"ContextThe TIK – Tradition & Innovation @ Kintergarten project started from the Europe 2020 strategy that identified, within its educational benchmarks, that by 2020 at least 95% of pre-school children of 4 years or older would participate in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)The importance of effectively addressing the theme of ECEC where also confirmed by the conclusions of the European symposium on improving early childhood education and care that stated: ""benefits from high-quality ECEC are wide-ranging and multilevel, economic and social, for individuals and for societies"".In this field the experience of the project partner and the evidence of their everyday activities shows that quality early childhood education and care can bring the highest rates of return over the whole lifelong learning process, especially for the most disadvantaged groups.ObjectivesThe project identified and succesfully addressed three needs that play a crucial role in order to enhance the quality of ECEC:- Reinforce the capacity of preschool teachers to involve their pupils in activities that, according to appropriate didactical and communication methods, can provide an early start of the development of basic and transversal competences- Raise childrens families awareness of the importance that ECEC can have for the preparation and the passage to primary school and for the integration in the social life- Develop pre-school children cognitive skills through the implementation of cooperative learning experiences, aimed at integrating the normal activities with relational and richer verbal interactions between pupils with a special focus on those coming from disadvantaged backgroundsNumber and type/profile of participants The project, exceeding by far its initial yet ambitious expectations has directly involved in the project activities and impacted on, a total of: - 50 kindergartens - More than 100 pre-school teachers - More than 1000 pupils - More than 200 among parents, grandparents, relatives and child-carersRepresenting 4 different European countries and many more different nationalities and culturesPotential stakeholders, to be estimated in more than 40 000 individuals and 400 institutions have been reached through the dissemination activities.Activities and related OutputsProject partners experts cooperated at transnational level in order to produce and make two Guides for the innovation of pedagogical approaches in ECEC directly available and accessible for free and without limitation on the TIK Portal.- Teachers’ Guide (https://tik.pixel-online.org/teachers_guide.php) providing pre-school teachers with a consistent set of learning materials to develop the necessary skills for improving achievement in basic cognitive and transversal skills of their pupils in early childhood education, through a fruitful cooperation with the pupils families- Family caregivers of pre-school pupils Guide (https://tik.pixel-online.org/families_guide.php) in order to raise their awareness on the importance that pre-school has in developing cognitive and pre-cognitive skills that are fundamental in the transition to compulsory schoolProject partner partners have also worked in close cooperation with pre-school teachers and children families, to develop IO 2 - Didactical Toolkit addressed to preschool pupils. The Toolkit contains didactical materials presenting traditional tales both of the local area in which the children live in and of the countries/traditions of the children from other countries and/or ethnic groups who are present in the participating schoolsThe Toolkit combines:- Exemplary materials related to the methodology adopted for implementing the storytelling activity carried out in each kindergarten https://tik.pixel-online.org/storytelling.php including the collection of drawings / collages / clay sculptures with which children will have represented their understanding of the tale itself- Media based products presenting selected tales through a visual based storytelling and the text of the tale to be used by educators to transfer the contents at transnational level https://tik.pixel-online.org/storyplot.php Results and impactThe TIK project successfully impacted on its target groups by:- Strengthening the capacity of pre-school teachers and of pupils’ families to build cooperation patterns- Providing pre-school pupils basic and transversal competences through the transnational comparison of traditional tales linked to the local territory in which they live with the ones linked to the cultural backgrounds of pupils coming from other countries/ethnic minorities- Enhancing pre-school comprehension and communication through innovative audio-visual based approaches and tools- Promoting a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to pre-school education supported by innovative pedagogic materials and references methodological concepts in order to develop children’s cognitive and social skills"

