Project Description:
The Erasmus+ project “Generation EU: Shaping the future of Europe” focuses on various aspects of the European Union and our own cultures and traditions. The motivation behind our project is to raise the participants awareness for the history, the making, the values, the challenges and the visions for the future of this great union. Hence, the participants will deal with a range of political as well as economic topics. Besides, they will have the opportunity to meet the persons involved in the shaping and the decision-making at European level.
In addition, the project will explore at regional level how our own history as well as cultural heritage are part of European construction and their importance in shaping a common European identity. By doing so, the participants will be able to (re-)discover the common values we share and how vital they are for with the idea for the further development of the European Union.
Finally, we aim at fostering the spirit of entrepreneurship, openness of schools to the public in general and also innovation of education in the 21st century. Thus, the project will encourage the participants to create own project results, interact with stakeholders, and include the use of new media and innovative working methods.
The project will be conducted on a transnational level by establishing a strategic school partnership between two schools in Ireland and Germany, namely the King´s Hospital School in Dublin and the Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium in Ettlingen. Around 40 students are involved in this new endeavour. They are aged between 14 and 16 years and will be working together for a period of 18 months. About 10 staff members (teaching Modern Languages, Irish Language, History, Natural Sciences, Maths, Arts, Music, Physical Education) are part of project, too. The working language of the project is English, however, the participants will also benefit of German and Irish language classes.
The students will meet either in weekly sessions in the Erasmus+ club at the Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium and in European Studies classes at the King´s Hospital school. They will be in constant contact via eTwinning. The Twinspace will be a major asset for the project since the entire project content and results will be uploaded, discussed and edited on the platform. The participants will learn how to work with the essential ICT-based methodologies such as digital media and tools.
The project will offer a set of lessons focusing on European topics. Indeed, the students will be taught together in certain subjects such as History, European Studies or Geography. They also will deepen their knowledge thanks to the study trips to various EU-institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg and meetings with political stakeholders.
The participants will create a variety of products. First, they will document the entire project content and outcomes, will complete project-related tasks and will have a project diary in their own “European Journal”. Additionally, a booklet will showcase excerpts from the participants´ journal at the end of the project. Furthermore, lesson units based on the several topics taught in international classes will be made available to the general public. Moreover, an official project logo, a project flyer and an official project plaque will be produced by the participants. Further products will be used to promote the project during official events.
The project will include activities reflecting the variety of the project itself and all its participants. The students will organise official and international events for instance project exhibitions and information points. They will record interviews with the stakeholders who will be involved in the project. They will experience full immersion into a new culture, traditions and language by spending time in host families during the learning, teaching and training activities.
All the above mentioned activities and products will enhance the students’ transversal skills such as creativity, initiative, decision taking and further basic skills such as entrepreneurship and interculturality. A dissemination and evaluation process will take place during the entire period of the project which will allow a constant visibility and a continuous assessment of the project activities.
On the one hand, the project will have an impact on the entire school community which fosters the corporate identity within both schools. On the other hand, the different stakeholders will benefit of the opportunity to work with teaching staff and students from diverse cultural and traditional backgrounds. In the long run, the project aims at increasing the European dimension of both schools and to raise awareness about the benefits of intercultural and linguistic exchange by offering all participants an innovative and motivating educational approach.
