CONTEXTChildren today are born into technology and using it comes natural them. However, there is a need for them to acquire technological skills, such as programming. STEM skilled labour force is in high-demand in Europe and demand will continue to increase due to the advent of Industry 4.0 and Advanced Manufacturing Technologies. It is estimated that the EU will have up to 825.000 ICT job vacancies by 2020 due to shortage of skilled labour force. Basic coding skills are needed, as more than 90% of today’s professional occupations do require digital competences, including programming. New ways of engaging children into programming and STEM are needed but more screen time is not the best approach. Hands-on play is more fun and many times more educational. The bridging of the online and the offline worlds may offer a more engaging and healthy environment for children to learn how to program and develop STEM skills.OBJECTIVESTEMKIT4Schools has as primary objective to produce approaches and tools to help those working with children reach out to them with a view to help them engage with programming and develop STEM related skills. It aims to achieve this not by increasing screen time but by encouraging hands-on play through the creation of games playable on a retro design DIY wooden computer in combination with electronics gadgets relating to STEM subjects.PARTICIPANTSTwo schools, a university, a company offering bespoke software development services and training in ICT, a company specialising in corporate training solutions and knowledge dissemination and a technical consultancy designing and building hands on training tools.ACTIVITIESThe main objective will be achieved through the following activities:- Elaborate and validate a guide for building, configuring and using the DIY computer in the classroom- Design and develop a curriculum and lesson plans for using the STEMKIT DIY computer, based on Raspberry Pi edition, to teach children programming through the creation of Minecraft Pi games to be played on the console also in combination with electronics gadgets the children will build and which will enhance understanding of programming concepts (e.g. traffic lights units for experimenting with loops) or STEM (e.g. ambulance with siren controlled by the console to demonstrate the Doppler effect)- Design electronics kits to be used in support of the curriculum and to be built by children to use with the console as an educational hands-on play approach- Prepare a social learning environment utilising motivational workflows such as the recognition of achievements through the awarding of badges, for the delivery of the curriculum to teachers/educators and for skills retention purposes- Test and pilot the outcomes under real conditions with the teachers and deliver a final release- Support the final outcomes through a dedicated virtual space (STEMKIT Club) providing access to all project results and infrastructure for supporting the growth of a community of adopters/practitioners/enthusiasts.METHODOLOGYAn iterative methodology: three versions of the results are produced, one in each iteration. After each iteration the results are tested/validated and based on the conclusions the next iteration is planned.RESULTS- STEMKIT DIY Computer, breadboards, jumper wires, buttons, switches, LEDs, etc.- Electronics Kits to be used with the STEMKIT computer - Guide and blueprint on how to assemble the STEMKIT, install the software and configure the GPIO - STEMKIT Curriculum and lesson plans - STEMKIT Educators guide- Learning Portal with integrated skills and achievements framework- STEMKIT Club virtual space with supporting infrastructureTARGET GROUPIn the life of the project: professionals working with children of 8 – 13 years. Apart from these direct target groups, the beneficiaries comprise also indirect target groups such as schools, children's/parents associations and organisations, policy makers and educational stakeholders deciding about subjects covered by school curricula, parents, content developers, etc. After the life of the project and subject to the delivery of concrete results, more target groups become relevant, such as commercial organisations producing serious games for educational purposes, universities with pedagogical/engineering departments, educational bodies, STEM toys manufacturers.BENEFITS- Elucidate findings regarding to ways of introducing children to programming and STEM through hands-on play.- Create evidence-based policy and research recommendations for the use of games in the teaching of coding and the re-enforcement of educational hands-on play, especially for STEM related subjects- Act as node of knowledge dissemination on how to engage children with programming and STEM- Devise strategies for the adoption of educational hands-on play in the classroom- Provide a pool of expertise and technical assistance to start-up awareness nodes (e.g. Code Dojo)

"This has been a fascinating project be involved in. Initially there were hushed concerns about motivating students to engage with Shaesperean texts and that this might be a challenge. How wrong could we have been? Because we focused upon themes running through Shaksperean texts that are common with young people and being European it meant that ALL participants, both students and staff, were entering an arena where they had a voice and could use that to discuss issues common to us all. It soon became clear that as well as the initial drivers for this project which are mentioned later in the report, there were going to be some very potent and powerful unintended outcomes that had a significant impact on all participants. I should like to explore some of these here.Partner school teachers from mainland europe have been introduced to a dynamic set of exploratory and creative drama strategies that can be used effectively across most areas of the curriculum. An approach which was shown to be very enjoyable and highly motivational. These will continue to be developed over time.Pupils have been equipped with many transferable skills to prepare them for the world of employment. There has been a great emphasis on co-operation and collaboration in order to achieve desired outcomes. Often, individuals and groups will have had to make difficult decisions about content, ways forward or the ways in which people are working and how effective that is. These are very much people skills, but highly delicate, quite sensitive and something which many adults struggle with on occasion.The schools in the partnership, through the exploration