"<< Background >>The project focuses on distance learning, an approach widely used in the last year due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Many teachers and trainers both in the Vet and IVET fields (technical and professional institutes, but not only) were caught unprepared to deal with the new emergency challenge, often using the same methods (mainly of transmissive type) used in face-to-face classes. At an Italian level, the Abruzzo Regional Education Authority submitted a qualitative survey to secondary school students of the Region. It was developed by a joint committee composed of the above mentioned Regional Education Authority and the Regional Order of Psychologists to investigate the perception that students have of distance learning.The Distance Learning methodology is a valuable teaching and training tool that, beyond the emergency linked to the pandemic, can be exploited in many other contexts such as the following:• New emergencies• Inability of students to attend face-to-face lessons due to force majeure (i.e. long-distance commuter students could benefit from this methodology)• Secluded areas and mountain schools -- Continuous training. it is not by chance that the European Commission recently published the new Digital Educational Plan 2021-2027 which sets out new goals for distance learning that must become more “effective, inclusive and engaging”.The project follows on from the goals set out in the new digital education plan, focusing on the centrality of the student in distance learning and the teacher seen as a guide of the processes, more precisely a facilitator and resource person. In order for the student to be able to feel like a protagonist, he will have to put many of his Long life learning skills (key competences) into play in an active learning context with particular reference to critical thinking that the project intends to develop in a quality framework on distance learning.The framework will be addressed to a target of teachers from professional schools and, in the testing phase, to students attending vocational schools (IVET) who need to develop critical thinking and digital critical thinking skills in order to be immediately ready to enter the labour market. The Framework will be developed mainly in a transversal way to the disciplines through active modes that shall take account of the following approaches:•Problem based learning•Inquiry based learning•Problem solving•Creativity•Digital critical literacy.The project can therefore be framed in the light of digital transformation, in the development of digital skills and key competences as well as aspiring to develop the teachers’ skills in this sector. The effects on the students due to the transformation of the teachers’ approaches will also be tested and have an indirect impact on their employability. Another pillar of the project will be QA which will take place through the development of a framework that takes into account the EQAVET cycle. This project is however the natural continuation and complementary to the ongoing project called ILDE (Integrated Learning and Digital Evaluation) presented by the same coordinator and which intends to involve most of the partners of the mentioned project.<< Objectives >>The new Digital Education Plan 2021-2027 recently published by the European Commission sets out new goals for distance education, which must become more ""effective, inclusive and engaging"". The project to be developed, therefore, is perfectly in line with the goals identified in the aforementioned plan, since its main objective is to put the student at the center of distance learning, while redefining the role of the teacher who would become process guide and facilitator.In a real student-centered system, where learning process is active and dynamic, pupils have to put into play many of their Lifelong learning skills (key competencies): for example ""critical thinking” that partners want to develop in a quality framework on Distance Education. The framework can be aimed at:•a target of teachers working in technical and vocational schools •in the testing phase, at students who are attending the same type of organizations.(IVET) and who need to develop critical thinking and digital critical thinking skills in order to be immediately ready to enter the world of work. .The Framework will be mainly developed across disciplines thanks to methods based on the following approaches: ● Problem based learning, ● Inquiry based learning, ● Problem solving, ● Creativity, ● Digital critical literacy Hackathon ● Digital Debate.The starting phase will be represented by the results of the monitoring analysis carried out by USR Abruzzo in collaboration with the Regional Order of Psychologists (involved in this proposal as an associated partner) to find out how the students of the target schools perceive this teaching tool.In case of approval of our proposal, this qualitative survey, revised in a transnational key, will be administered in VET schools located in the project partner countries.OUTPUT 1: consisterà nell’analisi dei risultati del sondaggio e quindi propedeutico ai successivi OUTPUT 2 e 3;OUTPUT 2:: realizzazione di un toolkit contenente un repertorio di tecniche, approcci e buone pratiche che tenga conto dagli esiti del sondaggio di cui alla fase 1; OUTPUT 3: Framework sulla Distance Education di Qualità basato sul ciclo EQAVET A tale fase, farà seguito l'attività di formazione dello Staff (C1) relativamente all’uso degli OUTPUT 2 e 3: per ogni organizzazione partner è previsto il coinvolgimento di nr. 3 docenti/formatori che frequenteranno la LTTA in Austria al fine di trasferire a loro volta quanto appreso in favore di nr. 10 colleghi operanti a livello locale secondo la logica del Cascade Training.Nella fase successiva i due principali prodotti di progetto saranno oggetto di un piloting che coinvolgerà un totale di 200 studenti al fine di rilevare l’impatto degli strumenti realizzati nel corso di questa collaborazione biennale. Gli obiettivi che con questo progetto si vogliono raggiungere sono: 1) Migliorare i risultati di apprendimento nelle singole discipline, grazie al Distance Learning e ai suoi approcci didattici innovativi. 