Young European Explorers

The aim of our project was to apply innovative teaching methods aimed at fostering students creativity, self-motivation and learner autonomy using PBL, webquests, peer-learning and learning-by-teaching, developing and implementing activities based on environment, history, folk culture and sports of the partner countries.General objectives were: development and integration of new teaching approach- PBL through ICT methods, carry out activities aimed at developing the digital skills of students and educators, introduce new technologies in schools, cultivate our students' natural enthusiasm for learning, their curiosity and creativity, while boosting their motivation and self-confidence through the use of enjoyable activities, develop and strengthen social skills appropriate to real and virtual interactions, spread the use of new technologies to support educational action, development of partnership with other countries in order to ensure mutual exchange of knowledge and best practices.

By implementing the project we wanted to achieve three main things: exchanging of good practice in the field of ICT and especially PBL trough ICT methods,European cooperation and teaching the core 21st century skills.Our organizations were really motivated to implement this project because we were searching for new approaches that would make learning fun,interesting and motivating for our students.We wanted to boost the European dimension in our school-community and gave our students various opportunities of getting in touch with students from other countries and cultures.We needed to find ways to teach our students the core skills in the 21st century: cooperation, critical thinking, research skills, creativity, communication, cross-cultural, understanding. By using innovative learning methods,the teachers were expected to be able to hone such skills needed to take part in 21st-century life,which is creativity,critical thinking,communication skills and also collaboration skills of students.

We started with the launch of a project website,eTwinning platform-Twin Space and Facebook group of our project.This project website was created in the phase of preparation but it will be maintained and be active till the end of the project and even after the end of the project, where friends from all school partner schools can share information about the impact of this project. A Club ”Young European Explorer-”forming a project team of 15 students and 2 reserves. This club was implemented every Monday of the week for the two–year period of the project.The aim of this club was to organize different extracurricular activities.Workshops, meetings, cultural trips and trainings were implemented. Presentations and different materials were created and shared with all partner schools’ students.The school club was established with the help of experts and educators working in the field of PBL and ICT.Students participated in workshops at all level of activities described. International meetings which were four were implemented.There was an implementation of a transparent selection procedure of the participating students.Parents’ meetings were implemented in order the idea of the Erasmus + programme and the project.

Participants gained more knowledge about the use of multiple applications and social media as an educational tool and improved engagement and thus improved communication between students and teachers.They acquired the skills to manage a new ICT applications and to use them in the learning process.We explored and promoted an increasing awareness of European citizenship and different cultures in Europe and we boosted the European dimension in our school-community.