"In a world that is becoming increasingly networked and in which we increasingly meet people from other cultural backgrounds, intercultural skills are more in demand than ever before. This includes knowledge (e. g. language skills, country- and culture-specific knowledge) and skills (e. g. observation, self- and external reflection, openness, strategies for dealing with culture shock or other conflicts). Good language skills are the key to other cultures. Here the pupils of both partner schools are disadvantaged: The German secondary school pupils, because they often come from parents who have little education, have problems learning or travel little. The it. students, because Italian is a Romance language and the Italians spend most of their holidays in Italy. As a result, the students of both partner schools hardly find any authentic speaking opportunities in everyday life, which has a noticeable effect on their motivation to learn English. They can hardly cope with everyday situations in which they use English (e. g. on the Internet, in conversation with refugees or tourists).When dealing with people from other cultural backgrounds, misunderstandings often occur, as insufficient language skills, encounters and training do not allow sufficient intercultural competence to develop. Due to the high proportion of foreigners in both schools, conflicts between people of different cultures occur almost daily. The primary objective of the project is to promote intercultural competence in all the above-mentioned areas. In addition to promoting language competence, which also includes the training of teachers' methodological competence, pupils should above all come to the realisation that it is necessary to get involved with people from other cultures, to prepare for planned encounters and to reflect and adapt their experiences and attitudes accordingly during the encounter.A total of up to 40 German and 40 Italian students from grades 5 to 8 will participate in the project. This is more pupils than can be indicated in the item ""Learning, Teaching, Training"" due to the automatic calculation according to flat rates within the budget. The participants come from many classes to share the project with many other students. Participants are selected not according to their language skills but according to character criteria (interest, seriousness, reliability). Since only German secondary school teachers will accompany the pupils, two German primary school teachers as well as the German school management will also sit in on the partner school. Students and teachers who do not travel to the host country are either actively involved in the project (e. g. participating in the welcoming ceremony, eTwinning projects) or passively involved (e. g. Power Point from students for students, teacher training seminars).The project is based on the development of two travel guides, one for the German pupils about the region Emilia-Romagna and one for the Italian pupils about the region Rosenheim/Chiemgau. In the 1st year, up to 20 Germans and 20 Italians travel for this purpose to the partner school to explore its region. With the exception of an emergency plan (e. g. contact person, daily questions from teachers) and general rules of behaviour, they will not be further prepared for the exchange. In project teams mixed from different countries, various topics are worked out (e. g. Italian/German, food culture, school system), recorded in writing in a previously agreed format and then brought together. For example, we will get an insight into a school day, eat a typical meal or explore the surrounding area. Before, during and after the meeting, the project teams are given sufficient time for dialogue. Through eTwinning, pupils share their results.The German pupils of the 1st year prepare the German pupils of the 2nd year for their stay with the help of the travel guide, an additional Power Point presentation and various discussion rounds. The same goes for the Italians. The pupils of the 2nd year go through the same programme, but with the task of checking and adapting the information in the guide. Discussion rounds and questionnaires will reveal whether and to what extent intercultural competences have developed and whether the preparation of the 2nd groups was useful in terms of coping with everyday life in the host country.The Erasmus+ project is intended to be the start of a long-lasting school partnership. The travel guides will be a first source of information for future school groups. Pupils and teachers should bring the acquired speaking and teaching skills into the classroom and ensure a noticeable upturn in English teaching and the promotion of the European idea."

