Online Teaching Advancement – Science through Art Erasmus Project

Project Title

Online Teaching Advancement – Science through Art

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 : Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Thousands of pupils and teachers stayed at home and been forced to adapt to online teaching from scratch due to the ongoing COV19 requiring measures. The processes were different in every school and left to be designed by the teacher itself as the whole education system did not manage to adapt. Beyond instructional goals, teachers were also required to maintain social integration of pupils while significant disruption to the provision of classes in the specialized classrooms, excursions etc happened.
This project aims to use Art to overcome barriers to online learning of science subjects, to aid better learning outcomes and engage in positive learning experiences. Different types of art and art expressions can be used to introduce pupils to new ways of online learning, achiving learning outcomes based on the curriculums and reduce the feeling of social isolation.
In this context the main objectives of the project are:
• To equip educators of primary education (teachers of science subjects) in formal settings with skills and knowledge to work in a diverse online classroom, in order to create a safe learning environment for pupils by using Art and Art visual forms to teach science.
• To ease the transition experienced in learning setting change and start the process of building confidence and personal growth after a life-changing events as an online learning without friends and peers.
• To influence policy makers in each partnership country to provide guidance and educational support for the effective online learning of N&S subjects.
• To offer stakeholders in the educational community a place in the project and to use the platform for preparation of their learning sessions, exchange best practices.
The participants involved in the project are teachers of science subjects and teachers related to the science subjects in Primary Schools and consequently their pupils. In addition to
partnership organizations from the field of education and education related sciences, other primary schools, museums and galleries, science centers, universities and other stakeholders will be activly involved in the acitivites.

The methodology adopted is reflected in the structure of the workplan:
WP1: Project management principles
WP2: Establishing contact with the target groups of teachers of N&S subjects and pupils, with associations of science teachers, identifying their learning needs, strengths and current challenges in COV19 reality. In parellel, project stakeholders are identified and formally invited to take an active role in the development of the project outputs by offering feedback and participating in project activities (focus groups) – Universities – Faculties of Educational Sciences.
WP3: Creating the OTA learning methodology based on the educational value of art and visual art forms and OTA Learning TOOLKIT integrated into online learning and adaptable to class learning and self assisted learning with LTT activity.
WP4: Creation of the OTA MOOC Platform and Pilot testing.
WP5: A campaign for the sensitization of the wider teaching public, parents of the Primary school pupils and the relevant stakeholders in the 4 project-countries, including multiplier events in 4 countries and dissemination activities.

The main project outcomes are foreseen to be:

Reinforcement of schools and other stakeholders from the field of education with provision of the new methods and tools offered to teachers of N&S subjects who are teaching pupils online, including stakeholders such as science centres, universities and galleries and teachers of other subjects as the means to deliver learning in formal settings, thus offering significant benefits in relation to learning outcomes and smooth integration to the online learning of N&S subjects through the use of art.
Raised public awareness and awarness of the policy makers (Ministries for Education).
The outcome of the project will be creation of the high quality digital content through innovative online resources – OTA MOOC PLATFORM with the effective learning material of teaching the specific chosen topics of N&S subjects through involvement of Art and Visual Art forms, representing the example of good practice aiming to become the representative in the field of educational technologies gathering and offering free material to all interested public, especially to teachers of N&S subjects of primary education.

The skills and competencies fostered of primary school teachers, through their involvement in OTA educational tasks and activities, will have a lasting effect in their personal and professional background, implementing their capability to produce lasting changes and sustainability to the project. This will be granted by the school institutions which participate in the OTA project (directly and indirectly involved) due to the fact that the OTA methodology and toolkit will be used within these institutions during upcoming years along with possible adjustment and adaptation.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 207968 Eur

Project Coordinator

Izobrazevalni center Geoss d.o.o. & Country: SI

Project Partners

• Osnovna sola Litija
• INNOVADE LI LTD
• Narodna galerija
• CESIE
• Tiedekeskussäätiö