of the themes in these Shaksperean texts, have helped both pupils and teachers to become more active citizens in their own communities and at a European level. The European identity is the result of both European history and culture. This project, in each of the explorative stages with both students and teachers, sought clarification of this identity and has led to a much better understanding of what we have in common as Europeans, in spite of national borders and cultural differences. It has also enabled all of those involved to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of other cultures, but perhaps more importantly, to look at the strengths and weaknesses of their own culture. As the future of Europe will one day be in their hands a much greater understanding and awareness of such issues is a pre requisite to ensure a strong European Community. This was particularly enlightening for the UK participants in view of the current challenges facing the UK.All participants, but particularly pupils have become more aware of the opportunities provided by Europe in order to realize their dreams and aspirations. This has been achieved through entrepreneurship (in its broadest sense), a focus and development of literacy and an awareness of what it 'means' to be a European citizen. These have been unintended but powerful drivers that have risen to the surface as we have gone through the project.The project has helped pupils to prepare for life in a mixed Europe, with its mixture of influences culturally, socially and religiously. It has helped them to improve both their spoken and written English in a most enjoyable way. This has come about through the insistence from the outset for participants to work in mixed international teams. In doing so it has raised their self-confidence and promoted tolerance with sensitivity. This has then led to an understanding for the need to eliminate prejudice and the importance for communities to live in peace and harmony. When you have a Danish student tell you ""This is the most I've ever learned in a week."", or ""I've NEVER spoken so much English."" or a parent tell you ""I've seen my child change this week."" Then you know you are dealing with something that is really transformative.Both pupils and teachers have been entrepreneuring in their approaches to solutions to tasks and projects that have been set. Invention and creativity have been the hallmarks of the content of the Project Website Finding alternative ways to address an issue has been emphasised throughout. ICT skills have been used imaginatively throughout the project. Particularly so during the preparation before student mobilities and also during the week of a mobility including performance. The project has enabled teachers to compare their educational systems and discuss pedagogy. The chance to weigh up the merits of different systems and apply new ideas and approaches to their own work where possible has been invaluable. The exchange of ideas and the sharing of strategies and methodologies have left all staff involved inspired and motivated to pursue this work further.This has been an exciting project to be a part of with clear and visionary educational aims that have been addressed with energy and vitality by all participants at all levels of the process."

Our project „On the Move – Towards a Multicultural Democratic Europe“ deals with the challenges arising from the flow of refugees coming to Europe since 2015 and the changes in the European societies coming with them. In 2015 we expected an undefined number of refugee children coming to our schools to get education. From this situation resulted various problems for which we wanted to find solutions during our project. The teachers wanted to compare and compile teaching methods and units to teach children from different countries with very heterogenous educational backgrounds. Besides that we wanted to exchange best practise experiences in personalized and autonomous learning which we collected in a teachers‘ handbook. With our students we wanted to explore the migration movements to and from our countries throughout history up to date as a normal part of human life and to explore the causes and effects on societies. Furthermore we wanted to sensitize our students and school communities for the importance of democracy and its values and to strengthen them against rightist thinking.The conception of the project began with the combination of schools involved: Italy and Spain as countries with European external borders are especially burdened by the flight routes of the refugees. Our Italian partners agitate against xenophobic tendencies in their region, the Spanish school together with the community of Igualada support the Sahrawi in the Western Sahara for years. Hungary and Romania have different approaches on how to handle the refugee issue. But if we Europeans want to find a solution to the refugee challenge we have to talk about our different points of view. Our partner school in Hungary has students with migration background, our Ro-manian partners are already experienced in teaching the national language as a second language, e.g. to Sinti and Roma children. The Netherlands and Germany are both countries experienced in the integration of people from other countries/cultures. The Dutch partners have „world classes“ and an excellent computer equipment at their school. They try out personalized learning with internally differenciating online school books. Furthermore they have close contact to a refugee camp. In our German classes are many students with a migration background, e.g. from Poland, Russia, Turkey etc. Like the Dutch partners we develop structures for personalized autonomous open learning at our school. The European spirit and the fight against intolerance are the fundamental pillars of our school programmeAt our coordinators‘ meeting in Romania in 2016 we worked out the details of our project plan and agreed on the content and structure of the teachers‘ handbook.Before and during our meeting in Spain in 2017 our students designed project logos, a project hymn, created presentations of their schools/home towns and did research on migration in the past. They created powerpoint presentations or a posterbook about migration to and from their countries, presented them to each other and collected them on a big timeline in a corridor of the school to show their results to the public.In the Netherlands in November 2017 the students explored the migration background of their families and of their schoolmates, created