2) Incrementare la qualità del processo di valutazione delle competenze digitali integrate nelle discipline 3) Accrescere la qualità nella validazione e riconoscimento dei risultati di apprendimento delle competenze digitali 4) Supportare gli educatori nello sviluppo di una cultura orientata al miglioramento della qualità negli apprendimenti 5) Potenziare i rapporti fra il mondo dell'istruzione e i Vet providers<< Implementation >>A.1. Quantitative-qualitative analysis on Distance Learning Perceived Quality – OUTPUT 1OB: to know the perceived quality of the DL by the students of the VET institutes or equivalent (level 3 EQF) in the partner countries;A.1.1. Desk analysis:Short evaluation of the state of the art with reference to Distance Education in partner countries (within the 2nd month)- remodeling the quality survey carried out by USR Abruzzo in collaboration with the OdP taking into account the transnational dimension.A1.2: ACTION-RESEARCH - survey administration to a sample of 500 students (per partner) on the perceived quality of Distance Learning Data analysis with the help of the Order of Psychologists, our associated partner and first report. (by 4th Month). Objective: to detect possible critical issues in the perceived quality of the DL among the learners.A.2. DESIGN OF A TOOLKIT (OUTPUT 2):Objective: to create a toolkit composed of approaches, methodologies and digital tools for an inclusive and participatory Distance Learning.A.2.1. Research on teaching tools, methodologies and approachesA.2.2. Prototyping the Toolkit in a transnational context (within the 8th month);OUTPUT: Toolkit will be calibrated on the EQAVET process.A.3. Drafting of the Distance Learning QA Framework (OUTPUT 3) (within the 10th month);OB: develop an effective qualitative model of DL valid for all disciplines (synchronously and asynchronous).The framework must be created not only with the help of partners but also with the contribution of a sample of 200 students who have already been involved during the first phase of the research (A.1.) The approach will be collaborative and ""bottom-up"" type, aimed therefore at detecting the feedback of those who use the DL to consolidate their knowledge and skills.A.3.1 set up a sample of students selected among those involved in the survey in phase A.1. to test the framework OUTPUT 3.A.3.2. select tools and approaches shared with learners;A.3.3. realization of the frameworkA.3.4 Framework pre-testing phaseOUTPUT: DL QA framework translated into partner languagesC1. Transnational LTTA within 12th month in Austria, at Die Bierater (3 participants for each partner)OB: train the project staff and a group of teacher trainers to use OUTPUTS 2 and 3.A.4. Cascade training: (within the 14th month)OB .: organize training sessions to teachers to transfer what learnt during the Austrian LTTA .A.4.1. selection of nr. 10 teachers per partner who will benefit from the training; Tool: activity progress sheet;A.4.2. no. 6 training modules (one for each partner) each of which consists of two sessions - Tool: monitoring sheets.OUTPUT: Training modulesA.5 Testing phase of OUTPUT 2 and 3 (within the 22nd month)OB: validate the effectiveness of the Outputs created.A.5.1. Testing the Outputs at VET or equivalent institutions (EQF Level 3). A sample of 200 students will be involved in this phase. Tool: Monitoring cards A.5.2. Validation and full operation of OUTPUT 2 and 3;Output: comparative report on the effectiveness of Distance Learning reviewed according to quality criteria.A..6. Agreements between IVET Providers for the introduction of the Toolkit. This alliance, will create conditions for creating quality training courses and guarantee sustainability to the project. .OB. guarantee the sustainability of the model in the transnational context.<< Results >>The project involves the production of 3 Outputs (project results), an LTTA in Austria and a local cascade training in the country-partners, both to the testing phase (experimentation of the framework). A related final report among the classes that will use the new approaches which will be selected from the groups of students who have completed the qualitative questionnaire.The OUTPUTS will constitute the tangible results of the project and will be exploited through the main dissemination tools and the Multiplier Events. In addition, the project partners will plan specific activities to ensure the widest sharing of the project since the start-up phase (thematic workshops with stakeholders in M1), its enhancement through dedicated moments and widespread dissemination at the end of the project. The first OUTPUT will be a Quantitative-qualitative analysis on Distance Learning Perceived Quality; the second OUTPUTwill be focused on the creation of a toolkit containing dynamic and inclusive approaches and methodologies to be used in distance learning in order to develop the students’ collaborative and critical skills as well as their own digital skills. The third OUTPUT will concern a quality framework on distance learning aimed at students of VET paths starting from the first year following an increasing degree of difficulty, in the context of QA and with particular reference to the EQAVET cycle following the entire process through the phases of planning, implementation, evaluation and review.After having produced the first 3 project results, the project will proceed with the organization of an LTTA in Austria in which 3 people from the project