Roots of Disparity and Desire

The primary objective of the "Roots of Disparity and Desire" (ROD) project was to cultivate consciousness and awareness among students (ages 13-16) regarding the origins of the current globalized ...

The primary objective of the "Roots of Disparity and Desire" (ROD) project was to cultivate consciousness and awareness among students (ages 13-16) regarding the origins of the current globalized world's inequalities. We aimed to develop a critical understanding of historical and systemic interdependencies that contribute to these disparities. By integrating a digital learning package, including an eLearning course and a blended learning concept with presence lesson concepts for teachers in the form of a handbook, the project sought to foster critical thinking and argumentation skills. This educational approach was designed to encourage students to engage actively in the discourse on migration and generally on inclusive societies. Ultimately, the project intended to empower students with the knowledge and skills necessary for civic engagement, promoting a deeper understanding of global fairness and the historical roots of inequality. This, we believed, would enable them to contribute meaningfully to discussions and actions addressing global disparities.

In implementing the "Roots of Disparity and Desire" (ROD) project, we conducted a series of activities designed to achieve our educational objectives. Firstly, we developed an eLearning course titled "Roots," which served as the backbone of our digital learning package. This course was structured around 7 learning units, each focusing on different aspects of global inequalities, their historical underpinnings, and systemic interdependencies. Secondly, we complemented the eLearning course with a blended learning concept that materialized in the form of a comprehensive teacher handbook. This resource equips educators with the necessary tools and methodologies, including flipped classroom strategies, to facilitate engaging and reflective in-person sessions. These sessions were designed to reinforce the online learning components by encouraging students to apply their knowledge, engage in critical discussions, and develop their argumentation skills. Additionally, testing and feedback circles were integral part of the implementation strategy. The Austrian partner focused on educational multipliers, the Turkish partner made the evaluation with the students pilot sessions.

Regarding the results it has to be said, that the project outputs were surpassed to extreme extends. For activity one the eLearning content was quantified with around 2.500 to 3.000 words per content unit. While 8 content units were originally mentioned in the proposal, only 7 were finally developed, as the consortium soon realized that it is necessary to dive deeper into the topics. So it was expected that we are going to develop content in the amount of around 32.000 words maximum. The final output (for the German version) now shows 53.000 words, which is around 65% more than promised. Nearly the same holds true for the handbook. While primarily the 12 lesson outlines were envisioned together with didactical remarks, the final handbook has 61 pages with 15.300 words, which is really a thorough pedagogical resource for teachers. One of the major results of the project are the massive connections to the field and follow up opportunities. The learning package was utilized as a central point in a grant proposal for a citizen science projects from the University of Vienna, which is going to be decided in spring 2024. Moreover another NGO is going to apply with the resource package on national level for funding.