Time travel as a method takes the local history of a place as its starting point in order to discuss contemporary issues. Often arranged in the form of a role-play or dramatization of a historical event with a pre-written scenario which includes alternative endings, participants are invited to actively participate and thereafter reflect on contemporary issues. During Covid-19, museums that have worked for many years with time travel methods, roleplaying games and other pedagogical programs targeting school children, have started to consider whether the method can be packaged into a digital service or product. In this project, heritage institutions accustomed to time travel methods and roleplaying games will experimentally develop digital variants. The project also aims at using digital solutions in order to transform the usually exclusively local time travel into a transnational experience. The target groups are 1) school children partaking in the activities developed, 2) the teachers with which we collaborate in the development process, and 3) other museums and schools throughout Europe who can learn and be inspired by our partnership and its results. The core project group consists of six project partners from Sweden, Finland and Estonia, including museums, a heritage research and development centre, a children culture network, and a school. The project also has associate partners from Swedish and Finnish universities with expert knowledge in digital didactics and heritage learning. The development of the digital methods will be done in close co-operation with teachers and students in the respective countries. Our first objective is to explore existing digital platforms in order to see what advantages and disadvantages the different tools have for time travel methodology and other pedagogical programs at museums. We will examine what new opportunities arise with digital solutions and how they can take time travel or other educational programs at museums, to the next level. We are particularly interested in creating a transnational time travel event. This demands developing tailor made programs suitable for digital tools, as well as pilot testing and evaluating them in collaboration with schools. Our second objective is to reach an overview of the needs and experience level within the sector. In order to do so we will carry out a broad survey within the museum sector in the countries involved about the needs for digital solutions in pedagogical programs aimed at school children, focusing on what challenges have been identified and what innovative solutions are already in use. The answers to the survey will be complemented with qualitative interviews with a selection of key individuals. The report based on this survey will also be of use for other museums in Europe developing digital pedagogical tools.Our third objective is to develop a context-dependent handbook and toolkit which will lead to greater knowledge within the sector as to how to develop digital methods for pedagogical programs. It will also include best cases that can serve as an inspiration, and incorporate all the lessons learned within the project. The handbook will be spread online and we will also share our experiences in multiplier events in Sweden, Finland and Estonia. In summary, the expected results are new and advanced pedagogical programs incorporating digital tools including a transnational time travel, as well as knowledge production in the form of reports, a scientific publication and a handbook/toolkit for museum professionals and teachers. The expected impact to the target group of school children will be improved pedagogical programs using digital means to enhance the experience, which will stimulate co-creation and creativity among the participants. This will have a positive impact upon the children’s creativity, intercultural understanding and awareness of historical processes. The use of digital means will also increase the students’ digital competences. As digital means will make it easier for a broader segment of society to participate without traveling long distances, it will make such pedagogical programs available for schools far away from museums. The expected impacts for teachers are an increased capacity to carry out pedagogical and sustainable programs together with museums and/or other heritage organisations, and a larger awareness of the value of these programs for the school children. The expected impact for other museums and schools is that these kinds of pioneering pedagogical programs will serve as an inspiration when developing new activities. As a result, we will have produced advanced pedagogical programs that we will continue to use and develop, which will have a long-term impact upon how we use time travel, roleplaying and other pedagogical programs in the future. We also see this project as a possibility to deepen our cooperation in order to develop the time travel method in the future.