"The title of the project was ""Digital gap threathens social inclusion"" and its aim was to overcome social exclusion between young digital natives and adults through ICT and English language. Hence a partnership of schools and associations was set and the participants agreed on basing the project as a model of good practise to realize a non-formal learning in a non-formal setting.The partnership was made of : 6 schools at different levels from the following countries: Italy (2 schools), Romania, Greece, Portugal , France; :2 cultural associations working in the ICT field, 1 from Italy, 1 from Portugal; The aim to reduce the gap between young people and adults was planned for all the partners but also with difficulties because of the cultural heritage of each partner so we started from different basis but with a unique aim: create a non formal learning model. It was adapted by each partner in its country. Also the role of each partner was defined since the beginning of the project and in each meeting all partners shared what was done and how, pointing also weakness and how to face them.There was collaboration with all of them. that's why we reache our results in producing and applying a model valid for all partners. It was made also a questionnaire, to monitor the initial situation of our young and adults participants iin order to point the action to go on with. A particular situation happened: young people were tutors of adults durign training courses and application of the model; natives in relation witn adults: two worlds in touch. It took place within the aims of the Institute which reflect the Lisbon 2020 lines promoting lifelong learning, experimenting, in this project, new methods of teaching, new practises with different “ actors”.The activities developed in differents moments since the 1st meeting, then they took place indipendently in each partners’ schools and associations, but shared and rearranged in each meeting. At the end all partners share, focused and experienced good practises.Other results referred to the increase in motivation and participation of students in the activities as tutors of adults in a no-formal learning setting.On the other hand, the results were good for the motivation of adults in their approach to a new world, the digital one.The preparatory phase developed: social, cultural, linguistic and technology, motivation for teaching, sharing of knowledge and skills,knowledge of the mechanisms of European funds for the school.The mobility phase developed: social and interpersonal skills, awareness and cultural expression, skills of citizenship, linguistic knowledge and technological, organizational and professional skills, sharing of good practices, construction of a network of professional knowledge, reinforcement of cooperation and collaboration within the group and with the teachers of the partner school, understanding of own strengths and weaknesses.The project allowed the participants to acquire a greater range of learning and communication methodologies and strategies, as well as promote equity, cohesion of the populationand active citizenship. The methodology of learning by doing, cooperative learning, tutoring and peer education are also victorious with adults: making them as participants and an integral part of the organization, implementation and evaluation of each activity, allowed them to ""enter"" completely into the project as actors together with the students and not mere users."

SummaryDuring the period of the implementation our project “Culture and work in Europe” we developed an important aspect of school task: prepare students for life. The project subject matter offered our student a broader vision of the world of work in other countries of the European community and a deeper knowledge of different cultures, a new work and life context if they decide to move to another country.In occasion of mobilities students and teachers took part in a unique community sharing and understanding cultural characteristics and foreign customs (food, music, tradition, work habits, places). - Context/background of project: cooperation between countries with such a different background both from the cultural point of view and from the economic point of view can only represent an added value for the project. Italy is among the most industrialized countries and has a cultural history of all respect, but has suffered serious damage from the economic crisis of recent years, especially in the southern regions and especially in the area of Taranto, which also suffers a severe form of environmental pollution. Germany, on the other hand, is a country with a solid economy and a school system that enjoys the support of industry, above all in technical and professional education. Slovakia, with a growing economy, but still uncertain, and finally Croatia, which still has strong areas of poverty and unemployment. - Objectives of your project; improve the level of skills and key skills, with particular attention to the labor market and to a strengthened cooperation between the world of education and training and the world of work; fostering the international dimension of education and training, in particular through cooperation between the institutions of the Program countries and partner countries; improve language teaching and learning and promote the broad linguistic diversity of the EU and intercultural awareness. 1. Career Students and teachers were able to acquire knowledge of academic and political requirements. Students and teachers saw the work situation in their own and in the partner school countries. They had new contacts with people from other countries. They also saw what kind of work is desired abroad. 2. Language All communications were in English so that students were motivated to learn more about English, because the English language is an indispensable precondition for obtaining work experience abroad. At the end of the project, students were able to continue communication via social networks in English. 3. Social field: Social understanding of cultural characteristics and foreign customs. Our teachers and students met foreign cultures, e.g. food, music, tradition, work habits and places. They had the possibility to eliminate stereotypes about people and foreign countries. 4. ICT In the ICT sector, participants joined several workshops in project meetings, such as workshops for Web 2.0 tools, workshops for creating online quizzes and film production. After these workshops the participants used the new knowledge acquired during the project even after finishing it.The partecipating students reached the most important goals planned during the application:-Their foreign language skills increased (oral communication with foreign people, presentations in English, student chats, online vote, online surveys)-Their ICT competence improved (they made presetations, videos, used online interfaces…)-Their self-confidence rose, they became braver in social situations thanks to the positive experiences they had in this opened international partnership that helped in overcoming the language barriers- their knowledge of cultural characteristic and foreign customs increased, so they have the possibility to eliminate stereotypes about people and foreign countries.