staff for each partner will take part. The aim is to train them for the use of the toolkit and the quality of the framework on Distance Learning so that, once back in their country, they can organize the so called Cascade Training in favor of 10 teachers for partners motivated to use project outputs.After the LTTA the project will continue with a long testing phase: about 200 students from the 6 partner countries chosen among those who initially took part in the initial survey will test the outputs. The last part of the project is the validation of the model and the comparative report to understand how much DL, reviewed according to quality criteria, improves the learning process becoming a useful teaching tool complementary to traditional teaching.Furthermore in the project additional tools functional to the implementation will be prepared to be exclusively used within the partnership. The first one is the toolkit for management, implementation and project control; further tools are the Communication Plan; the QAEP aimed at monitoring and evaluating the quality of the project throughout its duration, the Dissemination and Exploitation Plan, the Sustainability plan to ensure that what has been achieved thanks to the project will be used after the conclusion of the project. In this regard, the kick-off meeting (TM1) will be very important because it will define roles and responsibilities of each partner.With reference instead to intangible results (the so-called Outcome) it is appropriate to distinguish between:a. teachers and trainers;b. students and learners in general.Teachers and trainers will get a wider and greater knowledge of validation processes. and recognition of learning outcomes not only in disciplines but also in distance learning;• an enhanced ability to identify, monitor and evaluate the LOs.Compared to the students, the main results are:• better ability to use digital tools;• better ability to influence the validation process. of LOs in QA logic;• better interaction of students with teachers in learning process."

"The project will face the effectiveness of the use of digital technologies and digital critical literacy in the field of education and vocational training by assessing the impact of digital technologies on mother tongue teaching L1 and L2 (English) in the various grades of secondary education and vocational training, taking into account the educational systems of the target countries. An evaluation approach will, therefore, be sought both across the subjects (of competencies in L1 and L2) and vertically by addressing research in the various levels of education and vocational training. Then there will be a piloting test that will compare two groups of students in the partners' countries (100+100 in total). The first group will test an integrated digital curriculum in the two disciplines selected, the second group will continue with its traditional teaching avoiding digital tools. The tools implemented in the projects and addressed to teachers will be collected in a toolkit that will take into account the QA system. In the European field, competence assessment is entrusted to the DIGCOMP model: a common European reference framework for digital skills. It is a reference point for Member States' initiatives to develop, improve and support the development of citizens' digital skills. The model identifies describes digital competences in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. According to Dig comp, digital competence is assessed in 5 areas and 21 specific competences. What we intend to do with this project is to modulate skills at school levels by creating a vertical curriculum in Digcomp. The project will demonstrate the effectiveness of the use of digital technologies in the field of education and vocational training trying to assess the impact that the use of digital technologies and digital critical literacy brings in teaching the discipline (the mother tongue and L2 in the secondary school and vocational pathways VET). The project aims to promote a deep reflection on the validity of tools to measure the effects of digital development on social welfare in general and the school system by seeking mechanisms for more effective integration of technologies digital teaching and learning"". In the report entitled ""Digital Education at school in Europe"", Eurydice provides an exhaustive picture of the situation. The report shows that in half of Europe’s educational systems digital skills are never assessed thorough national tests. Only two countries: Austria and Norway have digital skills tests in all levels of education. At the moment the European situation in the assessment of the impact of digital competences is rather varied. - Dig comp is not currently the only reference framework for the moment the European situation in the assessment of the impact of digital competences is rather varied. - Dig comp is not currently the only reference framework for the assessment of digital skills as specified in the Eurydice report - there is no ministerial definition of digital competences in many European countries. - Some countries have a cross-curricular approach, that is, digital skills are taught across all disciplines, so each teacher is required to develop this competence in his or her own discipline; digital skills taught as a separate discipline; integrated into other disciplines (Dig comp) - There is currently no instrument available to teachers based on a QA system that allows for appropriate evaluation. It is not known what the real impact