JUST MAPS – Schools strengthening global citizenship by mapping local communities

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Project title
Just Maps – Schools Strengthening Global Citizenship by Mapping Local Communities

Project Number
2024-1-ES01-KA220-SCH-000249236

Lead partner
ASOCIACION PLAN DE ACCION GLOBAL PARA LA TIERRA GAP ESPANA (Spagna)
InEuropa is the project’s initiator and coordinator

Programme and call
Erasmus+ Programme – KA2 Cooperation partnerships in School Education, Call for proposals 2024

 

About the project

Project summary

Just Maps aims to provide students with the knowledge they need to act as global citizens within their communities, and to train teachers as facilitators of student action.

In line with the Just Action experience (from which the project originated), students will be guided towards action through direct involvement in a transnational participatory process that begins with mapping their areas of action (their “neighborhoods”). They will gather important information to analyze and improve the lives of their communities and engage in open dialogue with local administrations and actors: their research will focus on environmental issues, inequalities, critical issues and opportunities for social justice, and the history of places and communities.

Based on the data collected, they will build a local digital map. The maps produced by the Just Mappers from the schools involved will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the different areas and will be systematized and analyzed by the young people themselves: each country will elect a delegation of local mappers who will participate in the Transnational Council of Mappers, tasked with examining the status quo and devising actions to improve their communities. They will do this together, highlighting the interconnection between local and global issues and maintaining a non-Eurocentric perspective that takes them beyond Europe (thanks to the participation of students and teachers from Kenya). 

Once back home, they will try to implement the proposed solutions with their local community and launch awareness campaigns for their fellow citizens.

 

Recipients and beneficiaries

  • Primary and secondary school students (aged 8-15) from various countries in the Global North (Spain, Italy, Ireland, and Poland) and the Global South (Kenya). The target audience is the same as for the Erasmus+ Just Action project, of which Just Maps is the continuation.
  • Primary and secondary school teachers: they will actively participate in designing the methodology, receive training, and share the knowledge they acquire with their colleagues in a horizontal learning process. They will become facilitators and experience action-based learning. They will work on monitoring and evaluating results, including using the Just Action reflection tool, based on the “head-heart-hands” approach.
  • Local communities in partner countries: they will become part of the learning process and benefit from the active participation of students thanks to the freshness of their solutions to local problems.

 

Objectives 

Just Maps aims to:

  • develop students’ awareness and commitment as global citizens;
  • strengthen the critical thinking, communication, and intercultural exchange skills of students and teachers by collaborating with their peers and colleagues in Europe and the Global South;
  • develop an educational approach based on social justice and the interconnection between the local and global;
  • support the professional growth of teachers as facilitators of behavioral change in students, introducing an innovative approach to Global Citizenship Education in primary and secondary schools.

Participating schools

Artxandape Ikastola, Bilbao (Spagna)

Zaragoza School House, Saragozza (Spagna)

IC Umberto I, Lanciano (Italia)

Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa (Kenya)

Prus High School, Varsavia (Polonia)

Would you like to implement the project in your school too? Contact us! ineuropa@ineuropa.info

 

Expected project results 

1 international training course for teachers using the Just Maps methodology
6 video reports of student meetings with local administrations
6 digital maps of the mapped “neighborhoods”
6 delegations of Just Mappers (chosen by election)
1 international workshop for students in the “Just Mappers Council”
1 transnational Just Cities Manifesto
6 digital stories on alternative local scenarios
6 local actions carried out by students
12 plans for student communication campaigns
12 communication campaigns implemented by students
6 evaluation reports on the campaigns created by students 

 

Partnership

  1. ASOCIACION PLAN DE ACCION GLOBAL PARA LA TIERRA GAP ESPANA (Leading Partner, Spain)
  2. Global Action Plan Ltd. (Partner, Irlanda)
  3. Fundacja GAP Polska – Plan Globalnego Dzialania na rzecz Ziemi (Partner, Polonia)
  4. InEuropa SRL (Coordinating Partner, Italia)
  5. Learning Unpacked Applied (Partner, Kenya)
  6. Pestalozzi soc.coop. (Partner school, Spagna)
  7. Artxandape Ikastola (Partner school, Spagna)
  8. IC Umberto I (Partner school, Italia)
  9. Aga Khan Academy Mombasa (Partner school, Kenya)

 

Associate partners

  1. XXXV Liceum Ogólnokształcące z Oddziałami Dwujęzycznymi im. Bolesława Prusa (School, Poland)
  2. St Catherine’s Senior School (Dublino, Irlanda)
  3. Ard Scoil na Mara (Irlanda

 

Duration
36 months (from 1/12/2024 to 30/11/2027)

Total budget
400.000€

STAND UP FOR EUROPE!

