Context:Young people today need to be equipped for a future which is getting increasingly digitalised. It is essential that this challenge is taken on by the educational system as part of the responsibility to train and form young people. That is the aim of this project: to prepare students for digital requirements both in their civic life and as future professionals, to strengthen the students’ ability to think critically by focusing on digital formation, and to give teachers the required digital skills.In order to achieve the objectives, the project is divided into 4 themes:1. Digitalisation in everyday life2. Digitalisation in school and exchange of best practice3. Digital citizens in a democratic society4. A future digital work lifeParticipants: Skanderborg Gymnasium (Denmark), Sortland Videregående Skole (Norway), Mosa-RT (Belgium) and Teknikum (Sweden). Project leaders: Anne Blum (Denmark), Neil Clarke (Norway), Maarten Hermans (Belgium) and Joel Esaiasson (Sweden) + 14 subject teachers (4 from each school). Approximately 120 students from the participating schools will participate in the project, and 24 students between 16 and 18 will go on each Learning activity (6 from each school).The main beneficiaries of the project are thus the students and secondly the teachers. Parents and families will also benefit from the project as will local associated partners. Activities: 1. Digitalisation in everyday lifeThe first theme focuses on digitalisation in everyday life of the students. The students will examine their own use of digital media and discuss consequences and effects.The students will become aware of digital addiction, as well as experiment with digital detox in order to qualify the discussion. The theme will also deal with digital formation and ethical guidelines on online behaviour. 2. Digitalisation in school and exchange of best practiceIn theme 2 teaching methodology is a focal point by exploring how to use digital media in the educational system, both in terms of already known and new digital programs. Also, the theme will carry out activities without the use of digital media and compare learning results with other groups of students. Thereby, the students will be able to consider and discuss strengths and weaknesses of digital media in learning processes. The teachers will exchange best practice and discuss digital solutions from a didactical angle. 3.Digital citizens in a democratic societyIn this theme we delve into the students as citizens in the surrounding society. The students will interview social groups marginalised to the use of digitalisation. This will raise their awareness on the consequences for these groups and enable the students to debate possible solutions to the digital challenges of society, preferably with local decision makers. Lastly, this theme will enhance the students' critical thinking by dealing with the urgent issues of fake news and cyber-crime. 4. A future digital work lifeThe final theme adds to theme 3 by looking at the need for digital skills in the future. Here the students will choose an associated partner, e.g. a local company or a public workplace, in order to make an in-depth analysis of current digital skills and needs for the future. The student groups will compare and contrast their results and conclude whether the educational system needs to change its practices in order to equip students for a future work life. Methodology: All activities will be implemented by a wide range of innovative teaching methods both in and outside school: critical thinking, digital competence, collaboration and teamwork, communication skills, metacognition and personal and social responsibility. The European Framework for the Digital Competences of Educators will be used when equipping teachers with required digital skills, and the EU SELFIE-tool when assessing how the project has succeeded in applying digital technologies into teaching and learning.Results:Increased reflection among students regarding digital solutions, increased skills of handling new digital programs, knowledge of what is required in future workplaces, enhanced critical thinking and awareness regarding threats in cyberspace, and skills in ethical communication as part of engaging in a democratic society as responsible citizens. As for the teachers, they will have a firm foundation when it comes to teaching with digital solutions, as an essential addition to their current methods and didactical practice. Long-term benefits: At the core of the project are the students who will benefit by having enhanced digital knowledge and skills. They will be digitally equipped to a greater extent than preceding students, and they will benefit from new teaching methods. Also, they will develop personally and culturally by being part of a cross-cultural event. At each school the project will be mainstreamed and used for succeeding classes, thus securing sustainability of the results.

