SITES OF COMMUNITY INTEREST Erasmus Project

Project Title

SITES OF COMMUNITY INTEREST

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: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Natural sciences; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

CONTEXT/BACKGROUND:
The project involved three European schools: “Liceo C. Amoretti”, the applicant organization, OLSVIKÅSEN VIDEREGÅENDE SKOLE (Norway), ZESPOL SZKOL OGOLNOKSZTALCACYCH (Poland). It aimed at improving the students’ performances in Science and Maths by introducing a new and innovative methodology in the schools and enhancing the students’ motivation.
Pupils got to know their surrounding environment, in particular the most significant S.C.I. (Sites of Community Interest) in their regions and have become aware of the importance of preserving the natural environment through the creation and maintenance of such valuable protected areas.
From an accurate analysis of the partner schools’ needs and experience we believe that by sharing good practises these objectives have been achieved.The project involved 4 teachers (Science, English language, Maths and ICT, Law. Biology) for each school, the principals and about 66 students aged between 16-18. The total number of mobilities was 89, 58 students and 31 teachers.
Although the students in the three schools attained different results, the Italian school being the weakest as for the students’ performances in Science and Maths, in all of them some of the pupils appeared to be little motivated and willing to learn.
Besides, both the Italian and the Polish school made little use of ICT and this could have been one of the reasons for the unsatisfactory performances of their students, while the Norwegian partners were more expert and already used them more systematically.
We believed that taking part in an international project, would increase the students’ motivation and would lead to the achievement of the objectives pursued.
ACTIVITIES:
1) analysis and comparison of the European regulations of the Sites of Community Interest in the three countries
2) Research on the Internet on the S.C.I and data storage
3) Visit of the S.C.I both during the school years by the students in the respective countries and during the class exchanges. Observation and study “in situ” of the endemic species, peculiar to each site by using analytical keys, to identify the species
4) questionnaires to verify the knowledge about the S.C.I were handed out and filled by the students’ families and by samples of population in the three countries
5) The results of the questionnaires were analysed and processed and, according to the them, conferences on the S.C.I., open to the local communities,were organized in the three schools
6) a project website was created
7) The project was uploaded on the Etwinning, which was updated regularly
8) Information boards (with information, pictures and itinerary route) and a tutorial video of one othe S.C.I visited and studied in Italy were created.
9)translations of a lot of material from Italian, Polish and Norwegian into English (also Prau Grande Association website)
METHODOLOGIES :
They were innovative such as, for example, AND OUTDOOR LESSONS; teachers first learnt or consolidated their skills in using such methodologies and new mobile technologies, such as smartphones, tablets etc and then transferred them to the students, who became more autonomous, and acquired the ability to do research by themselves without being dependent on the teacher, who monitored and provided help if needed.
ACHIEVED RESULTS
1. New methodologies adopted have become more popular in the schools involved
2. the level of key competences of the pupils involved in the project has risen, especially in Science and Maths but also in English ;the ability to cooperate in group has also improved.
3 cultural awareness among students, teachers and parents have become greater and friendships and bonds have been created and hopefully will last for many years
4 NATURE AWARENESS about the existence and the functions OF SCI among all people involved in the project (students, families etc)
5 CREATION OF A NETWORK OF INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS with the possibility of further cooperation.
IMPACT:
INCREASE IN BASIC and cross SKILLS in the areas involved the project (Science, Maths )
INCREASED DIGITAL COMPETENCES of both students and teachers involved in the project
INCREASED understanding of EUROPEAN CULTURES among the students involved in the project and all people involved in
INCREASED competence IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE of the pupils (both oral and written) and teachers involved in the project
the potential LONGER TERM BENEFITS are:
– the community will benefit from pupils who have become active citizens in environmental field
– to share the project results with organisations and associations involved with the SCI
– to contribute to a positve change in attitude of local communities towards the promotion of EU values and policy regarding the SCI
– to continue the cooperation with the partner schools in order to possibly start another project together

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 75479,36 Eur

Project Coordinator

LICEO LING-SC.UMANE AMORETTI E ARTISTICO & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Zespol Szkol Ogolnoksztalcacych
• Olsvikåsen videregående skole