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Project title
Stand up for Europe! Argumentation training against undemocratic slogans: European extension and updating

Project Number
2023-2-DE04-KA220-YOU-000175190 

Lead partner 
Akademie Klausenhof gGmbH (Germania)

Programme and call
Erasmus+ – KA2 Cooperation partnerships in Youth (KA220-YOU), Call for Proposals 2023

 

About the project

Brief description

The project stems from the collaboration of 6 partners (2 from Germany, 1 from Hungary, 1 from Turkey, 1 from Slovenia and InEuropa from Italy) for the creation of practical and theoretical materials for the development of training and facilitations activities and workshops for young people aged from 13 to 30 on thematic linked to democracy and European values. Specifically, the training materials will be the starting point for learning how to respond to antidemocratic slogans and discourse in a constructive way.

The training material will be freely accessible through a theoretical guide and a practical manual, a handbook of Good Practices on how to implement and promote common European values in their respective national contexts, and an online self-learning tool (short videos) to reflect and to activate the critical thinking and the peer-to-peer confrontation. Project materials are available on InEuropa website and on the official website in Italian, English and in the partners’ languages (German, Turkish, Slovenian, and Hungarian).

The main goal of the proposed activities is to provide resources to react in a proper way to antidemocratic and populist slogans that relate to daily situations with family, friends, at school, in public spaces, etc.

STAND UP FOR EUROPE! will mainly focus on:

  • Values and Identity
  • Dilemmas and Conflicts
  • Antidemocratic Slogans
  • Power, Privilege and Discrimination

The materials constitute the evolution and the update of the Klaus-Peter Hufer method – “Argumentationstraining gegen Stammtischparolen “(Argumentation training against populists’ slogans) in a European sense, widely used in Citizenship Education in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, enriched with topics, methods, and contributions specific to Europe thanks to the collaboration and contribution of the six project partners.


Target groups

The project is aimed at teachers, educators, and trainers enabling them to provide the young people and young adults they work with on a daily basis the resources to respond critically and constructively to hateful, anti-democratic, and populist attitudes, verbal (and physical) attacks, and populist, extremist, sexist, and stereotypical arguments (against migrants, Jews, people with disabilities, women, disadvantaged people, and queer people). 

It is also aimed at:

– Activists and volunteers in youth movements/political parties

– Employees of NGOs, initiatives, and civil rights movements, with a particular focus on young people 

– Stakeholders and politicians 

– Anyone involved in youth education

 

Through STAND UP FOR EUROPE! we want to:

  • Spread awareness of European values and strengthen respect for them
  • Develop a training program aimed at preparing young people to respond effectively to populist, anti-European, and discriminatory arguments, both online and offline.
  • Develop a method for spreading awareness of European values and their protection through the collection, comparison, and integration of effective training methodologies.
  • Defend human rights.
  • Contribute to the recognition of violations of fundamental European values through an effective training tool for use in digital contexts, oral discussions, and everyday scenarios.
  • Encourage personal reflection on respect for fundamental values and raise awareness of the use of stereotypical and discriminatory arguments and behaviors.
  • Stimulate self-assessment through the use of scenarios with which it is easy to identify.

 

What is Argumentationstraining gegen Stammtischparolen?

Stammtischparolen are populist statements and slogans with which numerous groups of people (often social minorities, but also representatives of the “elites”) are discriminated against. Usually, they are also directed against “the” European policy. These slogans are dogmatic, rigid and prejudice-based: in these speeches, there are very strict categories (“we” and “they”), which defend their positions aggressively and with an exclusionary attitude. 

Professor Dr. Klaus-Peter Hufer is a trainer, a lecturer, an author and scientist. He himself works as an adult educator and as an applied professor. His Argumentation training* teaches effective techniques and tricks for responding to populist slogans in conversations (e.g. with facts, irony, critical inquiries, etc.). In its interactive form, the argumentation training offers the opportunity to try out and experience in exchange with the seminar group how to react appropriately to such slogans. Hufer’s training has been frequently used in educational work for many years, also in youth education or in training for employees and volunteers of NGOs and other institutions, parties, companies, schools and organizations. 

