The Odyssey revisited: Teaching European values in a divided continent Erasmus Project

Project Title

The Odyssey revisited: Teaching European values in a divided continent

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: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

The Erasmus Plus Strategic Partnership Key Action 2 project “The Odyssey revisited: Teaching European
values in a divided continent” was carried out from 01.09.2017 until 31.08.2019. Within the context of the
ever mounting flows of refugees and the challenges facing the citizens of Europe over this humanitarian
crisis, the aim of this project was to awaken the educational community to shared European values such as
democracy, solidarity and tolerance and at the same time provide a new teaching tool to European
schools.
The life lessons and universal truths in Homer’s the Odyssey became the medium through which both
students and teachers rediscovered human values and found answers to the moral dilemmas of our times.
The priorities set at the beginning of the project- the achievement of high quality skills and transversal
competences, social inclusion and innovative practices in a digital era- were materialized in the final
product of our project, the comic “ Ody”. The basis of the creation of this interactive web comic is a
fictitious character, a refugee who, like the hero in Homer’s epic, is fated to wander across Europe in
search of a new home. Fleeing from Syria, he sets off on the long journey to Sweden, his Promised Land.
His trail takes him to Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain and Sweden, his final destination. (the six
partners) Through his journey, we became conscious of our own culture, saw foreign cultures as enriching
and not fearful and carried out research in a wide range of subjects.
The six-chapter comic was completed in June 2019 and was presented at the final transnational meeting in
Turkey. It is available in both printed and digital form and in two versions: one in English and another in the
native language of each partner, namely Spanish, Greek, Italian and Turkish. All chapters were enriched
with the addition of hyperlinks, sound and video files focusing on five distinct areas of learning- English,
Geography, ICT, Citizenship and Cultural History. In addition, a mini dictionary containing expressions from
the Odyssey that were used in each chapter and a suggested lesson plan based on the comic software are
available.
The methodology followed in writing the comic was inquiry-based and collaborative and encouraged the
students to function autonomously in their research for the information required for the real life scenario
of the comic. The benefits of writing this comic are numerous:
● It was a cross curricular activity bringing together different branches of knowledge
● It improved all participants’ skills in the English language leading to better communication
● It fostered key components of digital competence such as the ability to search and filter
information, interact, collaborate, identify and solve problems
● The exposure to geographical information enhanced the ability to identify places and intercultural
understanding
● Information about the cultural heritage and history of the six partner countries contributed to a
better appreciation of cultural diversity
● It enabled us to become aware of and identify the shared values that unite European nations and
apply them in the plot of the comic based on the timeless values presented in the Odyssey
● Citizenship issues in the plot instilled a sense of responsibility in today’s complex world and
emphasized the importance of inclusive education regardless of ability and social or racial
background
● The varied treatment of the topic as expressed in the plot of each chapter helped understand
historical change and national identity and encouraged reflection on ethnic stereotypes
The project also had a great impact on many different levels:
● Both teachers and students as well as their families developed a more positive attitude to
innovative, less traditional methods of learning based on collaboration.
● All teachers are now more receptive to trying new approaches in their teaching- especially digital
tools- and have re-evaluated their role as educators by comparing the different practices in each
partner country
● Interaction with different cultures helped reconsider ethnic stereotypes and common
misconceptions and promoted intercultural understanding
● Lasting transnational friendships were created
● Our social and moral awareness towards the refugee crisis increased through empathy with the
character of Ody
● The commitment to the creation of the comic increased our degree of involvement
The project received adequate exposure through Etwinning, the project website and social media.
Articles in the local press and the school websites also attracted attention from the local
communities. The feedback after each mobility as well as the online comments are an indicator of
the success of the project.
In the long run, the comic can be used a teaching resource in schools across Europe so further
publicity events and the project website will ensure maximum exploitation of our work long after
the end of this project.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 139319 Eur

Project Coordinator

IES Alpujarra & Country: ES

Project Partners

• Gymnasio Stefanovikeiou
• Istituto Tecnico Commerciale Statale e per Geometri “Enrico Fermi”
• Gymnasium Skövde Västerhöjd
• IMS Private School
• ANKARA ÖZEL ÖNCÜ ORTAOKULU