Support of the Snoezelen concept and its integration into university education Erasmus Project

Project Title

Support of the Snoezelen concept and its integration into university education

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 higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Snoezelen is now regarded as an innovative method whose aim it is to encourage a person with disability or disadvantage to the activity based on sensory stimulation thanks to a unique environment created. Snoezelen uses and combines numerous therapeutic, educational and relaxation activities which enhance the quality of life and purposefully promote human development. The concept was already created in the 1970s in the Netherlands and its spreading is evident throughout the world. Snoezelen is expertly suspiced by the International Snoezelen Association (ISNA-MSE).

The proposed project Support of Snoezelen and its Integration into University Education is focused on the development and expansion of Snoezelen in university level. Specifically, the project relates to the inclusion of the Snoezelen course in the education of students of special education, pedagogical psychology, and social, therapeutic and rehabilitative fields. The main objective of the project is to prepare comprehensive instruction methodology, instruction material and syllabus of the course “Snoezelen” at an international tertiary-educational level so that the course is applicable in international student mobility.

For the goals of social policy and inclusion of people with special needs, developing the fields of helping professions is currently essential. Strategic partnerships of the proposed project will bring about, apart from outputs related to the creation of innovative instruction of a course, further comparative discussion, experience and possibilities of scientific research activities of the participants. The created course Snoezelen will expand the possibilities of inbound and outbound students and scholars from and to abroad, promoting the internationalization of lesser regional universities. Sharing large amounts of information about Snoezelen is a driving force for further development of the fields which implement it.

The individual output items of the project which are related to its objectives include:
• publishing a professional monograph and individual scientific papers on the issue of the Snoezelen and its teaching;
• creating video-recordings and a set of supplementary case studies for instructions
• designing the “Snoezelen” course for student mobilities.

The target group are university professors/teachers and students. The outputs of the project activities will most affect future students of the subjects who will have a newly conceived course in the fields of helping professions, and scholars/university teachers who can increase professional competence and through cooperation with foreign partners broaden the adequate outputs, such as articles and professional publications, influencing further the theory of Snoezelen.

The three cooperating universities who constitute the proposed partnership include a team from the Czech Republic from the Faculty of Public Policies, Silesian University in Opava, a team from the Republic of Poland from the Faculty of Rehabilitation, University of Physical Education in Krakow (Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Bronislawa Czecha w Krakowie) and a team from the Kingdom of Spain from the Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Affairs, University of Lleida (Facultat d’Educació, Psicologia i Treball Social de la Universitat de Lleida).

The international partnership undoubtedly brings specific value to the proposed project, as the unification of contents of instruction the course at the university level will help create a methodically structured instruction model focused on Snoezelen, which is currently missing completely. Consequently, it is possible to further develop the subject and strengthen, clarify its content and make it more transparent throughout the European area.

The anticipated positive outcome is the elaboration of methodological materials, professional publications, and providing comparative outputs, which will of course be available to all students and scholars of the partner coalition. As part of the project, we expect the newly created partnership to also bring about innovative increase in competences of the participating university teachers, connected to both their professional profile in science, and their approach to the students. As part of the project, comparative outputs associated with the process of instruction in the field of Snoezelen are expected to be based on feedback and intensive use of the results for further development.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 255577 Eur

Project Coordinator

SLEZSKA UNIVERZITA V OPAVE & Country: CZ

Project Partners

• UNIVERSIDAD DE LLEIDA
• Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Bronislawa Czecha w Krakowie