* Klaus-Peter Hufer: Argumentationstraining gegen Stammtischparolen. Materialien und Anleitungen für Bildungsarbeit und Selbstlernen. 10.  Auflage 2018, 120 Seiten, Wochenschau-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main

 

Partnership

University of Augsburg, Germany 

InEuropa srl, Italy

KatHaz, Hungary 

Doga School, Turkey 

Socialna Akademija, Slovenia

 

Duration
24 months (from 01/03/2024 to 28/02/2026) 

Total Budget
€ 250.000

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® WORKSHOP – EUROPEAN YOUTH FAENZA

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Project: Europe for young people: values, methods, tools

Implementing partner: Unione Romagna Faentina

Funded under: Call for the promotion of European citizenship 2022 (Bando per la promozione della cittadinanza europea 2022)

Period: November-December 2022

Objective: to promote a learning journey about European values, rights and opportunities, as well as young people’s participation in public administration choices and European planning, intended for middle and high schools in EU territory.

These are the main activities:

  • Workshops on European values called “Bricks4Rights,“ carried out using the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology, intended for middle schools, identified through the schools participating in the initiative.
  • Seminars presenting European opportunities and informative workshops. Meetings partly dedicated to high schools, partly aimed at local youth, identified through youth associations and by individual registration.
  • Workshop on digital communication of cultural heritage. Meetings held by the European Route of Ceramics Association, a Council of Europe-certified Cultural Route, coordinated by the City of Faenza. Again, the meetings are geared towards young people.

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Workshop Number: 4

The experience of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshops, called “Bricks4Rights – European Values and Rights,” allowed students from secondary schools in the Municipality of Faenza (third year students) to undertake a unique experience, being stimulated to reflect and open up through sharing and confrontation on issues such as citizenship, their own identity and the identity of the European Union today.  The LSP methodology is a tool that has still proven to be innovative and effective in channeling individual energies and knowledge into discussion and reflection on a given topic. Through the workshops, not only was the purpose of raising awareness toward European values and rights achieved, but also the (no less important) purpose of bringing out feelings, passions, and thoughts.

SHINE – mainstreaming Systems tHinking In Natural sciences and Environmental education

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SHINE – mainstreaming Systems tHinking In Natural sciences and Environmental education

Agreement number: 2023-1-DE03-KA220-SCH-000158255

Program and Call

ERASMUS PLUS – Call 2023 Round 1 KA2

KA220- SCH – Cooperation partnerships in School Education

Ongoing project

Short description

Education for sustainable development gives learners of all ages the knowledge, skills, values and agency to address interconnected global challenges including climate change. The call for teachers is to develop strategies, tools and methodologies to achieve such key competencies to address the required complexity. Managing and solving sustainability problems require people with systemic competences who are able to see the whole in the individual, presenting a breadth of vision for a complex world. Since Systems Thinking (ST) is one of the key competencies in the education for sustainable development, it is crucial to train in-service teachers on the ST approach to give them the possibility to implement ST at school in science education classes. The SHINE project aims at bringing the ST approach in Natural Science education involving in-service teachers and students in the target age of 8-16 years old. SHINE aims at introducing the ST approach at school by training in-service teachers and by developing, validating and testing innovative didactic tools to effectively introduce and practice ST with students in natural science and ecology education. ST offers a new language in understanding how the world works, it enables students to see the parts of the whole and the network of relationships simultaneously, and consequently it tries to reveal the structure that creates change by questioning how events occur over time.

Objectives

SHINE’s overall objective is to prepare future citizens to face climate change challenges by promoting the introduction and mainstream of ST skills in natural science education. To reach this objective, SHINE sets 5 specific sub-objectives:

  1. Educate in-service teachers on ST principles and how to apply them in natural science;
  2. Support students in developing ST approach by introducing game-based learning and innovative didactics approach in science education;
  3. Sustain scientific skills and the deep learning of complex topics such as ecosystems and climate change;
  4. Promote collaboration among different school grades (8-16 y.o.)

