tanítasi Nyelvü Vegyipari, Környezetvedelmi és Informatikai Szakgimnáziuma & Country: HU

Project Partners

• CENTRO DE FORMACAO PROFISSIONAL DA INDUSTRIA METALURGICA E METALOMECANICA
• Borupgaard Gymnasium
• IIS GOBETTI MARCHESINI-CASALE – ARDUINO
• Zespol Licealno-Gimnazjalny w Dlugolece
• Vilniaus Simono Daukanto gimnazija