School exCHANges for ClimatE changes: improving performance in maths and science, fostering responsible citizenship and environment friendly attitudes of pupils through school exchanges Erasmus Project

Project Title

School exCHANges for ClimatE changes: improving performance in maths and science, fostering responsible citizenship and environment friendly attitudes of pupils through school exchanges

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

CHANCE wanted to respond to the EU recommendations in the teaching and learning sector, dealing with:
– the desired decrease of the percentage of underachievers in reading, maths and science within pupils under 15, to be achieved by 2020 (according to the OECD-PISA Student Assessment)
– soft skills development, as a cornerstone for personal development of school pupils.
The topics at the base of the project were: climate changes and environment protection, civic engagement and responsible citizenship. CHANCE addressed as well the field of ICT with new technologies and digital competences.
The main objectives of the project were:
– INCREASING PERFORMANCES OF PUPILS, mainly in: science, maths, ICT and language skills
– DEVELOPING SOFT SKILLS, especially referred to citizenship, social and civic participation, communicative and linguistic skills, spirit of initiative, critical thinking and environmental awareness
– PROMOTING BETTER USAGE OF INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODOLOGIES and supporting the effective use of digital technologies in education, shared among partners
– STRENGTHENING TEACHERS’ ABILITY to work in transnational and virtual teams and improving didactic strategies.

The partnership was composed of 5 European primary schools from: Italy, Latvia, Poland, Greece and Portugal.
The main target groups that took part in the project activities were:
– PUPILS IN MOBILITY: 61 students, aged 10/13 years, involved in activities abroad. Due to Coronavirus emergency, the last two mobility were organized virtually and involved 224 students
– PUPILS INVOLVED LOCALLY: project activities interested about 500 students involved in local initiatives (workshops, local events, didactic visits, local envoronmental projects, peer to peer education)
– TEACHERS about 100 from the five schools involved both in mobilities (as accompanying persons for pupils) and locally, as coordinators for activities performed with students
– OTHER SCHOOL-STAFF MEMBERS: principals and administrative staff
– PARENTS AND FAMILIES of pupils taking part in mobility and those involved in hosting pupils from the involved EU schools (about 500)
The project interested indirect beneficiaries such as teachers and pupils participating to peer-to-peer activities and dissemination events (both from the partners’ schools and other local schools) and the local communities in each country reached by the project events, materials, media contents and other project’s results.
CHANCE involved participants with fewer opportunities (about 100), in particular those facing economic and social obstacles; cultural differences; health problems and educational difficulties.
The project had planned seven mobilities in its 2 years duration: 5 of them 4-days learning activities for pupils and the remaining two 3-days training activities for teachers. Due to Corona virus emergency, the duration of the project was changed to 3 years and the last two mobilities, at firs planned in March and May 2020, were postponed to April and May 2021 and were held virtually.

The planned mobility path implemented an active and cooperative learning methodology, based on the international cooperation and exchange of good practices. During the mobility initiatives, hosting schools organized workshops, laboratories and other activities promoting active involvement and related to the project topics, internally at schools and organizing site visits and engaging field experts.
The CLIL methodology, together with the use of eTwinning allowed teachers and pupils to work in parallel locally, in collaboration with the involved EU schools creating “an European dimension” and promoting active European citizenship.
During the three-years period, the involved students had the possibility to experience real situations dealing with earth care, pollution and relative consequences. The use of “experiential” didactics ensured acquisition of competences and soft skills by pupils involved.
CHANCE’s main expected results were:
– improved and innovative teaching methods, learned and developed through the exchange and cooperation among partners
– better results of pupils in maths, science and foreign languages
– enforced soft skills of involved school pupils
– better understanding of climate change causes and actions to preserve the environment
– development and spread of eco-friendly attitudes.
In the medium-long term we expect greater internationalization of the involved schools, able to activate new cooperation. We believe in increased knowledge and skills, and the well-being and motivation of students and teachers addressed, and beyond, also thanks to the peer to peer activities and project’s events at a local level.
The project has contributed to qualitative improvement and diversification of educational proposals and to introduce innovative teaching methodologies at schools. With the increased perception of “internationality” CHANCE will bring new opportunities for meeting and exchange with European peers and different cultures not only for the involved schools, but as well for their local communities.

Project Website

https://twinspace.etwinning.net/70901/home

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 131166,23 Eur

Project Coordinator

ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO DI RONCADELLE & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Gymnasium of Platykampos
• Agrupamento de Escolas D. Luís de Ataíde
• Liepajas 7.vidusskola
• Szkola Podstawowa Nr 18 z Oddzialami Integracyjnymi