Main activities

–  Development of a training course for in-service teachers replicated in each partner’s country and involving at least 25 natural science teachers.

– Design of a serious game (digital/board with different levels of difficulties accordingly with target age) to support students in practicing and experimenting ST applied to climate change issues.

– Creation of a digital toolkit containing specific didactic modules to introduce ST at school in natural science classes, assessment tools to evaluate the students’ improvement in ST reasoning in a long term perspective;

– Organisation of a set of digital and in-person transnational events to boost both students and teachers from partners’ countries to cooperate in understanding and finding possible common answers to the climate change effects occurring now and in a future perspective.

Expected results

  • Effectively supporting teachers in implementing and assessing ST at school with students of different ages by training them on the approach and co-producing specific didactic tools.
  • Applying ST in natural science and sustainability disciplines for assessing the student’s progress in a long-time perspective.
  • Enhancing the promotion of more engaging didactics and boosting the active involvement of students by cooperation “inter pares”
  • Facilitating and mainstream the introduction of ST into education as a way to deepen science principles and especially as a lens for understanding problems such as climate change and environment protection.

Coordinator

Hochschule RheinMain (DE)

Partnership

– InEuropa Srl (IT)

– Libera Università di Bolzano (IT)

– Tallin University (EE)

– Virtual Campus Lda (PT)

Duration

The project will last 36 months (1st October 2023 – 30th September 2026)

Budget

The grant is € 400.000,00

Project A(RT)CTION for Climate Change

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A(RT)CTION

A(RT)CTION for Climate Change

Programme and Call for proposals

Erasmus + KA220-YOU Cooperation Partnerships – Youth – call 2021

Project number: 2021-1-EL02-KA220-YOU-000029005

Open project

Brief description

A(RT)CTION is a transnational project co-funded by the Programme Erasmus + KA2 – Cooperation Partnerships – Youth within EAC/A01/2021 (Call for proposals 2021).

InEuropa srl is partner in the project.

Objectives
A(RT)CTION project was born out of all partner’s shared vision to contribute to the fight against the most pressing issues of our time, that is climate change. It is a multi-dimensional project that will enable behavioural changes for individual preferences, consumption habits, and lifestyle by training and educating young visual artists and youth workers on how to be true agents of change and green entrepreneurial practitioners. In the specific, the project intends to contribute to a more sustainable future by capitalizing on the influential power of arts and green entrepreneurship to raise awareness about environmental issues and foster positive behavioural change. The involved young artists will be able to employ their artworks as a tool to raise environmental awareness and trigger change at transnational level.

Deliverables

The project foresees the achievement of 4 main deliverables:

  • Artists ‘as Green Actors of Change’ Curriculum: development of the research methodology and implementation of questionnaires and interviews with the target groups; development of the structure of the Curriculum, with interrelated topics connected to the issue of climate change and how young visual artists can address it; testing of the Curriculum prior to its dissemination.
  • The ‘Green E-learning Platform & Cross-cultural Network for Collaboration’ Platform: design and development of the platform; transformation of the Curriculum into e-learning materials; assembly of the Curriculum into a cohesive course ready for piloting via the interactive platform.
  • ‘Artists for Climate Change’ Toolkit: creation of this tool with content and resources aimed at young people and arts professionals.
  • Book/e-Book for Young Artists on ‘How to become a Successful Green Social Entrepreneur/ Actor of Change’: aimed at young artists, it will offer practical advice and guidance regarding green arts and entrepreneurship, with a special focus on how visual artists should employ their art to raise awareness toward green issues, inspire appropriate behaviour, and influence people to be more environmentally conscious.

Results
The main expected results of A(RT)CTION are:

  • Strengthening the sense of initiative of young people, through the promotion of green entrepreneurship and creative learning;
  • Increase in the number of young artists and youth workers who act as true agents of change and help the society in which they live to face the challenges of climate change;
  • Increased quality innovation and recognition of youth work (in the arts sector) as well as productive knowledge exchange, and stimulation of intercultural dialogue with people across Europe;
  • Developed sustainability competences of educators and education leaders and support the planned approaches of the participating organisations regarding environmental sustainability.