-They knew more about the labour market and the close connection between the world of education and training and the world of work. - Number and profile of the participants; the participants are four schools of different order, all equally motivated to offer their students a wider vision of the working world in Europe, both in view of their future work mobility, and to prepare for the reception those who live in an economically stronger country. The teachers are also motivated by the desire to learn about different school systems to import into the curricula of their schools the good practices with which they will come into contact.The project subject matter was developed through different kind of activities and students took part in it with pleasure and enthusiasm:-Presentations about each country, school and local traditions-A logo competition to create and choose the logo of the project-The creation of an “Erasmus corner” in each school to expose photos and material about activities and partner countries-Interviews , exhibition of photos and presentations about work in the past and at present-Presentations about history and celebration of Worker’s Day in Europe-Survey among students about jobs/occupations they liked -Presentations and a drawing context about craftsmanship, agriculture-Presentations and photo exposition about raw materials and factories-Discussions and interviews about unemployment, immigration and intolerance-Creation of variuos materials about the touristic opportunities of each country-Personal ideas about work in the future and how current works could evolve in years to come.During the mobilities activities were based on the most important goals planned:-Visits of the school and introduction to the school system of the host country-Visits to know the local historical and cultural values in every country-Visits to the artisan and industrial companies operating in each country-ICT activities-Sharing of the project activities done between the mobilities-Short training activities for the development of the project-Through the planned activities the German, Croatian, Slovakian and Italian institutions were able to compare each other’s cultures and aspects of the world of work, to know the good practices in use in other countries of the European Community and make them become an integral part of their curricula.

"Project ""Collect Plastics not Shells"" (PLANS)As the Dutch leading partner, we are proud of our exchange programme with the two Italian partner schools with whom we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our relationship in 2018. The current project proposal supports and endorses the main objective of internationalisation in our school, which is formulated in its policy plan:""in a globalizing world, in Europe, in which cross-border cooperation, internships and jobs are no longer an exception, we think it's very important to learn our VMBO pupils to look across the Dutch borders and to orient them on other cultures. In order to strengthen the European dimension in our school, to develop an open mind and attitude, and in to learn to deal with different cultures, we strive for gaining more knowledge about and maintaining worthy contacts with certain European countries.” We are convinced that this project contributes to the main objective and vision of our school.Thanks to the mature relationship with the Italian partner schools, many pupils from both sides get the chance to stay in host families, where they get to know each other's culture and way of life in the most realistic way that is thinkable. One group of around 20 Dutch pupils will exchange with a similar group of our partner school in Santa Marinella, while at the same time another group of 20 is matched to our partner school in Cerveteri, both in Lazio Roma.The theme of this project is a result of the fact that the Dutch partner school is both a 'Certified Culture school' and a 'Certified Healthy School'. We will stress the relevance and importance of this project in a meaningful way by connecting Arts&culture with environmental issues in a directly visible way. As a motto we use KISS (Keep it small and simple). The activities that the pupils will be involved in are twofold: they learn to think out of the box and to use their imagination and creativity in performing the activities, and besides that, they need to find solutions and alternatives for a real environmental issue namely the use of and pollution by plastics. This has become a serious European and global problem. The Mediterranean Sea is with its plastic soup one of the most polluted waters in the world. Our Italian partners are eager to do whatever they can to raise awareness and to help solving the problem. Also in The Netherlands plastic pollution is becoming an urgent problem that we will focus on in our lessons.The specific aim of this project is to create more awareness of pollution in general and in particular of dealing with environmental problems caused by plastics in a creative way. We aim to create a different attitude in lifestyle.As a first activity all our 13/14 year old pupils, their parents and teachers of every partner school will be invited to a meeting about the relevance and importance of participating in transnational projects, in particular about this specific project. Inspired and interested pupils can apply for participating in the exchanges by writing a motivation letter in English. The other pupils will be occupied with relevant activities integrated in the regular programme. In our Dutch school we have a ‘thinktank' composed of some selected pupils and parents to help in preparing, carrying out and evaluating the programme. So called ‘Ambassadors’, some pupils who will visit Italy in year 1, will promote the project during the second year. Information about the project will be regularly published on the websites of all three partner schools, on notice boards in each school and in internal newsletters.Italian and Dutch exchange pupils will get to know each other by email, social media and Skype or FaceTime. They prepare activities like making questionnaires for interviews and doing research. Other activities include the creation of objects of art made by plastics, a visit to a waste processing station, collecting plastics on beaches in Italy and the Dutch Wadden island of Schiermonnikoog, visit expositions and cultural and historic places in Assen, Rome and Cerveteri (the Necropolis).In order to try to guarantee a successful follow-up, conversations with the mayor or local government representatives in both Italy and The Netherlands are planned. Our long lasting relationship with these representatives will make it easier to involve them again and to convince them of the importance of this project. The results and products will be presented in each school, not only the objects of art, but also what we call a Plastic Pact that can be used in and outside of school. In this Pact we give recommendations to reduce the use of plastics and its waste in and around the schools.We believe in the impact on all the participants, and in the long term also on school policy because we believe in making pupils more motivated and enthusiastic about this theme to broaden their minds and make them feel more responsible by sharing ideas about ideals and real world problems."