family trees, compiled their research material in international workshops and created maps to this. Teachers and students visited a refugee camp where they met refugees living there and did some activities together with them.In Germany in 2018 the students worked on cause studies on flight reasons today and on the reasons for discrimination and their influence on the understanding of democracy in their countries. They focused on the discussions about the current rightist movements and on democratic values. In international creative teams they worked on the European Charta of Human Rights and the defense of democracy and its values.The last meeting in Italy in 2018 brought together the results of our work during the project. The students put a musical about the fate of refugees on stage and in an exhibition presented their results and insights of the project and a film about their work to their parents and to the public.All results are published on eTwinning, on our school websites, in the media, on conferences, days of open door, on training events (11.10.2017 in Düsseldorf/13. – 15.05.2018 in Weimar).Our handbook is published on eTwinning and is at disposal for all schools taking part in eTwinning. The lesson plans will be used at our schools in the future. Teachers and students stay in contact. A follow-up project about our cultural heritages and the influence of the cultural heritage of our migrant is discussed. We have developed lasting exchange projects with our partner schools in Italy and the Netherlands, a project with Spain is planned. The cooperation with local refugee assistance organisations has significally deepened.

The idea for the project comes at a time when 'certainties' are being shaken. Never before have St Exupéry's words: 'Nous n' héritons pas la terre de nos ancêtres, nous l' empruntons à nos enfants', felt so vital. Young people are worried about their future and a movement to demand change is growing. In this context, with our partnership of schools from six countries we want students to learn about, to appreciate and come to actively care for all cultural, natural and historical heritage. Our shared democratic values can also be seen as common cultural heritage. Discovering and reflecting on these values, their origins and the ways they are threatened, students will develop a sense of responsibility and active citizenship that is needed to cope with big European problems, like climate change and populism. Students come to understand the concept of heritage and learn about their own and each other's heritage – cultural, natural, democratic values. The project fosters students' concern for the threat to heritage caused by human pressure, neglect, decay and climate change. Heritage is not renewable, it must be protected. English will be the language of communication for all.Over 500 students aged 12-16 in six partner school are involved for each year of the project. Each school has 2-4 referent teachers, as well as teachers of subjects like Geography, History, Religion, European languages, Science, Biology, Ethics and Art. Project 'homework' is done in regular lessons.Referent teachers will attend all 4 LTTA meetings and both join short-term staff events. At least four students from each school will attend LTTA meetings, 'ambassadors' bringing all the 'homework' of project students. After our previous Erasmus+ partnership about migration, with the same schools (only Hungary has left and Poland joined), where we worked on respect and understanding for people from other cultures, we are very motivated to continue this successful cooperation.Over the two years we will work on four types of heritage, the topics of our LTTA meetings:- Cultural heritage, buildings of historical/cultural significance (Italy, Venice))- Natural heritage, National Parks, traditions (Romania, the Danube delta) - Industrial heritage and development (Germany, the Ruhr area, Poland, the coal mines) - Democratic values (Poland)The online thematic Story Map is used to collect and connect all information.The timeless calendar will be an ongoing creative projectThe video template will become videos on heritageDuring the LTTA meetings students gather, organise and present their data. Excursions are a hands-on experience related to the research.Students reflect on the importance and the vulnerability of human rights in our society, discover what generates populism, racism, anti-European ideas. Thus they will take a new step towards active European citizenship.To make a change in students' attitudes, schools must collaborate closely to make every-day teaching and learning exciting, involving, innovative and incisive. In regular lessons project. In contact with their European peers, students prepare the topic for the next meeting doing on-line research, digital organisation of all material, videoconferences, using the eTwinning platform and Story Map, preparing material needed to gradually create meaningful project final products: the video template, the timeless calendar. Meanwhile teachers will document the project Lesson Plans for the Teachers' Handbook. Results, impact, longterm benefits:- Teachers Handbook with project ‘Lesson Plans’, possibly shared by our eTwinning Label partner, Romania- non-project teachers integrate project-related topics and collaborative learning methods into their curricular lessons - Introduction of digital tools in teaching/learning (eTwinning, StoryMap, padlet, digital timelines & mindmaps, webquests, G-suite tools, zoom) - Students sense of active European citizenship and an awareness of the importance of democracy- Improved English language and communication skills- The project website and eTwinning, the youtube channel and social media accounts facilitate intercultural exchange and dissemination.- Participation Certificates validate learning- Students develop their own reasoned opinions on topics like the European Green Deal and the UNFCCC COP meetings. - The timeless calendar will be used year after year. - The videos made with the video template promote and protect a kind of heritageThanks to their improved understanding of heritage and their exposure to people, movements, institutions who actively promote & defend heritage, students will look for ways to unite with others to protect their future.This meets the mission and vision of all participating schools.Once the project is over, project teachers and students will continue their partnerships in different ways: class exchanges, eTwinning projects, social media and maybe even a new KA2 project proposal.

