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Creating an Innovative Platform of Communication and Teaching in a Digital Society

Funder: European CommissionProject code: 2018-1-BG01-KA201-047998
Funded under: ERASMUS+ | Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices | Strategic Partnerships for school education Funder Contribution: 96,858.6 EUR

Creating an Innovative Platform of Communication and Teaching in a Digital Society

Description

The main assumption behind the project “Creating an Innovative Platform of Communication and Teaching in a Digital Society” was that for a number of socio-economic, political and cultural reasons the quality of education has declined on a global scale, especially in Bulgaria. We also believe that the teacher is the key figure in the educational process whose skills and competences are decisive for improving the effectiveness of education. Most of the countries in the world face serious issues in this regard: 1) shortage of teachers because of low economic incentives, hence low prestige of the teacher's profession; 2) inadequate professional skills; 3) insufficient motivation to upgrade qualification.Against this background, the proposed project aimed: 1) To upgrade the language proficiency and intercultural competences of teachers and students by developing an innovative method of foreign language teaching and learning;2) To strengthen the profile of the teacher's profession and thus increase motivation for lifelong learning; 3) To stimulate collaboration between the participating countries through exchange of good practices;4) To encourage partnerships between schools and local educational authorities.The project team consisted of 7 institutional partners (3 schools, 2 NGOs, and 2 regional departments of education) from Bulgaria, Malta, the Netherlands, and Turkey. The coordinator was Association “Education Without Barriers” (www.ewb.bg). In this way, the project included organizations operating in diverse socio-economic, cultural and educational contexts. The direct participants in the project were 22 teachers and 166 pupils. In addition, the project reached about 140 teachers from schools not involved in the project and about 800 school principals, experts, educators, youth workers and other stake-holders. The grand total of project beneficiaries, including partners, is estimated at 1,145 persons.The project involved the following activities:1) developing an innovative platform of communication; 2) training sessions for teachers and pupils;3) mobility activities (C1 in Malta, TM1,2,3 in Sofia, Istanbul, Valkenburg);4) online event involving groups of pupils (C2);5) online meeting with partners, including TM4; 6) dissemination of project results (meetings with stakeholders, trainings, TwinSpace materials, toolkits, publicity materials, info-boards, banners and project corners in schools, posts in social networks, etc.)The project is based on an innovative method of teaching English which consists of 3 components: language study through a topic-related approach, use of ICT tools and non-formal techniques in and out of the classroom. The method’s essence can be summarized as “Learn, (Re)think, Express”: learn new words, expressions, and terms related to a topic selected from real life, actual events, and the personal experience of students; think about the questions the topic raises, and express a critical opinion using the new vocabulary. The final effect will be three-fold: general culture will be enriched, intellectual horizons will be broadened, and critical thinking will be energized. In addition, the creative use of ICT aids and resources from non-formal education will make the study process more interesting for teachers and learners alike. The following results have been achieved: 1) a new platform of communication (TwinSpace, eTwinning, Padlet);2) innovative methodology of teaching and learning English;3) English and German lessons based on the new method; 4) Toolkit I, “Teach Better, Learn More”, and Toolkit II, “Learn, Re(think), Express” available on TwinSpace; 5) productive partnerships with schools, regional educational authorities and NGOs; 6) exchange of good practices among partners.The project activities will have both short-term and long-term impact. Short-term, they will result in enhanced teaching and learning skills of trainees; higher motivation to work and upgrade professional qualification; heightened intercultural sensitivity; stronger partnerships. Long-term: involvement of schools outside the project; more active engagement of regional authorities in projects related to intercultural education. After the end of the project, all partners will continue to communicate. The following activities will be sustained: maintaining the innovative platform; conducting training sessions and open lessons; ongoing contacts with local, regional and national educational authorities; organizing a face-to-face summer school for pupils and teachers, the pandemic situation permitting. The Toolkits may be used as a basis to create an intellectual product which could be periodically updated and enriched.

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