Applicant
ORGANOSI GI (GREECE)

Partners

  • CENTRE FOR ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LTD – CARDET (CYPRUS)
  • INEUROPA SRL (ITALY)
  • FUNDACIO INTERARTS PER A LA COOPERACIO CULTURAL INTERNACIONAL (SPAIN)
  • AMAZING YOUTH (GREECE)
  • ARTIT ATHENS ΜΟΝΟΠΡΟΣΩΠΗ ΙΔΙΩΤΙΚΗ ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΥΧΙΚΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ (GREECE)
  • KENTRO MERIMNAS OIKOGENEIAS KAI PAIDIOU (GREECE)

Duration
24 months (8 December 2021 – 7 December 2023)

Website
under contruction

Budget
The project received a grant of € 255.650,00.

Co-financing Organization
Erasmus+ National Agency – NEDIVIM Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation – GREECE

JUST ACTION – Teachers and students towards a sustainable transition

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JUST ACTION – TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION

Action on Global Citizenship – empowering student voices for climate action at primary and post primary level

Project number: 2021-1-IE01-KA220-SCH-000031615

Lead Partner
Global Action Plan Ltd. (Ireland)

Programme
Erasmus+ Programme – KA2 Cooperation partnerships in school education, Call for Proposals 2021

Brief description
Action on Global Citizenship (AOGC) is a programme that aims to empower teachers in primary and secondary/high schools to engage their learners critically in the theme of climate action through a Global Citizenship Education (GCE) lens and to support learners in taking relevant, meaningful action to the climate issues they encounter.

The project stems from a growing awareness of the globalised and interconnected nature of climate action and the need for systemic change starting with young people, supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Action.

Creating the space for exploration within the school environment will enable students to actively engage in transforming the world around them for the better.

In this context, a partnership of environmental education organisations from the GAP International Network from Italy, Ireland, Spain and Norway have designed the Action on Global Citizenship programme to support the acquisition of knowledge (head), values & attitudes (hearts) and skills for action (hand) so learners can take appropriate actions to address climate and sustainability challenges.

Given the ability to reach a large number of learners and their influence as educators, the programme has a strong focus on supporting teachers.

Objectives
The overall project objective is to implement a sustainable, scalable Global Citizenship Education programme at primary and secondary that has been designed and piloted through a participatory design methodology and will reach teachers and learners across the programme countries.

Specific objectives of the programme are:

  • to provide appropriate educational resources for primary and secondary teachers and their students
  • to provide a training programme for teachers at both levels, supported by an online Resource and Learning Platform for teacher and student access
  • to make learners feel empowered to participate as an active global citizen and take action on climate and sustainability issues and challenges that matter to them most
  • to create greater opportunities for school to school collaboration via eTwinning
  • to grow, scale and sustain the programme through the regional education systems in each country, thus increasing access of the programme to schools, teachers and learners nationally and transnationally
  • to build capacity of the programme partners to manage the design life cycle of educational programmes

Activities 

  • Secondary School Action on Global Citizenship Programme: a toolkit that supports teachers in secondary schools to guide learners together in tackling local issues identified by learners that are related to the climate crisis and exploring them critically through a global lens and collectively creating meaningful actions and campaigns that address these issues. Included will be a student workbook that will support learners during the programme.
  • Primary School Action on Global Citizenship Programme: a toolkit that supports teachers in primary schools to guide learners together in tackling local issues identified by learners that are related to the climate crisis and exploring them critically through a global lens and collectively creating meaningful actions and campaigns that address these issues. Included will be a student workbook that will support learners during the programme.
  • Action on Global Citizenship Teacher Training Programme: the programme will support primary and secondary school teachers and give them the competencies to integrate the GCE programme in their teaching and learning practices. The deliverables for this output will be in the form of training materials (presentations, activity books, learning resources, support videos) and support documents for the programme such as learning outcome documents, lesson plans and administration forms.
  • Action on Global Citizenship Resource and Learning Online Platform: resource platform for schools to access a comprehensive repository of open education resources and learning materials that will support the teaching and learning process as they undertake the Action on Global Citizenship programme in their school. The platform will be multilingual in English, Spanish, Italian and Norwegian. Designed into the overall programme will be an emphasis on international school collaboration using eTwinning.

Expected outcomes 

  • The Action on Global Citizenship programme piloted in 8 primary and 8 secondary schools, with 32 teachers and up to 1000 learners
  • 200 teachers trained in Action on Global Citizenship training
  • 12,000 learners reached by the programme and connecting to other European students via eTwinning

Target group
The main target groups and beneficiaries of the project are students, teachers and school managers from primary and secondary schools.

