EU projects
8 out of 10 underline benefits of European projects for innovation in the classroom
More than 8 in 10 people involved in an EU-funded initiative aimed at encouraging innovative teaching methods and improved learning materials for children say the scheme had a positive and lasting impact on them. The same proportion also states that it would have been impossible to achieve the same results without European support, according to a new study released by the European Commission.
The “Study of the Impact of Comenius Centralised Actions: Comenius Multilateral Projects and Comenius Multilateral Networks” was conducted for the European Commission by the Greek educational organisation Ellinogermaniki Agogi from December 2010-December 2012. It conducted a survey among participants in 145 projects and networks.
The projects were funded through the EU's Comenius scheme, which supports a range of activities, from school partnerships to teacher training and the eTwinning school network. Part of the Lifelong Learning Programme, which will be succeeded by Erasmus for All from January 2014, Comenius allocates around €13 million a year to support the development of new teaching methods and materials.
The study found that the most positive impact was on individuals directly involved in projects, who said that it broadened their views, increased access to best practice and innovation, and improved their professional skills in ICT, languages and management.
The benefits highlighted most by organisations included the opportunity to develop new links and synergies, both within the institution and with others. Systemic impact through the projects and networks is less strongly felt, but most respondents say it exists, for instance where teacher training modules and content developed within a project or network are integrated into established courses.
"Our aim is to help schools to provide pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to reach their full potential,” said Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth. “The added value of this European initiative is that it exposes teachers and schools to different approaches and expertise, which results in more innovative solutions in the classroom.”
Online Master in EU Studies
This Master in EU Studies is offered by the Centre International de Formation Européene (CIFE) and the University of Cologne through a combination of e-learning and face-to-face sessions (mainly during weekends in Berlin, Brussels, Istanbul, Rome and Budapest).
This Master in EU Studies Online, a two year programme, gives participants a working knowledge of recent developments in the European integration process and the skills to negotiate within an international context, to draft reports, to plan and manage international projects, and to present their ideas in a transnational legal dimension. Deadline for the online application is 5 September 2013. A limited number of scholarships are awarded to eligible candidates to cover part of their tuition. More information, see: http://www.eu-online-academy.org/
EU Startup project game and competition for schools
EU project StartUp learning how to be an entrepreneur. We invite your school to take part in the game that starts on starts on 1 April 2013, it is for students 14 to 18 years of age.
StartUp_EU http://startup-eu.net/ is an EU project for schools to motivate secondary school students by replicating the excitement and creative innovation of a new start-up company. The project will create an educational game to develop entrepreneurial skills for secondary school students. They will learn about entrepreneurship through an online game and competition that will be judged by entrepreneurs, with prizes.
We invite your school to take part in the game that starts on starts on 1 April 2013, it is for students 14 to 18 years of age. Just write to us and we will send you full details or you can download the teacher instruction document and complete the form and return to us https://www.box.com/s/wg8hfe58lzouw34swz9v
Please note we have limited places available for schools across all of Europe, so please respond as soon as possible.
EU Startup project game and competition for schools
EU project StartUp learning how to be an entrepreneur
StartUp_EU http://startup-eu.net/ is an EU project for schools to motivate secondary school students by replicating the excitement and creative innovation of a new start-up company. The project will create an educational game to develop entrepreneurial skills for secondary school students. They will learn about entrepreneurship through an online game and competition that will be judged by entrepreneurs, with prizes.
We invite your school to take part in the game that starts on starts on 1 April 2013, it is for students 14 to 18 years of age. Just write to us and we will send you full details or you can download the teacher instruction document and complete the form and return to us https://www.box.com/s/wg8hfe58lzouw34swz9v
Please note we have limited places available for schools across all of Europe, so please respond as soon as possible.
Information Day on Call 7 of the CIP ICT Policy Support Programme
This event addresses stakeholders interested in submitting project proposals for the 7th Call for Proposals of the CIP ICT Policy Support Programme. Call 7 is expected to be published on 22 December 2012 and the relevant documents related to it will be available on the Participant Portal on the same day.
15 January 2013, Charlemagne Building – Rue de la Loi 170 – B-1040 Brussels Room: GASP
The draft Work Programme for 2013 is available here for information.
Check for Objective 2.3: ICT for learning
The aim of this objective is to support ICT-based modernization of educational and training. The objective is supported by two distinct target outcomes, each with specific funding instruments.
Obj 2.3.a: Piloting and showcasing excellence in ICT for learning for all
Funding instrument: Pilot B - It is intended to support one Pilot up to 5 M€ of EU contribution.
Focus and outcomes
- Large-scale piloting activities showcasing ICT-based innovation and excellence covering blended modes of formal/informal/non-formal learning with links to workplace-based or self-paced lifelong learning.
- To ensure complementarity and synergies with on-going CIP projects the activities should cover at least the following subjects: digital literacy and computing, artistic and creative skills, mathematics.
Conditions and characteristics
- Pilots should place the solution in real world setting involving at least 50.000 students and 4.000 teachers.
- The consortium should include at least 10 regional actors/hubs of excellence with the direct involvement of technology and supply industry.
- Include at least one piloting activity seeking to demonstrate ways of lowering or removing technological barriers in learning processes for users with special needs or at risk of exclusion (socially, physically or technologically disadvantaged groups – and of those who consider themselves unsuited for education).
