Project summary at the end

We carried out the project "Be a Responsible Citizen in the Digital World of Tomorrow" (Erasmus-plus-bereci.com) in cooperation between schools in Germany, Greece, Italy,Croatia, Finland and Poland.Our project was based on the observation that despite the distribution and availability of a wide range of digital media, there are still deficits in ICT skills and the awareness of opportunities and risks is not yet fully developed among all school stakeholders. Another challenge for society and for our schools is cyberbullying as an excessive form of bullying.Therefore we focused on teaching strategic and integrated ICT skills. Furthermore, we wanted to encourage and empower students to take over social responsibility in theworld of today and tomorrow as "digital citizens”.The aims of the project were the: the implementation of ICT techniques in the lessons, exchange of experience, initiation and optimisation of digital competencies among students and teachers, improvement of the quality of teaching, competent, reflective use of digital media to improve individual learning techniques, respectful use of new media, use of innovative and student-oriented pedagogical approaches, promotion of innovative and creative thinking, promotion of social cohesion, realization of mobility as well as the promotion of entrepreneurial way of thinking.The participating countries Germany, Finland, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Poland have worked together intensively according to the Erasmus standards “to communicate, to collaborate, to share”. Through intensive joint work not only material results such as films, posters, ebook, learning units and a website were realised but also a performancerehearsed. In doing so, social, emotional and intercultural skills have been acquired and language skills have been expanded.In addition, the students had the chance of an insight into various professions through company visits.An intensive exchange in times of corona times revealed that the project has connected us within these three years. National and particular interests have taken a back seat to our concerns about our partner schools and our pupils.

Moreover, the lockdown and the pandemic in general showed us that digital competences are fundamentally important. These competences enabled us to have a virtual exchange, which will continue beyond the project period.

We met up every week online in order to discuss, talk about current topics and sew face coverings.

For the students, Erasmus+ is more than only a project which enables them to improve their language skills. A student explains it as follows:

“It is for sure the best decision I've ever made. I really love Erasmus, its unpredictability and challenges which motivate me to try harder, to do my best, to come out from mycomfort zone and to try myself in different areas. It taught me a lot about other countries, languages, cultures and about myself in the first place. It helped me accept my virtues and my flaws and taught me to believe in myself and embrace diversities.

I've made a lot of friends who became like family to me. I've realized we are all different but Erasmus+ connected us and taught us we are all worthy.”

Thus, the project contributed to education, employment and innovation in line with the key objectives of the EU and promotes in particular the aspects of youth on the move

(achieving mobility, promoting social cohesion, encouraging creativity), growth (intelligent, sustainable and inclusive), which reduce unemployment and ultimately improve the quality of life. Both the key qualifications and the subject matter promoted reflection on future career opportunities and contributed to the ability to consciously choose a profession.

An orientation towards global tasks such as employment, research, innovation and social justice was the basis of this project.

In this way, the project made an important contribution to education for responsible action in a globalized society in the sense of "European Citizenship".

Project summary at the beginning 

Digital skills are fundamental today to be part of the society and to stand the requirements of the professional life and the digital world. Nowadays students and young people are engaging in social interactions on two levels: face-to-face and online. Social media and other online tools have made it easier for pupils, students and teachers to connect and communicate. Our proposal is based on the perception that the majority of both our students and teachers still lack ICT skills and profound awareness of chances and challenges of digital media in the educational context. Of course, students are used to digital medi- a, gaming, social networks in their daily routines. However, they are often not aware of the risks and dangers (e.g. cyber bullying, stalking or other privacy issues resulting from digital media) as well as of their potentials, i.e. using digital media like smartphones or tablets for learning at school.

Teachers also face difficulties dealing with digital and social media and sometimes rather avoid digital media because of a lack of qualification and respective ICT skills. 

In order to meet the just mentioned challenges and opportunities and to foster the relevance of our project, we defined the following objectives: encourage and support teachers using ICT in their lessons; share, reflect on and benefit from experiences of other schools; enhance and improve students’ and teachers’ ICT skills and teach ICT; enhance a thought-out and skilled use of ICT improving individual learning techniques and improving teaching quality; use ICT respectfully; experience innovative and student oriented learning theories;  enhance and foster creativity, critical thinking and judgment; promote team spirit and solidarity; foster mobility and entrepreneurial thinking.

Within the course of the project we will initiate a multimedial working process, the results of which are presented and made available to the public at the end of the project, thereby providing a lasting effect to all stakeholders involved in the project and a broader environment.

The first meeting will take place  in Finland in October 2017 with the creation of a „netiquette"- concept supported by the local university, which will be published as an ebook and in a charta (i.e. poster for classrooms and part of the school website) and which will serve as a basis for our further cooperation. 

At the meeting in Poland in May 2018, we will discuss, rehearse and present a stage play written mostly during the travel-free period, dealing with the dangers of cyber security. This stage play is also professionally produced and filmed. If necessary, we will also implement a piece of music on the topic.

The third meeting in October 2018 in Greece as a transnational project meeting will focus on the creation of Moodle units on "Digital citizenship". Such units may be e.g. Digital Access (full electronic participation in society), Digital Commerce (electronic buying and selling of goods), Digital Literacy (teaching and learning about technology and the use of technology) and Digital Law (electronic responsibility for actions and deeds).

The second project phase in May 2019 will take place in Italy and focus on the production of documentary films.

Our penultimate meeting, as the second transnational project meeting, is scheduled in Croatia for October 2019, where we will create a platform for learning and teaching on school website using different tools like Schoology, LMS,Chamilo LMS, Geogebra, Kahoot. Conclusively, the project will end with a meeting in Germany in May 2020. Here, the projects developed so far are collected, reflected and combined into an interactive 3D-learning video.

During the meetings, we will work together on our topics,  share experiences and create our products together. Planning and organization will be carried out online (online conferences, Twin Space, Skype, Email, clouds). The project contributes to the EU-aims of Education, Employment and Innovation and particularly fosters the aspect of youth mobility (realization of mobility, team spirit, solidarity). It concerns intelligent, sustainable and integrative growth, reduction of unemployment and the aim of an increasing quality of life.

Skills (language, ICT, OER etc.) as well as contents and topics are supposed to provide our students support for their future jobs or vocational training. Our project is guided by global tasks like employment, research, innovation, climate protection, energy, social justice. It contributes to the educational aim of responsibility in a globalized world (European Citizenship).