Partnership
Lead partner: Global Action Plan Ltd. (IE)
PP1: Framtiden i våre hender (NO)
PP2: ASOCIACION PLAN DE ACCION GLOBAL PARA LA TIERRA GAP ESPANA (ES)
PP3: InEuropa Srl (IT)

Duration
The project has a duration of 36 months (from 01/11/2021 to 01/11/2024)

EU grant
The project has a total cost of di 258,538.00€

e^4 — tools in higher Education for an Embodied & creative Energy Education

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e^4 — tools in higher Education for an Embodied & creative Energy Education

Programme and Call for Proposals

 ERASMUS PLUS – Call 2021 Round 1 KA2

KA220-HED – Cooperation partnerships in higher education

Open project

Brief description

Given the urgency of environmental and technological change in the face of challenges such as climate change, the main need recorded is raising awareness of possible solutions and necessary measures, also given the challenge of educating the coming generation in these matters.

On this scenario, e^4 aims at both supporting and reforming teacher education at academic level in matters concerning energy, by training University professors charged with teacher education (Initial Teacher Education, prospective and in-service teacher education at primary and lower secondary school level) in new imaginative teaching methods to facilitate the transfer of energy-related scientific knowledge to students. Academics will be able to develop lectures based on teaching approaches encouraging imagination and creativity to science education, so to transfer these practices to future and in-service teachers. They, in turn, will be able to integrate these approaches in their school lessons, in order to adapt to the new generation’s learning capacities and needs, and to educate and sensitize their students to take care of the environment and to help tackle climate change and promote conscious technological change.

Moreover, we feel the need for Univerisities charged with teacher education (Educational Science Faculties) to reach out to the wider community and become meaningful partners in a network with companies, organisations and institutions working on our energy future.

Objectives

  • Develop and/or enrich higher education curricula (in teacher education for primary and lower secondary school levels), following a didactic approach based on “tools of imagination”, to facilitate the transfer of energy-related scientific knowledge to primary and lower secondary school students;
  • offer professional learning opportunities, for academics charged with teacher education, in innovative pedagogies and approaches to teaching science courses (including the use of appropriate aids and materials);
  • promote learning and teaching partnerships between universities charged with teacher education and the private energy sector;
  • upskill future and in-service science teachers with new approaches to teaching to encourage student girls for scientific careers and fight against gender stereotypes in STEM;
  • support the strengthening of science skills of EU citizens and professionals to make conscious choices and use creativity and a critical mindset to contribute to lower CO2 emissions towards EU 2050 targets.

 

Main Activities

  • Creation of a multistakeholder network which connects private/public entities working in the energy sector with academic institutions charged with teacher education.
  • Creation of innovative didactic material for teacher education to upskill university professors and school teachers with new narrative and imaginative approaches to teaching and science education.
  • Web platform supporting the network and the material.

Results

  • Increased competences and skills of partners’ staff.
  • Increased competences in teachers of primary and secondary schools: future and in-service teachers from the different partners’ countries will be engaged in testing the didactic material and activities through local and transnational pilot testing. 

We expect the project to produce a change in teaching approaches at all levels:

  •  At university level, improving academics’ science teaching approaches, also blending online and in presence courses, improving the efficacy of their courses both at university and jointly with the private and public energy sector.
  • At school level, helping student teachers and in-service teachers to be more motivated for and engaged in new imaginative teaching methods, will lead to innovation in school curricula. Teachers will be able to adapt their teaching approaches to the new generation’s learning capacities and skills needs through the application of creativity fostered by imaginative tools. 

