Objectives

The school council manifested in the school development plan of 2021/2022 that the school’s strategy is to extend Erasmus+ and activities on a European level. In the Erasmus+ projects that have been carried out during the last decade, the E+ school coordinators and teachers involved in E+ activities always faced the problem to implement specific EU topics in class combined with innovative teaching methods as they also had to continue with their regular curriculum of their subject. This JM initiative will sort out this problem as EU topics will be treated in special modules based on the requirements of this JM initiative and EU priorities (inclusion, diversity and participation in Europe, digitalisation, internationalisation and networking, entrepreneurship and active citizenship, green sustainability) in optional classes.

Objective 1: School implements 1 optional class in ISCE 2 grade 5 or 6 (students aged 14-16).
Objective 2: School creates a set of 9 modules based on EU relevant topics and EU priorities.
Objective 3: School creates for each module an assessment of acquired skills and knowledge in order to check the students’ learning progress.
Objective 4: For each module at least one innovative learning scenario is applied.
Objective 5: Use of Europass/Youthpass platform to illustrate gained skills in this project is made.

A major need why this initiative will be implemented in school is the rising demand for EU activities among students. The school has carried out a large number of mobilities during the last 15 years and during that period of time the number of participating students has grown rapidly. Experience and personal talks with students also show, that the number of students interested in EU topics, mobilities and cooperation is rising and students want to be integrated in EU based activities and projects.

Objective 1: Participation of 15 students in this optional class each year.
Objective 2: A study visit of the EU institutions is carried out after each year.
Objective 3:Participation of at least 5 students in other EU activities at school each year from this project is encouraged.
Objective 4: An invitation of a minimum of 3 experts at class each year is sent out.
Objective 5: 1 cooperation with community representatives each year is ensured.

This project will not only give the school the opportunity to meet the requirements of the school development plan and the EU strategy stated in the E+ accreditation proposal in 2020 but also to implement the objectives of this JM initiative at school at the same time. It will also close a missing link in the school’s strategy, as due to the available resources from this JM initiative specific learning scenarios and EU based learning modules can now be implemented in the students’ timetables.

Objective 1: The modules of this project will be implemented as a regular part of schools’ curriculum after 3 years.
Objective 2: An increase of EU literacy using specialised assessment at the end of each module is achieved.
Objective 3: An increase of students’ active participation in EU activities at school is seen.
Objective 4: An increased teachers’ participation in EU activities is achieved.

As this project introduces a new subject at school, there is also a strong need for innovative teaching material and approaches in the field of EU topics and digitalisation.

Objective 1: Offer of a set of 10 innovative teaching approaches including an extensive use of digital devices, programs and interactive platforms.
Objective 2: Increase of the use of digital devices, programs, social media, virtual platforms
Objective 3: Increase of digital literacy among students and teachers
Objective 4: Increase of teachers’ professional skills based on EU topics
Objective 5: Increase of teachers using innovative teaching methods
Objective 6: Increase of using innovative teaching material provided by the EU
Objective 7: Increased quality of learning methods and material
Objective 8: Increased quality of the project year after a year

Complementarity with other actions and innovation

Explain how the project builds on the results of past activities carried out in the field and describe its innovative aspects (if any). Explain how the activities are complementary to other activities carried out by other organisations (if applicable).

Illustrate the trans-national dimension of the project; its impact/interest for a number of EU countries; possibility to use the results in other countries, potential to develop mutual trust/cross-border cooperation among EU countries, etc.

Use of results of past activities

The school has carried out several EU trans-national projects during the last 15 years. In these projects teachers gained extensive knowledge in project management, creation of innovative learning settings and the creation of innovative and new project ideas and proposals. Furthermore, an EU school coordination team of several teachers was created 2 years ago, in order to manage, organise, administrate, evaluate and disseminate EU project in a successful and effective way. This expertise will be used in order to guarantee a successful management for this project as well.

In the process for the Erasmus+ accreditation in 2020 the EU coordination team also created a European school strategy. The proposal for this JM learning initiative will also take into account and implement this EU strategy. The topics for the modules in this JM learning initiative are based on the EU school strategy which are: Inclusion and diversity, green environmental sustainability and responsibility, digital education, active participation in the EU network, access for all stakeholders at school to EU activities and education, professional development for teachers and students, different types of cooperation between stakeholders of the school, other schools and EU institutions.

In the scope of the accreditation, the EU coordination team will also make a visit to the EU institutions in 2022 in order to prepare further students’ visits to Brussels. The planned visits of this JM project will be based on the teachers’ experience funded by the schools’ accreditation.

In previous EU activities, mobilities and projects the school has also established a wide network with local, regional, national and transnational organisations and institutions. This network will be used in the scope of this project in order to provide students and teachers with access to experts and authentic information on EU issues. This means e.g. that EU experts of the regional Styrian government and representatives of Europe Direct Steiermark will be invited for discussions. The project will also make use of the following networks: eTwinning, European Youth Parliament in Austria, Euroscola and Ambassador schools of the EU Parliament in Austria, office of the Styrian representatives in Brussels, Department of Internationalisation of the Styrian directorate for education, the Association “Europa and Bildung”.

In 2021 the school was successfully certified as “Ambassador School of the European Parliament” in Austria. One of the main goals of this process was the procurement of authentic EU teaching material. As a result of this process the school has created an infopoint in the main entrance hall where students now have access to authentic material. There is also a physical and digital library (on the school server) for teachers, where they have access to EU material. This material will be accomplished by new authentic material (especially online material) in order to provide teachers with a large pool of teaching material to meet these projects objectives.

In turn, students participating in this JM initiative will also get the chance to participate in other E+ activities and projects in order to promote this JM initiative to other EU partners.

Trans-national dimension:

Although the main focus of this project is not based on a cooperation between schools, institutions and organisations from several different countries, it has a far reaching trans-national dimension. In relation to European Union this project promotes the reduction of European disparity and builds trust in European institutions and values as Austrian students and teachers learn substantial facts about the EU. As students learn about different EU based topics, they will be able to understand political, environmental, social, cultural, religious and economical events in Europe much better.

It is a main value of the EU to support disadvantaged regions in areas not only with financial support but also with other means like the promotion of learning initiatives at school. This helps school in remote areas to improve their use of limited resources. Only if schools have better resources, they can guarantee an inclusive access to education for all students. Furthermore, the EU JM learning Initiative also helps regional authorities (regional government of Styria and the Styrian directorate of education) to improve educational services and to make economically disadvantaged regions more attractive. This learning initiative also supports schools and their stakeholders to create an openminded attitude to Europe.

This project is also clearly an investment in education and consequently leads to a better future of Europe. This is due to the fact that project participants will understand how the European Union works and how to benefit from the advantages the EU brings along. This also means that this learning initiative will also create an enduring change not only on the school level where this project should be integrated as a regular optional class but also on a European level, as students will create a positive attitude while being at school. Later on, they can make use of their experience from this project at university and in their professional lives.

With the experience they gather in the participation in this project, students and teachers will also create a European wide network including EU institutions, politicians, representatives, local and regional organisations which will facilitate their professional development in the future on a European level.

Use of results in other countries and mutual cooperation among EU countries

The BG/BRG Judenburg will try to transfer the experience and results of this project to other schools as the school carries out several other E+ projects. The school will promote the JM learning initiative among their E+ partners in Spain, Denmark, Poland, Belgium, France and help to apply for it as well.

If this project is successful, it can be transferred to other countries and schools in order to facilitate the implementation of JM learning initiatives all over Europe.