Refugees entering European countries, carrying the trauma of war or political instability are very vulnerable and need a great deal of psychological support and training to help them establish a foothold in their new country. At the same time professionals in education and social care in many EU countries need to learn very quickly about how best to support the refugees whose knowledge of their new country may be limited and their skills in the language of their new country may be slight or non-existent. The REHAC project was implemented by a partnership of different types of organizations from Greece, Slovenia, Sweden, Norway and Italy, including education institutions of different remits (university, adult education centres, non-formal learning providers), public authorities and representatives of the civil society operating in the interests of refugees. The partnership of 8 organisations was led by Euracademy Association, a European-wide non-profit network of education and sustainable development practitioners and academics, devoted to capacity building of communities in rural Europe. The target groups supported through the REHAC project were the educators of refugee learners and the refugee learners themselves. The main objectives of the project were:• To design an innovative learning methodology and learning resources, based on history, art and culture, freely available to education and other refugee integration professionals, leading to an introductory learning course, to ease the first steps of integration of refugees in their host country.• To ease the transition experienced in cultural change and start the process of building confidence and personal growth after a traumatic life-changing event.• To offer basic skills and language training to refugees who are starting a new life in an EU country • To enhance language skills and other non-verbal methods of communication • To introduce lifelong learning to refugees• To network educators working with refugees in different EU countries and in different learning situations, so that they can readily exchange experiences and best practice. • To influence policies makers in each partnership country to provide guidance and educational support for the expanding refugee population integrating into many EU countries. The REHAC project developed, over a period of 33 months:• A survey on the learning needs of both the refugees themselves and the trainers/support staff involved in the integration process. The results in every country were compiled in one Synthesis Report of Learning Needs.• National task-force groups in every partner country, including representatives of the partner organisations as well as representatives of key stakeholder organisations in every country (central government, local government, NGOs, adult-education organisations and organisations of the civil society), active in the refugees’ integration. The task-force groups followed the project activities in each country and contributed by taking part in project activities (learning needs survey, pilot-testing activities, multiplier events), offering feedback on the project outputs and actively supporting their dissemination and promotion.• A learning methodology based on an innovative approach, exploiting the benefits of history, culture and art in training, through the channel of “storytelling”.• A training of trainers course, to help educators to apply the REHAC methodology with refugee learners. The 5-day course took place in Athens on 7-11 May 2018, with 15 trainers from all partner countries and additional participants from Greek organisations active in refugee training, who were invited to attend.• A refugee training course, operationalised in 2 learning packages, to guide the introduction of refugee learners in language and basic skills, as well as in job orientation.• A Handbook presenting in a succinct, easily comprehended and illustrated format, with examples, the sequence of activities and resources developed by the project, which can be used by educators and trainers.The REHAC Learning methodology and tools were piloted in all partners’ countries, with 164 refugees. Four (4) workshops at national level and one international conference assisted in the dissemination of the results of the project, and in building an active community of interest of project stakeholders. The project achieved considerable impact regarding the stakeholder organisations in every partner country, the trainers and support stuff of refugee integration who have already used the project outputs or will do so in the future, as well as the refugees themselves who took part in different project activities. The project partners, inspired by the project's success and outreach, have applied for and secured funding in the Erasmus + programme for a project developing further the REHAC methodology and learning material for school education.