Obj 2.3.b: Organising competitions on Educational Games
Funding instrument: Thematic Network - It is intended to support one Thematic Network (Actual Costs) up to 1 M€ of EU contribution.
Focus and outcomes
The aim of this objective is to establish a network which organises competitions on educational games addressing the following needs: learning maths, improving ICT skills, and adopting a healthier lifestyle. The network should ensure that the specific requirements to engage children at risk-of-exclusion and the elderly are taken into account.
Conditions and characteristics
- The consortium should have solid experience in organising competitions at the European level.
- The network should ensure appropriate follow up for wide dissemination of the results in mainstream education.
Expected impact for both a and b
- Support the implementation of the “Digital Agenda for Europe” and in particular Action 68 "Mainstream eLearning in national policies for the modernisation of education and training, including in curricula, assessment of learning outcomes and the professional development of teachers and trainers".
- Showcase to a critical mass of students, teachers and parents how to use technologies for their learning, teaching and support needs.
European Project Planning and Management training courses 2013
It is now possible to enrol in the 2013 editions of the European Project Planning and European Project Management in-service training courses addressed to individuals who wish to acquire the skills for successfully accessing and managing European funds in the field of education, training and culture.
The participation to the in-service training courses can be fully funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme.
The courses are included in the Grundtvig/Comenius database http://ec.europa.eu/education/trainingdatabase
(European Project Planning course code is IT-2013-855-003, European Project Management course code IT-2013-854-001) therefore those who wish to participate can obtain a training grant to cover both the course fee and accommodation and subsistence costs.
The dates of the European Project Planning course are:
4 – 9 February 2013
20 – 25 May 2013
30 September – 5 October 2013
The date of the European Project Management course is:
4 – 9 November 2013
For more information: training@pixel-online.net
What's new in the Lifelong Learning Programme?
The Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) Info Day 2013, organized by on 12 November in Brussels, revealed the priorities of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme. Here is what's new to the Programme in 2013 and some advice and tips on preparing and submitting a strong proposal, and on managing grants.
As the flagship European Funding programme in the field of education and training, the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) enables individuals at all stages of their lives to pursue stimulating learning opportunities across Europe. It is an umbrella programme integrating various educational and training initiatives. LLP is divided in four sectorial sub programmes and four so called 'transversal' programmes.
The promotion of ICT for learning is one of the four key activities of the LLP's transversal programme, supporting actions that address general issues concerning two or more educational sectors. It is also an integral part of the Comenius, Erasmus, Grundtvig and Leonardo sub-programmes.
Progress in the use of ICT for education and training across Europe has been substantial in the last years. However, studies show that ICT has not yet had as significant an impact as expected.
Effective integration of ICT into education must go beyond simply replacing, streamlining or accelerating current practices. It must also find new and more effective ways of operating, supporting pedagogical and organisational innovation. ICT has become embedded in our social and economic fabric and it should be similarly embedded in education and training systems.
Actions are not about developing technology itself, but about the use of ICT tools to enhance learning environments and experiences. This includes aspects such as the use of simulations, discovery learning, attracting drop-outs back to education, enabling learning outside the school environment and bridging the 'digital divide' between those with access to technologies and relevant skills, and those without.
eLene2learn network
eLene is the (human) e-learning european network. The origins of the eLene group can be traced back to the report “Virtual models of European Universities” carried out in 2003 by the Danish consultancy firm PLS Ramboll for the European Commission, DG Education and Culture.
eLene2Learn is one of the projects of the eLene network, exploring and promoting the contribution of ICT and digital media in supporting the development of learning to learn competencies in lifelong learning transitions.
"Learning to learn' is the ability to pursue and persist in learning, to organise one's own learning, including through effective management of time and information, both individually and in groups. This competence includes awareness of one's learning process and needs, identifying available opportunities, and the ability to overcome obstacles in order to learn successfully. This competence means gaining, processing and assimilating new knowledge and skill as well as seeking and making use of guidance. Learning to learn engages learners to build on prior learning and life experiences in order to use and apply knowledge and skills in a variety of contexts: at home, at work, in education and training. Motivation and confidence are crucial to an individual's competence."
(Education Council (2006) Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competencies for lifelong learning. Brussels: Official Journal of the European Union, 30.12.2006 annex, paragraph 5).
This eLene2learn network proposal is a result of the ongoing pedagogy, technology and policy watch carried out by the eLene partners under the Cooperation Agreement signed by the member institutions on completion of the eLene-TLC eLearning programme project in Dec. 2008 (2006-4536 / 001 - 001 ELE ELEB14). Throughout 2009 and 2010, regular online knowledge-sharing meetings drew out the topic of ICT and learning to learn competencies as having a common urgency, followed by two face-to-face project development meetings to define the scope, objectives and main activities of the proposed network. Co-construction of project proposals has always been a key success factor for eLene, ever since the start of the group's activities in 2003, and this principle continues to be applied within the wider network, now extended to EDEN (European Distance and E-learning Network), Ellinogermaniko Agogi (EL) and University of Dundee (UK), all of whom have collaborated previously, thus forming a solid, operational partnership with the expertise and motivation to meet the ambitious objectives of eLene2learn.