"Through the Europe 2020 strategy, the European Union plans to support young people better and to enable them to fully develop their talents to their own as well as to their economy's and society's benefit. One of the main obstacles to the full achievement of this ambitious objective is the persistent high rate of youngsters leaving school before having completed their compulsory learning pathway and before having achieved a certification that guarantee to them to be competitive within the job market.The project partners had identify 4 main needs:- better comprehension and knowledge of the most innovative softwares and technical solutions available onto themarket to be used for developing educational contents- identify and evaluate the Videogames available onto the market with an educational and training potential- Need of teachers to acquire the skills to make full use of advanced interactive and multimedia solutions foreducational purposes-Need of teacher to find new ways for motivating students using the tools that students use everyday.To answer to these 4 main needs the 'Multimedia Games for inclusion' project had created a synergic effort among Euroepan Schools to explore how a correct and effective use of multimedia games can ensure the students inclusion.The aim of 'Multimedia games for inclusion"" project was to promote the application of innovative strategies and solutions to education, making an effective use of videogames as teaching and learning tools for promoting students interest and active participation to school activities and combating dropoutThe Specific Objectives of the Project were:•To bridge the gap the gap between traditional teaching and approaches and new communication techniques towards Young students and teachers making teachers able to deal with the new languages in use in order to promote and enhance the involvement of students into the educational systems.• To provide teachers with the skills and tools to use innovative and interactive educational and training materials, based on the best technical solutions and contents availble onto the market.• To explote Videogames and multimedia for making education and training contents and methodologies more attractive as based on the technologies that are widespread used by sutdents for entertainment and socialising.• To enhance the participation to educational initiatives of groups at risk of exclusion by developing educational and training contents and approaches based on the universal language of Videogames and Multimedia, that are often one of the only interest of students.Target group• Teachers working in secondary schools• Students in secondary school principally in risk of dropout Activities.Activity 1: Research on Technical SolutionsActivity 2 Creation of a transnational networkActivity 3 Testing and experimentingActivity 4 Evaluation of the project resultsResultsThe results of the project has been:• Database of videogames identifying their educational potential. • Database of the selected multimedia materials identifying their educational. • On line Tutorial, addressed to teachers, on the application of multimedia solutions and games to education. This tutorial will explain how to make the most effective use of the selected tools included in the database for teaching and learning purposes and how to use apply in lessons the new methodology..Workshops with teachers based on focusing on the exploitation of the educational potential of Multimedia and Videogames using the online tutorial, the videogames and multimedia materials selected• Report of each partner country about the use of multimedia and serious games in lessons highlighting points of strength and weaknesses..Project Website and portal to be used as a communication platform by the project partners to share information about the achievements and work in progress of the project and for dissemination of the project resultsThe intangible results of the project has been the creation of a transnational network of schools involved in a cooperative effort addressed to prevent ESL of the students more exposed to the risk of dropping out of school and being excluded from the school community through:- Using games , non formal approaches and initiatives to motivate students and to enhance their integration in the school community Short term Impact200 students100 teachers5 Local public authoritiesThe long term impact has been at least double and will continue to impactSustainability has been based on:• Active involvement of a wide number of beneficiaries. •Maintenance of the project web site active, by the project promoter, for a period of at least ten years after the end of the project funding period, the project deliverables will continue to be expanded and used. •Linking of the project web site to other relevant web sites in the field of education•Involvement of key decision makers in the field of education and social inclusion"