"The project ""Promoting the principle of attractiveness of two qualifications - „Engineering Communications Assembler” (Plumber) and „Gas Welder” (OAW) - combining gas welding, soldering, plumbing and metal construction in assembling"" goal is to provide training for students of three international vocational education institutions (Daugavpils Construction Technical School, Latvia; LBS - Graz5 (Landesberufsschule Graz 5), Austria; Lycée Urbain Vitry Professional Secondary School, France); vocational training of students and teachers of vocational education, combining two qualifications - ""Engineering Communications Assembler"" (Plumber) and ""Gas welding"" (OAW) to show, to some extent, an innovative approach to the competitiveness target group by improving the availability of vocational education in Europe. Daugavpils Construction Technical School together with partners are planning to implement theoretical and practical training combining welding, soldering, engineering communications and metal constructions, whereby the project participants will develop a training stand using an innovative approach in the field of vocational education - two qualifications (""Engineering Communications Assembler"" (Plumber ) and ""Gas welding"" (OAW). Project participants, especially learners, will be able to try in themselves different ways in welding: welding with mechanized equipment in the active gas environment (MAG), arc welding (MMA) and welding, combining their activities with engineering communications technicians. A training stand will be created. Within the framework of the project, materials will be acquired for training stand and practical training The project's direct target group is 15 students from three countries (5 from Latvia, 5 from France and 5 from Austria), 4 vocational education teachers from three countries (2 teachers from Latvia, 1 teacher from France and 1 teacher from Austria). The project will be implemented in the Latgale Planning Region, - 87 Jātnieku street, Daugavpils, Latvia, taking into account international experience. The duration of the implementation of the project - from 1 October, 2018 to 30 September, 2020 (24 months full)."

"From September 1st, 2015 till August 31st, 2017, Daugavpils Construction Technical School within theframework of the Erasmus + 2nd Strategic Partnership project “Dual vocational educational system implementation and strengthening, adapting vocational training to labour market, ensuring the quality of training, actuality and attractiveness”, contract Nr. 2015 -1-LV01-KA202-013456, was implemented several professional project activities.The direct aim of the project is to improve the quality of initial vocational education programs in the field of construction and civil engineering in order to ensure balanced and qualified continuing education in professional activities.The overall goal of the project is to provide an opportunity to get work, life and professional experience in another country, expanding its horizons and promoting intellectual and professional development.Project target group: vocational education students and vocational education teachers.The total amount of the project is EUR 102 370,00 (one hundred two thousand three hundred and seventy euros 00 cents). Project eligible costs are funded at 100% of the European Structural Fund.Daugavpils Construction Technical School as a project applicant, having taken into account the project application, implemented several professional project activities:1. short term joint stuff training event – one event (25.01.2016.-29.01.2016.);2. transnational project meetings – tree times (10.05.2016.-12.05.2016.; 01.06.2016.-03.06.2016.; 22.05.2017.-24.05.2017.);3. blended mobility of VET learners – three times (12.10.2016.-21.10.2016.; 28.03.2017.-06.04.2017.; 15.05.2017.-24.05.2017.);4. development of the methodical tool ""Dual vocational education system implementation - methodological tool for dual training"" – one tool;5. multiplier event – international seminar/conference – one event.Within of the project framework Daugavpils Construction Technical School had three cooperation partners:1. Austria, Regional vocational school Nr.5 in Graz (Landesberufsschule Graz 5);2. Lithuania, Utena regional vocational training centre (Utenos Regioninis profesinio mokymo centras);3. Latvia, limited liability company “KNAUF” and “KNAUF AKADEMIJA” (Latvia).Within the framework of the project short-term joint staff training event and transnational project meetings, the project management group visited the best construction and civil engineering companies in Latvia, Lithuania and Austria, which are specializing in construction and civil engineering, participated in the practical discussion on the introduction and strengthening of the elements of the dual vocational education system by adapting vocational education to the needs of the labor market, ensuring the quality, relevance and attractiveness of the training, learned about co-operation of vocational education institutions with entrepreneurs, practical training and qualification practice in companies, as well as elements of dual education and work environment based on partner countries point of view.As a result, the international project management group came to the conclusion that at least half of the study time must be mastered by practical skills in the real working environment of the company, working with new and high-quality materials, but theoretical knowledge to acquire in vocational education institutions. Within the framework of the project, vocational education students improved their professional knowledge, gained international experience, got the opportunity to work with the CUBO system, its elements and necessary materials, had got acquainted with building assessment systems, that ensure sustainable quality of buildings, due to the detailed ecological, economic, social, functional and technical aspects of evaluation, which are particularly relevant and topical in Germany.The range of events within the framework of the project was aimed at increasing the capacity of the students vocational, social and communicative skills.As a result of all activities, which was implemented within the framework of the project, the project management group developed methodical tool ""Dual vocational education system implementation - a methodical tool for dual training"", which consists of six sections:1. General information about the project;2. Group of project managers;3. Students' professional activities within the project;4. Dual elements used in the project;5. Creating a CUBO system. Work plan6. LLC ""Knauf"" materials for the creation of the CUBO system.The final event within the framework of the project was an international seminar / conference, which held in Daugavpils on August 30, 2017, during this developed methodical tool was presented for entrepreneurs, to focusing attention on the implementation of entrepreneurs for practical training, work environment-based training, for development cooperation with vocational education institutions."

Project Title: Exploring Different Methods of Science Teaching to Increase Student Motivation and Promote Scientific LiteracyThrough this project we hope to motivate students by presenting science as being relevant to their everyday life experiences. This project will help to encourage students to view science as being useful to all citizens and thus enhance scientific literacy.Using these innovative teaching strategies will help to increase the number of students who take up science subjects at tertiary level.This project aims to develop, test and implement innovative approaches and practices in teaching science.Through research and observation of different syllabi from the different participating countries, one can gain experience in designing better curricula for our country. This could also be done through networking with educational specialists from universities in Malta and other European countries. Motivating students by presenting science as being relevant to their everyday life experiences is one of the main objectives of this projects.We aim to encourage students to view science as being useful to all citizens and thus enhance scientific literacy through innovative methodology.Through the new methodologies in science teaching we aim to increase the number of students who take up science subjects at tertiary level The number of participants is approximately 40, most of which most are teachers, head of schools and a University lecturer specializing in Science EducationOur intention is to research and study different European curricula in order to find common teaching areas. Once the topics are established, specific lesson plans will be set up through collaboration and networking with different schools in European countries. The innovative methodologies to be used in these lessons will be discussed between the participating countries and through networking with educational specialists from universities in Malta and the other European countries involved in this project.Each participating school will devise a lesson plan which later will be conducted in each participating school, this willl be video taped, and afterwards analysed by the teachers and educational specialists involved in this project. Feedback is given and the lesson plan is amended according to the feedback given. Then this lesson is repeated with a different class and it will then be analysed once again. These lessons will be uploaded in a website and any resources used will be available online for dissemination with other teachers.The long term impact and benefits envisaged after finishing this project is that through innovative teaching methodologies tackled in this project, teachers will start to use these methodologies and students will show increase in motivation, uptake of science options at a higher level and an increase in scientific literacy.