Context and objectives: This project is designed to investigate the ethical process of European food production and consumption with regard to improving young people’s awareness of where food comes from, how it is consumed and most importantly, how it is wasted.A common area of social capital was identified as being lacking in large areas of Europe. It became clear during the planning of this project that there is a lack of participation among young people in society regarding food ethics. Society in general but more importantly young people, are becoming increasingly unaware of where their food originates and how it makes its way from ‘field to table’. A main objective is to explore whether a more ethical approach to the production, consumption and waste of food in Europe can lead to a healthier lifestyle and heightened awareness, while at the same time contribute to a sustainable and cost-effective food cycle.The project consists of 4 themes:• European production methods• Food packaging• Policies behind determining expiry dates and European food waste• Import and export in individual European countries and consumer choice.Participants: Sortland Videregående Skole (Norway), 5geniko Lykeio Veroias (Greece), Maria-Ward-Schule Aschaffenburg (Germany), Harlindis en Relindis College (Belgium)Project leaders: Neil Clarke (Norway), Maarten Hermans (Belgium), Eleni Kostopoulou (Greece), Ulrike Reidl (Germany)24 subject teachers (6 from each school)120 students from the participating schools24 students on transnational learning activitiesActivities:European Production Methods:Individual school partners will delve deeper into the food production methods of their own region and country. Each partner is to identify a readily available and highly consumable area of regional food production that is considered to have unethical or unsustainable practices. Food Packaging:This activity allows students to realize if they really can influence policy change of companies and their products that are seen to be unethical or unsustainable. It is designed to raise students’ awareness with regard to food packaging. Policies behind determining expiry dates and European food waste:This activity will investigate expiry dates and how they are determined and then concentrate on food waste where expiry dates are concerned. Import and export in individual European countries and consumer choice:This activity enables students to track their country or region’s trends regarding the import and export of food. Students will focus on both the import and export of food regarding their own countries and regions. Methodology:All of our activities will be implemented by a wide range of innovative teaching methods both in and outside of school, incorporating:Critical thinking, digital competence, collaboration and team work, communication skills, personal and social responsibility and metacognition.Results envisaged:- Increased participation among young people in society.- Students, their families and teachers gain a healthier lifestyle by being critical of what type of foods they choose to buy and continue doing this long after the project is finished.- Reducing household food waste.- Enabling young people to explore the possibility of influencing local, national and European policies and decision making processes concerning ethical food production- Empowering young people while at the same time teaching them the skills of dialogue, compromise and diplomacy when working with external stakeholders.- Providing an active contribution to social capital through the promotion of a sustainable food cycle which boasts of quality and cost-effectiveness. The main area of impact is intended to change the students' perception of food in general and their attitude towards its consumption. By doing so we hope that the students will change their attitude permanently and consequently their behaviour in all matters regarding food in the long termLong term benefits:The paramount resource in maintaining our findings are the participating students themselves; in other words, a human resource. At the heart of this project is the element of empowering young people and confirming their role in society. We hope that this project really does get students and their families to look at food in a more ethical manner. They will have gained a greater understanding of the food chain from a European perspective and will be able to implement their new-found knowledge by changing the way they consume food. This change will be an ethical one; it will improve their health, improve their conscience regarding the treatment of livestock and hopefully lead to more sustainable food chain for all actors involved. If our participating students and their families do this, it means our project ethos could live on indefinitely through the choices participants make.

Context of the project The idea for this project was initially developed during a job-shadowing visit in the Norwegian province of Nordland in April/May 2016. It intends to build on the existing link between the two participating schools, AHS Rahlgasse and Sortland VGS in order to intensify co-operation and activities. During the preceding years, a few select students had the chance to travel to Vienna for two to three days. The idea was to offer a somewhat larger, yet manageable group of motivated students the chance to participate in a bilateral exchange and regard themselves as European citizens. In an increasingly globalized world this is a valuable experience to have made for one’s future.AimsThe top priority of this project was to foster the intercultural dialogue of the youth and to strengthen their sense of being part of the European community. As concerns the teachers, the goal was to get to know the other school system, i.e. to facilitate the exchange of ideas and best-practice examples on the didactics of second language teaching.This intercultural dialogue was not intended to be achieved solely by the exchange visits, but especially by the students’ work on the research questions they specifically designed for their chosen topics. These revolved around the school’s focus: gender, environment and social issues.The students worked in small groups of 4-6 people, in which they compared Austria and Norway as regards the following topics:Political systemGenderFashion and societyYouth cultureSocial structureEcological footprintFurthermore, the project was supposed to develop and train students’ organizational skills; i.e. on the one hand the ability to work in a team; on the other hand taking responsibility in planning and executing specific tasks in the context of working on the project itself as well as planning the stay of the guests.Number and profile of participantsThe participants were those 15 Austrian students who attended the module „Go International“ and those Norwegian students who take higher German classes, respectively. The Austrians were between 15 and 17 years of age, while the Norwegians were slightly older, between 16 and 18. They all showed the willingness to host students from another country and to participate in the intercultural exchange.Activities carried out during class and the two weeks spent togetherIntroduction to the topicPreparation of the stay in Vienna and Sortland regarding content and organization Defining the topics to be worked on in small groups (see above)Developing questionnaires and conducting interviews to collect empirical dataResearching background information on the topicContinuous evaluation during school meetingsPreparation of presentations (working with ICT)Presenting the final results during the last two days in SortlandCreating a blog (gointernational2018.blogspot.com), working on the TwinSpace, creating an exhibitionCultural activities (Volksoper, Schönbrunn, reindeer farm, visiting an agricultural school etc.)Staying with host familiesResults and achieved impact The results of the project are to be found not only on the TwinSpace but also on a blog created specifically for that purpose: gointernational2018.blogspot.com.Concerning the teachers, there has been a short-term co-operation, which will continue to exist for further exchanges. Another finding is that Norwegian schools have a far larger budget at hand, which means that Norwegian colleagues have a much better infrastructure they can work with (support personnel, ICT etc.). What stood out was the use of a software designed to detect plagiarism, which in Norway is common also in secondary school. This would also be desirable for Austria.Last but not least, real friendships have developed over the course of the co-operation, which in turn positively affect the people surrounding the participating students. It enforces intercultural exchange and thus promotes understanding for different values, ways of thinking and realities of life. It also enhances the sense of being part of the European community. Some students stay in contact, they visit each other regularly and travel around Europe together, which clearly reflects the European spirit.