of the use of digital mediators is in improving the learning outcomes of the disciplines in particular of L1.The objectives of the project will be:1) planning of learning outcomes of disciplines L1 and L2 by verifying the impact of digital skills in a QA logic2) Increasing the quality of the digital skills assessment process integrated into the mother tongue discipline3) increase the quality for validation and recognition of digital skills learning outcomes4) to support educators in the development of a culture oriented to the improvement of quality in learning5) strengthen relations between the world of education and vet providers.The project is aimed at two target groups: teachers of all levels of education, vet students and second-level secondary schools.The project involves the production of 3 Intellectual Output and international (C1) and local training activities, both preliminary and functional to the testing phase (testing of the vertical curriculum) and related comparative study between the classes using the digital curriculum (L1, L2) secondary school and vocational training and those who do not use the cultural mediator (digital) in the teaching of the disciplines that we will call classes ""DIGIzero"". The IOs will be the tangible results of the project and will be disseminated through the main dissemination tools and (multiplier events)."

"The project was based on the need to strengthen teachers' skills in the face of the multi-ethnic composition of classrooms, with a view to supporting all students, including migrant students, in accessing learning and inclusion.Indeed, schools often lack the tools to support the education of a growing number of migrants, many of whom are Unaccompanied Foreign Minors (UMNs), who have a right to education. The presence of migrant minors has multiplied in recent years in line with growing waves of migration characterised increasingly by young people under the age of 16, including unaccompanied minors. In particular, Italy, Greece and to a lesser extent Spain, as landing destinations, are countries of arrival of migrants and have to deal with the problems of reception and education of minors, while Northern European countries such as Denmark are destination countries that have been developing solid integration tools and processes for years. Therefore, universities, regional education authorities and training agencies from the four project partner countries IT, DK, ES, GR cooperated for 36 months to offer teachers new tools based on network synergies and ICT to improve their skills for inclusive education. The project has fostered cooperation between the educational and social worlds, as inclusion problems, if not solved in the educational process, have immediate repercussions in the social sphere, generating school drop-outs or increasing NEET rates.The project provided pedagogical and methodological-didactic answers through experiences carried out in secondary school classes in Greece, Italy, Spain and Denmark. The training course addressed to European secondary school teachers in multicultural contexts allowed the strengthening of teachers' skills necessary for the school inclusion of migrant minors, to avoid school drop-out and difficulties in learning school subjects.The project implemented a research of good practices among states, designed the training course in Distance Learning (DL) for ""Tutors of reception and inclusion of foreign minors within secondary schools in European countries"" regardless of the teaching discipline of the teachers involved.The course was tested on 80 secondary school teachers and 1312 students involved in the activities proposed and carried out in the classroom, of which 518 were migrant students (a much higher number than the 300 migrant students expected at the end of the project). A total of 1797 students were reached directly and indirectly. The project favoured the exchange of 60 teachers in peer learning activities and 60 social workers (educators/mediators/service workers/families) in round tables; it involved 23 staff members in mobility in the partner countries, more than 200 people in 3 multiplier events and local seminars, it implemented 5 transnational meetings for cooperation among partners.The training course in DL ""Tutor of reception and inclusion of foreign minors in secondary schools in European countries"" is divided into 8 training modules on specific topics (legislation, first reception, citizenship, relational communication, mathematics, L2, artistic-creative workshop, computer science) plus 2 extensions, one related to module 3 (30 hours), and one related to module 5 (30 hours), which the teachers enrolled in the course could use for possible substitutions of the planned modules.The modules were placed on the e-learning platform managed by Centro Linguistico di Ateneo of the University of Florence and enabled the eighty teachers selected in schools with a strong immigrant presence to train and apply the methodologies and tools proposed in each module: video lessons, texts, discussion forums, interactive tools, examples and tests. The training modules are available in the languages of the partner countries (IT, ES, DK, GR) and in English.The secondary school teachers learned, applied in their classes, elaborated and produced new ways of using the proposals which they then inserted in the same e-learning platform and forums to share them with all the other participants. The 80 teachers who completed the training received a certificate attesting to the knowledge, competences