Lead partner

LIBERA UNIVERSITA’ DI BOLZANO (Italy)

Partners

– InEuropa Srl – Italy

– Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika W Toruniu – Poland 

– Esciencia Eventos Cientificos Sl Aragón Zaragoza – Spain

– Universitat de Valencia – Spain 

– Sustainable Innovation Technology Services Ltd Mid-West Castletroy – Irleland

– Università degli Studi Di Modena e Reggio Emilia – Italy 

– Dublin City University – Ireland

Duration
The project will last 36 months (28 February 2022 – 27 February 2025)

Website
https://energy4teachers.eu/

Budget
The project received a grant of € 395 506,00

SUNRAISE

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Project name: Stem UNlimited Raise thanks to Arts at School in Europe

Call and programme: Erasmus + – Call 2021 Round 1 KA 2

KA220-SCH – Cooperation partnerships in school education

Ongoing project 

Brief description

The project SUNRAISE – Stem UNlimited Raise thanks to Arts at School in Europe involves 7 partners from five different European countries and it aims to develop a set of inclusive training tools for secondary school teachers and educators in order to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects combined with artistic techniques (for instance Geometry and Music, Physics and Dance, Ecology and Theatre etc). Several challenges that are aimed to be tackled through SUNRAISE include the increasing inequalities in accessing learning for students with disadvantages (both socio-economic ones, disabilities, special educational needs) generally reducing the quality of learning and school achievements, with a risk of disengagement and dropout, climate change. This adds up to the already scarce performance and interest shown by EU students in STEM, despite the key importance of these subjects to develop the necessary innovation to face contemporary challenges. It is necessary that young people combine knowledge with interdisciplinary competences to solve problems, participate actively and responsibly in society, think critically and creatively, while at the moment they are more likely to be left behind. The risk is to grow a generation of people less prepared to face contemporary challenges.

Objectives

The priorities of SUNRAISE include the promotion of interest and excellence in STEM subjects with the adoption of the STEAM approach. In this context, the cultural and creative sector can contribute in developing ways SUNRAISE responds to this situation by developing a set of training tools for secondary school teachers and educators to teach STEM subjects combined with artistic techniques (e.g. Geometry and Music, Physics and Dance, Ecology and Theatre, etc). In this context, culture and art can give a unique contribution in developing ways of bridging creativity and arts with educational approaches. This approach will be even more effective for students with disabilities/SEN as the use of creativity and visual languages will improve their learning process even in difficult subjects such as science.

Therefore, the project objectives are:

  • To improve teaching quality through innovative and alternative didactics that enrich STEM teaching with different artistic expressions, facilitating inclusive and participatory learning.
  • To integrate formal education with non-formal education by professional artists and artists with disabilities, letting cultural and creative organizations play an active role in the recovery by starting new collaborations with the education sector to build a resilient society.
  • To help teachers develop their skills regarding STEM and creativity fostering creative thinking and sense of initiative, useful to find innovative solutions to individual and collective challenges.
  • To offer students, including students with disabilities, SEN and/or social and economic disadvantage, new opportunities of self-expression exploring contamination between STEM and arts.
  • To foster students’ awareness, relational and communication skills and their ability to think out of the box.

Activities:

  • Initial analysis of the current situation in partner countries regarding STEM achievements and education methodologies in place, including good practices, and investigation of teachers’ and education professionals’ needs in terms of skills development and innovative teaching.
  • Development of the E-learning platform as a “virtual classroom” for training teachers and students which will host all training materials.
  • Preparation of SUNRAISE innovative training programme for teaching STEM and scientific subjects through creative approaches; the programme will consist in modules, each combining 1 STEM subject with specific art techniques and represents an innovative methodology to build curiosity and engagement, practical and creative thinking, with a special added value for students with learning and social difficulties or disabilities. The modules will be piloted by each partner in lessons/training sessions in secondary schools.
  • Creation of the SUNRAISE e-book, which will bring together all the research, pilots, learning and main findings of the project.

Expected results

  • Increased interest of students in STEM subjects and stronger inclination to undertake STEM studies and careers.
  • Improved teaching’s quality through innovative & alternative didactics that will foster the methodology of STEM teaching through artistic approaches.
  • Increased inclusivity and appeal of STEM teaching, either in presence and at distance, addressing the needs of every student including those with a disability or difficult background or SEN.
  • Increased students’ capacity to think in an interdisciplinary way and put in place creative solutions to complex and/or abstract problems.
  • Increased teachers’ capacity to engage students and reach out to them in a fruitful way.
  • Increased empowerment, higher inclusion and active participation of students.
  • New collaboration opportunities among organizations in the cultural and artistic sector, schools, education and youth organizations, finding a new role across disciplines and real-world applications.

