Seaways, Pathways of International Learning Erasmus Project

Project Title

Seaways, Pathways of International Learning

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: Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

Each of the schools involved in this project is located in a maritime region of their respective countries. As a result we have many connections to the sea in our communities. Our countries have been bridged by ancient seaways throughout the millennia. The sea has helped to shape our lives as they are today and a large part of the project is about celebrating this. However we have many concerns about the environmental impact our human behaviour has on these waters. The central tenet of the project is to promote an increased sense of responsibility for the sea in participating countries by allowing each school to share best practice in caring for it.
The project website will be dotted with videos of the project in operation including sharing our cultural heritage, food, music and dance, classroom activities with the children, many STEM motivated activities, community events furthering the aims of our project, clips from local and national media coverage, training events sharing expertise, interviews with the many marine experts we have lined up to support the project and a host of other colorful and entertaining events planned. Our website will follow each step of the journey leaving a clear template so that other schools around Europe can copy our methods, celebrate our seas and maintain them for future generations.
Approaching the end of the project an impact study will be planned and implemented by older pupils in each school. Pupils will discuss and organise what part they can play in sustaining this project and it’s ideas into the future. They will consider how to pass on what they have learned to the younger classes in the school and along with the teaching staff by good example encourage a good relationship with the sea. Ideas will be discussed and contrasted by students via Etwinning conference.
Our schools are motivated in this application primarily by a love of the sea and a concern for it but also in is plans was to take an in-depth look at the culture and heritage of each participant. We are eager to share our own culture and heritage and to find out more about those of partner countries. We are also motivated and excited to investigate our connections through the seaways in the past and the influence we have had on each other’s countries as a result. For example looking at the broad influence of Vikings, The Hanseatic League, The Spanish Armada, Monastic Settlement and Celtic culture will be high on our list of priorities.
Surveys will be conducted among parents, pupils and teachers before, during and after the project using SurveyMonkey. This will allow us in a very real and measurable sense to gauge how effective we have been in achieving our goals. Are our teachers more skilled and confident? Are our Students more knowledgeable in terms of caring for the sea? Have they become more European in their outlook? Have they learnt more about the culture and heritage of their European counterparts? Have they gained increased pride in their own culture and heritage? Do our parents notice differences in their children’s outlook or behaviour as a result of taking part in the project? The answers to these questions will point to the success of our project and they will be posted on the Etwinning platform in Graphic form and also on the project website.
We plan to disseminate our project through local and national media, the Etwinning platform, our project website and our individual school websites, educational publications such as the “Intouch” magazine in Ireland, pupils classroom blogs, class twitter and other social media and any other means that presents itself during project. The website will serve as a tool to be used in classrooms long after the project finishes. We project that the influence of this project will reach many thousands of teachers and pupils and we are excited and enthused for the adventure ahead as a result.
Our vision is that when we learn more about our fellow Europeans we can love and respect each other in a more meaningful way. The same of course goes for the sea. When it comes to protecting our oceans education is prevention.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 85830 Eur

Project Coordinator

SN Bhrighde Naofa & Country: IE

Project Partners

• COLEGIO PÚBLICO SAN FRANCISCO
• Grunnskoli Grundarfjardar
• Szkola Podstawowa nr1 im.kpt. Leonida Teligi w Ustce
• Kolltveit skule