"<< Background >>The COVID-19 pandemic, by restricting movement and forcing the closure of cultural heritage sites/institutions, has strongly affected the entire cultural sector, which is now struggling to try to recover.The fruition of culture has come to a turning point: it requires the design and implementation of innovative practices, new forms of promotion, communication, access and transmission of knowledge. This change of perspective involves also the definition of a new vision, related the environmental issue: cultural institutions must increasingly act as a bridge connecting Nature, Culture and the Environment. With respect to these challenges, a new, correct and mature use of digital tools is essential.A precondition for this to concretely happen is to promote a multidisciplinary VET education, which includes the natural, human and digital sciences, necessary to train and forge renewed professional figures able to help address the challenges of the cultural sector. DIGICULT offers an innovative e-learning pathway, based on digital tools and focused on cultural heritage, with the aim of developing disciplinary, key and life skills, improving learners’ key competences as summarized in the recommendations of the European Commission and the European Council: communication in the mother tongue, communication in foreign languages, digital expertise, social, civic and environmental competences, initiative and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness.This e-learning pathway can motivate learners with reference also to young people at risk of leaving school since it transforms their knowledge and passion for digital tools (such as video games or social media) and their increasing environmental sensitivity into skills useful for their professional future. Trainers/teachers can experience a new mixed teaching approach that integrates digital, foreign languages and learning-through-practice.The DIGICULT project, in pursuing this educational pathway and being centred on a new cultural paradigm, is coherent with some SDGS - Sustainable Development Goals - set by the United Nations 2030 Agenda:Goal 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all;Goal 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls;Goal 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all;Goal 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patternsGoal 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.DIGICULT will promote these goals through promoting:- a formative / cultural narration that takes into account the environmental context of cultural heritage;- an e-learning pathway aimed at deepening some SDGS - Sustainable Development Goals, the concepts of ecological and digital transition, the new dimension of cultural heritage;- a game aimed at providing both quality education / services and digitization / innovation in cultural institutions.- a conscious and environmentally friendly cultural consumption pattern (e.g. cultural events with low environmental impact).Furthermore, the DIGICULT project will take place in a context characterized by the ""New European Bauhaus"" strongly promoted by the European Commission to strengthen the links between the world of culture and creativity and the world of production, science and technology, to guide the ecological transition pursued by the Green New Deal and the New Generation of the EU. DIGICULT involves:• 6 European country with strong expertise in the cultural heritage, educational and digital fields.• VET learners - young people (14-30 years old) attending training courses.• VET learners - trainers involved in training courses.<< Objectives >>The project wants to achieve the development of new competences, thanks to an innovative educational pattern conceived as a replicable model, up to the challenges of the cultural sector: the design and implementation of innovative practices, new forms of promotion, communication, access and transmission of knowledge based on the assumptions of digital and green transition.DIGICULT, in coherence with Council Recommendation on vocational education and training for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience and the Digital Education Action Plan, focuses on synergies between cultural heritage and digital education in VET considering the following key factors:• COVID-19 crisis has brought greater awareness of the need to improve the use of technology both in VET and cultural heritage sectors;• living and learning cultural heritage has to continue to be a source of resilience, even if enjoyed at a distance, as young and adult people continue to draw inspiration, joy and solidarity;• changing labour market underlines the need to provide innovative learning methods and to empower guidance services in order to facilitate agile adaptation to new labour market requirements;• VET trainers and learners need to perform new roles in the digital era in order to be resilient and future-ready for their personal and professional life.<< Implementation >>The project consists of 3 phases, supervised through a continuous evaluation activity. Every phase is divided in activities, aiming to address specific tasks and achieve precise project results.Phase 1 TOWARDS AN INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM FOR THE CULTURAL HERITAGE DIGITAL EDUCATION•Project Result 1 DIGITAL CULTURAL HERITAGE: AN INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM- the definition of the training methodology for the pilot course (Act 1.1)- the developing of the strategy on how to welcome different learners (Act 1.2)Phase 2 IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION OF THE E-LEARNING DIGICULT PATHWAY•Project Results DIGICULT E-LEARNING PATHWAY AND VALIDATION- the creation of the content of the training modules identify as relevant in new digital, methodological and relational competences (Act 2.1)- the development of digital educational resources (Act 2.2)- the piloting of e-learning Pathway