"The CodeIT project concentrates on programming competence of teachers of non-IT subjects. The huge technological progress has forced the situation in which IT, and in particular, programming become the key competence of the 21st century. Today, digitization and technology development make programming language a language of communication. It is worth pointing out that programming is a method of developing useful competences such as causal thinking, analytics, and teamwork. We must be aware that children who are currently enrolled in school will in future perform professions that do not yet exist, and the only thing we can say about these jobs is that they will be technology based. Ability to programming is recognised by the European authorities. Development of this skill is one of requirements in terms of development of key competencies. EU recommendations in “Developing Key Competences at School in Europe” – Eurydice report [2012], points that it is needed to include ICT competencies in ISCED 1-3. Also authorities of national levels (Ministries) have recognised programming as crucial in the development of children and lots of funding is addressed to teachers of teaching those children that are in classes 1-3. While large amount of money is being directed to train the teachers of initial education, the other teachers – those that teach in higher grades of elementary schools and gymnasiums seem to be omitted as far as programming training is concerned. This causes situation that on one hand children that had good start in the area of programming education in classes 1-3 will not receive the same level of education when they enter grade 4 and on the other, the teachers of higher grades don’t perceive as their professions are as strong as their colleagues and their self-esteem is lower when they compare themselves to those that teach younger children. According to Eurydice report, in project’s partner countries, ICT competencies are intended to be included in core curricula in primary and secondary schools. Countries (except RO & BG) agreed, that this competence has interdisciplinary status, what means that there is a need to implement it cross the curricula. Since that time, the efforts to make it happen have been made, but only IT applied cross curricular approach and implemented computer programming/coding in other subjects, but still, it is not a compulsory requirement at any level of education [European Schoolnet data, Computing our future, 2014, update 2015]. In other partners’ countries programming is not located in other subjects. In order to fill this gap the project aim is to rise programming competences of teachers of non-IT subjects teaching in grades 4 and higher through development of innovative resources: - Virtual Learning Environment for Teachers containing training materials in algorithmic and programming ant its didactic in other than IT subjects, - Model lesson plans incorporating programming for Chemistry, Geography, Maths and Physics, - Handbook entitled ""Advance your teaching skills with the use of algorithmic and programming"", and their wide dissemination and exploitation. Primary target group: non-IT teachers from elementary schools (grades 4 and higher) and gymnasiums with special attention to teachers of Chemistry, Geography, Math and Physics Secondary target group: students of primary schools in grades 4 and higher and gymnasiums (where it applies). The project will directly involve 1007 participants. Teachers will be involved in various project activities: development of materials, providing feedback, evaluation, piloting. Students will be also involved during piloting phase during which models of lessons with incorporated programming will be tested. Stakeholders and decision makers will participate in multiplier events and in specially created stakeholders committees. The methodology that the partnership intends to apply is going to be based on proper, competent management and effective monitoring of the activities, on-going assessment and evaluation of project outcomes, rigorous quality management, appropriate dissemination activities to generate awareness of the aims and objectives of the project. Assurance that the outputs are accomplished with high quality, on time and within the budget will be priority for all partners separately and for the consortium as a whole. It is expected that the impact of the project will be significant at all levels but especially or regional levels in which partners have access to the Centres of teachers training and through them, to practically every school in given region. The project’s desired impact is to influence the decisions about school education referring to incorporating programming into non-IT subjects. It is expected that 250 teachers will enhance their competences at the end of the project and about 1000 after 3 years from the project end."