“Whoever drinks the water …” Erasmus Project

Project Title

“Whoever drinks the water …”

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: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Environment and climate change; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

CSG Prins Maurits and Szentendrei Református Gimnázium are two institutions of Christian education. The two schools have been sharing good practices in teaching and learning for 14 years. The projects of our partnership have contributed to foster students to be responsible human beings who appreciate and are in good relationship with nature and their fellows. Working with peers from another class or another country and successfully complete the assigned tasks using English as a working language have been elements of a challenging learning process with the benefits of relying on several of the key competences (e.g. communication, social, science, cultural awareness and expression, ICT). To take a further step with this project we agreed to work on the theme of water applying the Problem-based Learning method which adresses essential transversal competences rather rarely used during regular schoolwork such as critical thinking, problem solving and decision making.
During the forthcoming two years of our partnership teams of 48 students will work in teams of 24 each year. At the moment only a few teachers are capable of using the method in each school so their expertise will be shared before starting the co-operation of students. After the participating students’ suggestions are collected, it will be the teachers’ task to agree on a problem within the theme that is properly formulated to motivate and allow teams of students to work on their own solutions. They will also create the work scheme/workbook for the groups containing how to agree on team rules and roles and setting the objectives of the task. Then a team of 10 teachers will guide students through the learning process by taking the following steps: interpreting the problem, finding relevant sources, interpreting the gathered information, reporting their findings to an audience. The co-operation of students will involve using digital communication tools and meeting in person during the 8-day collaborative sessions twice a school year. By taking part in our project students will understand the importance of searching for several sources and being able to decide which are relevant from their perspective. They will be able to discuss scientific issues and collect arguments for and against a statement. They will be able to co-operate with their peers to reach a conclusion and also to tell an audience about their process of learning and looking for an answer applying digital presentation tools of their choice. Their newly gained confidence will allow them to opt for taking new challenges in learning and co-operating with English speaking partners. As a consequence of thouroughly examining an aspect of water as an essential element in nature it will be appreciated more.
As for teachers the capability to perform the role of a facilitator or a guide in the Problem-based Learning process, understanding the importance of focusing on students’ life-experience then generate a problem that interests them are defined learning outcomes. In addition teachers are planned to be able to appreciate not only the product but their own and the students’ process of learning in other words their reflection skills will be improved.
Based on the evaluation of the project and the enjoyment of working together the next period of our partnership will be designed.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 63642 Eur

Project Coordinator

Szentendrei Református Gimnázium & Country: HU

Project Partners

• CSG Prins Maurits