and validation report (Act 2.3+ Act 2.4)Phase 3 CREATION OF THE DIGICULT EDUCATIONAL GAME•Project Result DIGICULT EDUCATIONAL GAME- the design and the realization of DIGICULT educational game (Act 3.1 + Act 3.2).The project methodology aims to maximize the involvement of the learners alternating meeting and practical activities, allowing participants to immediately put into practice the skills acquired through fruitful discussion with participants of other countries.The use of digital tools like e-learning platform, social networks, the creation of digital outputs (e.g. the design of a virtual game) will help increase their practical involvement and boost the expertise useful for their professional development.In order to ensure a long-term DIGICULT sustainability, the consortium ensures the all the educational resources, materials and tools developed will remain at disposal of partners and public on an open-source platform. This platform will be linked to partner's websites and its impact will be multiplied thanks to their diffusion (through promotion and dissemination) and use in different contexts and situations.<< Results >>DIGICULT wants to cope with the changing ways of culture fruition and at the same time to safeguard access to contents by all. This implies to improve the use of technology in VET, to adapt pedagogies and develop digital skills, to encourage greater interaction with technology and more efficient learning and teaching practices, the use of alternative learning channels, equally inclusive, but capable of being flexible and adaptable to the new context. Since the cultural place is an educational place, this must be experienced (and therefore narrated) in an engaging and memorable way.DIGICULT offers an innovative e-learning pathway with the aim of developing disciplinary, key and life skills, improving learners’ key competences as summarized in the recommendations of the European Commission and the European Council: communication in the mother tongue, communication in foreign languages, digital expertise, social and civic competences, initiative and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness.This e-learning pathway, based on digital tools and focused of cultural heritage, can motivate learners with reference also to young people at risk of leaving school - since it transforms their knowledge and passion for digital tools (such as video games or social media) into skills useful for their professional future. Trainers/teachers can experience a new mixed teaching approach that integrates digital, foreign languages and learning-through-practice. Furthermore, the collaboration with partner countries will allow recipients to acquire additional skills and to exchange views.The project is expected to have a more general impact at all levels (local, regional, national and European) mainly because:• it will strengthen digital and technological skills of ""digital natives"" learners with a specific focus on the cultural heritage, making them more aware about the impact of the digital technology in this area;• it will increase learners’ resilience by promoting and implementing competences for the digital transformation in the cultural heritage area and related processes;• it will enhance digital possibilities for learning and engaging with cultural heritage;• it will equip beneficiaries with new life, technical, pedagogical and creative skills;• it will encourage a broad and conscious use of the European cultural heritage in VET;• it will increase awareness on VET learners and trainers in the field of culture and cultural heritage.The results of the project will also represent a powerful and lasting outcome to ensure the continuity of DIGICULT after the end of the implementation phase. All project results will in fact remain at stakeholders’ disposal, in order to be useful and inspiring for future action.Indeed, the DIGICULT project wants to help achieve the SDGS - Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations 2030 Agenda (Goals 4-5-8-12-17)."

META-MUSEUM aims to create empathic encounters where citizens can understand the CH transformative nature through active participation, emotional involvement and co-creation; to develop the “TransforMeans theory” and related new professional skills, based on Neuroscience evidence; to provide cultural professionals with principles and tools for designing cultural experiences and to monitoring the effectiveness of communicative/narrative solutions; to reach different segments of citizens, included disaffected public and non-public; to foster empathy, confidence and resilience toward contemporary changes; to validate an appropriate measurement of empathic responses, confidence and resilience in CH users, via Neuroscience’s method. META-MUSEUM adopts a transdisciplinary approach and a strict interrelation between theoretical and experimental work. The first one will explore and develop in-depth the “TransforMeans theory” principles, develop stimuli to make people understand the CH transformative nature and encourage co-creation and personal interpretation. The experimental work will measure the audience's cognitive, psycho and neurophysiological responses to stimuli, and interpret indicators related to confidence and resilience (intended as a capacity to positively react to changes). The “TransforMeans theory” principles will be tested in 3 different settings (pilots): 1) traditional cultural setting: museums; 2) non-cultural setting: hospitals (WITHOUT focusing on “therapy results”, but only on the CH power on people particularly lacking in confidence and positive thinking); 3) hybrid setting (physical and virtual), in urban contexts and via social media. The META-MUSEUM objectives mobilise multidisciplinary expertise, provide evidence-based principles and guidelines; promote better and more democratic access to CH, improve personal participation and CH understanding, enhance confidence, and address the SDG4, SDG10 and SDG11.