and skills they had achieved for each module carried out in accordance with the European Qualification Framework (EQF) level 5 training. The knowledge, skills and competences achieved by the teachers involved are recognised in the partner countries on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by all partners.The e-learning course will be free of charge and available in all European countries at the end of the project, as well as the Guidelines published in open access ETS edition. The course will be useful for all European teachers because it contains methods, processes and contributions from the experimentation carried out and materials useful for innovative approaches as they manage to combine education and social education.The project has enabled the following macro-objectives to be achieved, which are subsequently detailed in the achieved objectives section: - to strengthen teachers' skills and increase their professionalism with innovative tools - to improve the school learning of migrant and MSN students - to foster integration between education and the social/reception system - building more inclusive educational practices - to favour the full enjoyment of rights and the inclusion of disadvantaged groups. Target groups that have benefited from the actions undertaken (data collected from the reports sent by the partners to the coordinator at the end of the project and from the 80 participating teachers who completed the course):- Managers in the education sector n. 300- school staff involved in peer learning n. 60- educators/mediators/trainers/social workers participating in the working tables n. 60- Secondary school teachers n. 260 (of which 80 completed the e-learning course)- Students n. 1797 (of which 1312 directly involved in the teaching activities organised by the teachers who participated in the e-learning course, of which 518 were migrants)- Students' family members and members of local communities who benefited from the activities n. 1700- policy makers Stakeholders present at the events n. 400- Staff in mobility n. 23 Total direct/indirect beneficiaries n. 4600For participants, the impact was in different terms depending on the target group (see impact section for details): for secondary school teachers: - being more qualified and competitive - applying innovative methods and making teaching more attractive - improving relationships with migrant pupils and families - to become actors of social change by building inclusive practices in schools - contain the risks of early school leaving and the increase of disadvantaged groups such as NEETs; for migrant pupils/MSNA: - have more direct access to the content of school subjects thanks to more inclusive methodologies and didactics - have better school performance - improve integration and pathways into the world of work - avoid risks of social marginalisation due to early school leaving, social illiteracy, belonging to the NEET target group; for partners/staff - have a European pathway, available online and free of charge - foster change in school systems, local/national institutions - increase staff competences through comparisons and exchanges with EU countries; for educational institutions/authorities -improvement of training offer for teachers - increased capacity to respond to learning needs in the multi-ethnic society - improved educational policies with inclusive learning practices - limiting early school leaving and the NEET phenomenon."

This two-year project, which was led by an outstanding UK Primary School, addressed the problem of integrating migrant children in the Primary sector into their local communities. It built a partnership of six organisations from five countries, who brought complementary expertise and experience in dealing with issues relating to the integration of migrants, citizenship education and Primary practice. The focus of this Strategic Partnership was to innovate through cooperative practice with the aim of developing a package of Values Education at a European level in order to: • foster social inclusion, mutual understanding and respect among young people and communities • accelerate the integration of children of newly arrived migrants into the learning environment • minimize the risk of disengagement, marginalisation and even violent radicalisation. • address the objectives of the Paris Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education • develop networking to increase transnational working and sharing of ideas. The starting point was a study visit for to analyse best practice of the UK schools and develop a scheme of work, a training package and set of resources which were trialled in five countries before being made freely available across the EU. The training and methodology was trialled in 2 schools in the UK, 3 in Italy, 3 in Belgium, 3 in Greece and a Youth organisation in Germany. The partners and schools involved represented particularly vulnerable regions, such as the Mediterranean, or challenging urban quarters. The outputs of the project are: • An online platform hosting the project website, downloadable resources and case studies • A set of training modules and case studies and an online guide to support the training • An impact report incorporating policy recommendations • A set of dissemination materials and seminars in 5 countries • A final international conference which promoted the curriculum, training resources and impact report Although the lingua franca was English, resources have been developed in Greek, Italian, French and German.