Coordinator:  Nazareno Societa’ Cooperativa Sociale – Italy

Partnership

  • CSI Center For Social Innovation Ltd – Cyprus
  • ICIMSS – Stowarzyszenie Miedzynarodowe Centrum Zarzadzania Informacja – Poland
  • Esciencia Eventos Cientificos Sl – Spain
  • THEAMA Theatro Atomon Me Anapiria – Greece
  • Cooperativa Sociale La Carovana – Italy
  • Zespół Szkół Drogowo-Geodezyjnych i Licealnych im. Augusta Witkowskiego w Jarosławiu – Poland

Duration: the project will last 24 months (February 2022 – January 2024).

The project officially started in May 2022 and has been extended to May 2024.

Budget: the project received a grant of € 327.707

Project GET UP!

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GET UP!

Gamification as an Educational Tool for Upper schools on Parks and environment

Programme and call for proposals

Erasmus +, KA2 (Cooperation for Innovation and Exchange of Good Practices, Strategic Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness)  – extra call for proposals 2020 in response to Covid-19

Brief description

The project aims to support students and teachers in upper secondary schools in acquiring and developing basic skills and key competences related to biodiversity protection, sustainability and environmental issues, through the collective design of a video game simulating the management of a nature park, contributing to digital education.

InEuropa srl is partner.

Objectives
• to increase the competence and awareness on environmental issues in upper secondary school students, who are about to enter the world of work, by stimulating their interest in this topic (by improving their knowledge of problems and issues related to nature conservation and, consequently, to local and global environmental challenges) using the language and modalities of the new media;

  • to increase the skills of upper secondary school students in problem solving, ICT use and digital literacy, through the use of gamification in school education, applied to environmental lessons;
  • to encourage open and innovative education with an emphasis on digital tools applied to a specific topic (functioning of natural parks, protection of biodiversity and sustainable development), which represents a significant social and educational value of European cultural heritage, with strong connections to the creation of future new jobs.

Activities

The Nature Parks that will be involved in the educational project are:

  • Regional Park Cento Laghi – Italy
  • Regional Park Sierra de Espadà – Spain
  • National Park Snæfellsjökull – Iceland
  • Little Carpathian Protected Landscape – Slovakia

The main project activities are:

  • Collection of information (boundaries, different degree of conservation areas, adjacent urban centres, roads, hiking trails, forest cover, protected flora and fauna present, etc.) by the 4 parks involved, for the development of the content of the educational video game;
  • Development of a video game as a digital educational tool in English, which will simulate the challenges that a nature park authority has to face in its daily work. It will also contain narrative parts, be organised in levels and contain other elements such as characters, scenarios, educational challenges related to the management of protected natural areas, etc;
  • Promotion of the video game as an educational gamification tool, by drafting a storyboard of the activity and relating the different phases and parts of the game to different aspects of gamification theory and practice;
  • Training activities for high school teachers on gamification and digital tools;
  • Training activities for project staff on the creation of the video game;
  • Field visit and experimental application of the new educational method for students;
  • Dissemination events in Italy, Iceland, Spain and Poland.

Results
The main expected results are:

  • Increase of secondary school students’ skills on environmental issues, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, learning more directly about the complexity of a relevant element of European cultural heritage such as natural parks, through the use of a video game, achieving the goal of combining open education and innovative practices in the digital age.
  • Increase of teachers’ competences towards new educational methods related to gamification and the use of digital tools for teaching, together with a deeper involvement in environmental and nature protection issues, achieving the result of strengthening the profile of teaching professions.
  • Strengthening the professionalism of other stakeholders, such as nature parks and environmental educators, and evaluating new tools in the digital age for the promotion of cultural heritage in education.

Lead partner

Fundación de la Comunitat Valenciana para una Economía Baja en Carbón – ES

Partnership
The partnership consists of 7 actors from 5 different countries:

  • Gymnazium Karola Stura – SK
  • InEuropa srl – IT
  • INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SECUNDARIA BOTÀNIC CAVANILLES – ES
  • eco&eco Economia e Ecologia srl – IT
  • Environmental Agency of Iceland – ISL
  • DANMAR COMPUTERS SP ZOO – PL
  • Ente di Gestione per i Parchi e la Biodiversità Emilia Occidentale – IT

Duration
The project has a duration of 24 months (1 May 2021 – 30 April 2023)

Website
In progress

Total budget
The EU grant received is € 163.139,00

Funding body

European Commission – Erasmus + National Agency ES01