Society and Architecture Erasmus Project

Project Title

Society and Architecture

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

This project arose out of two previous Comenius projects, a multilateral school project “My 21st Century” and a Comenius Regio project “ILQ (Improving Learning Quality)”. From the multilateral project we found the partners and an interest in Society & Architecture. From the Regio project we discovered a need to further develop new methodologies for teaching and learning in particular using a cross-curricular and entrepreneurial approach.

The schools involved are:
– Sandnes VGS, Norway ( Coordinating school) This partner has been responsible for the overall coordination of the project of which they have much experience. . They also brought their experience in Design & Architecture, Science & Technology and a cross-curricular approach to teaching.
– Loreto College, Cavan, Ireland, brought their expertise in Enterprise education to the project. They used their business contacts to organise an entrepreneurship seminar at the end of year one.
– RGS `t Rijks, Bergen-op-Zoom, The Netherlands have a well developed Technasium which is a truly cross-curricular and entrepreneurial way of learning. They brought their expertise in this field to the project.
– Agora Sant Cugat International School, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain emphasises international education to prepare their students for a globalised and international economy and labour market. Their experience in this field proved valuable to the project.
– Bishöfliches Willigis Gymnasium, Mainz, Germany brought interest in development of ICT based learning methods to the project. They have been responsible for the project website.

This project aimed to develop new ways of learning through cross-curricular and international project work. We aimed to prepare the students, teachers and other stakeholders for life in an increasingly globalised labour market. We worked in particular on the topic ´Society & Architecture`. By choosing this approach the project was more easily understood by students and all those involved. Students worked in trans-national groups to develop their communication, cooperation , teamwork and planning skills. We aimed to foster in the students a spirit of entrepreneurship through enterpise education. We aimed to develop learning materials and toolkits for learning how to set up small business enterprises.

Altogether over the two years of the project there were 6 partner meetings, with each partner hosting at least one meeting. In September of each year teachers met to plan in detail the activities for that year. There were two more meetings each year which included students. In January of each year students met to showcase the work they had been carrying out in the home school, compared that work with that of their partners, discussed their findings and planned for the final event of the year. At the end of year one a multiplier event in the form of a Seminar on Entrepreneurship was held in Cavan, Ireland. Here students from all participating countries, students from outside the project including other 2nd and 3rd level schools in the area received immersion training on enterprise and entrepreneurship. This also informed the development of the toolkit on ´How to set up your small business enterprise`. At the end of year two a second multiplier event in the form of a Conference was held in Sandnes, Norway. This entailed workshops, lectures and an exhibition of student work and products of the two years of the project.

The budget granted enabled students and teachers to meet on a regular basis. While frequent communication took place between the partner students and teachers by email, phone, Skype etc. there was much learning achieved by face-to face meetings and groupwork. Here students learned to deal with the cultural aspects of working in a cross-national setting.

This project has had an immediate impact on all participating staff and students in each school. It also had an impact on the wider school communities in each country as the learning tools, toolkits, methodologies were disseminated throughout the school and the wider learning society. All products of the project are freely available and promoted by the multiplier events, media (both traditional and social), school websites etc.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 114100,8 Eur

Project Coordinator

Sandnes videregående skole & Country: NO

Project Partners

• Estudio Agora SAU
• Regionale Scholengemeenschap ‘t Rijks
• Loreto College, Cavan
• Bischöfliches Willigis-Gymnasium