Context and objectives:This project addressed the theme of motivation among students from the partner schools. Our main objective placed the role of students studying General Studies in focus and allowed them to reflect upon teaching practices and European educational objectives. Students explored and compared the school systems of the partner countries with regard to improving student motivation so as to confirm the school’s role in forming students to become good and active citizens of the future. 2 main EU objectives set out in the ET 2020 forum formed the backdrop of this project:• Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training.• Promoting equality, social cohesion, and active citizenship.Participants:Sortland Videregående Skole (Norway), Pudasjärven lukio (Finland), Skanderborg Gymnasium (Denmark), Borgarholtsskóli (Iceland).Project leaders: Neil Clarke, Pia Virranmäki, Anne Blum, Kristveig Halldórsdóttir.24 teachers.150 students from the partner schools.72 students on Short Term Learning Activities.Activities: All activities set out in the application were undertaken with the correct amount of participating students and accompanying teachers. These were:Student awareness of the relationship between Family-School -Society:This activity allowed individual school partners to study their school systems. Students began in the present by looking at their school system and charting their course in it. Students proceeded to chart the historical and cultural aspects of what their society expects regarding education. It enabled them to place themselves within a historical context and realize how their school system has evolved.Student Networks:This activity explored the idea that students exist in networks and act accordingly. These networks were found to be; family, friends, hobbies, sports clubs, school, and jobs. Students then vizualized these networks and prioritized them according to motivation.Civic and Social Responsibility:This theme bridged the gap between school and society and allowed students to compare both spheres. It focused on the formation of young people and expectations set out by schools and societies.Motivation and formation:This theme connected the work done in the first 3 themes. Students gathered their ideas concerning motivation and created an ideal school system from what they learned. Methodology:The project included a number of different teaching methods that ensured methodological diversity, guaranteeing varied lessons for students so as to see the matter from different perspectives. Both inductive and deductive teaching methods were used to foster critical thinking, team work, communication skills, digital competence and personal and social responsibility.Results:Both project leaders and the students involved believe that this project has provided a perspective that has helped to Improve student motivation. We believe that it has heightened student awareness regarding their position in the family-school-society network. Specific results:- Teaching packages have been produced as a result of the 4 different themes.-Student empowerment and responsibility has been achieved, seen through the student presentations and workshops that took place during the mobilities.-Increased participation among young people in society has been achieved.-Students, families and teachers have been brought closer together at Upper Secondary School level, allowing a better understanding of education's role in preparing students as future citizens of society.- The project has enabled young people, along with their teachers, to explore the possibility of influencing teaching practice and developing a new, motivational learning arena. This was particularly evident during the last theme where students designed their own 'ideal' school system.- Students have learned life lessons in both traditional and non-traditional ways. By reinforcing the relevance of school curricula and school-based formation in an innovative manner, students and teachers have realized that education can be dynamic and lead to renewed motivation.Long term benefits:Our vision was to help students realize their position in society through the relevance of education and increased motivation. The project has contributed to the formation of good, well-balanced and well-informed future citizens of Europe, who will go on to take an active role in democratic society. The project has been anchored in the partner schools' structure and added to a qualified debate about school enhancement. We still feel that future students will benefit from the project, as it will become integrated in the formation of students to become active, democratic citizens while contributing to innovative teaching practices that can be shared as an open educational resource. This can be seen in the teaching packages that have been produced.