The trip as an instrument of intercultural mediation
The project was started by some needs perceived by some European teachers. Despite the different experiences made in the past, in our classes it is poorly feel the spirit of globalization. The classes see also the presence of some pupils of different nationalities or from socioculturally disadvantaged families. This led us to feel the need to prepare our students to live in a multicultural and globalized society using an effective and engaging tool. The travel dreams have characterized the boys of every age and every country, but very often in reality it is not carried out for a number of reasons. So many of our students will never see what is happening around the place where they live and they will never know the wonderful city and places in the world. We have therefore thought to help our students to overcome these obstacles using the tools that technology provides usand placing them in direct contact with other students of their age who live in those places. The basic objective of the project was to introduce the students to different cultures, to understand them and accept them using as a tool for mediation the loogbook of trips made by some characters, constructed by the students. The project is based on the firm belief that the knowledge and dialogue with other cultures enriches and enhances each of us, leads us to decentralize and looking at each other with different eyes, to open ourselves to overcoming stereotypes and prejudices. All of this contributes to the creation of a better society based on solidarity, peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect, the pursuit of the common good. The use of ICT tools to search for information, document and narrate own experiences, sharing them with other geographically distant learning environments, promoting the active participation of all students, especially those with difficulties, puts everyone in a position to acquire the ability to use technological tools to consciously learn, interact, facilitates the acquisition of learning strategies, effective and permanent giving everyone the chance to learn how to learn for life, motivates and engages students in the learning process by preventing any form of early school leaving.PHASES OF THE PROJECT:
● Idea of the project (identification of emerging needs students / teachers);
● planning work (objectivescontentmethodstimeresourcesend product);
● research tools available for the best implementation;
● processing WebQuest;
● choosing the genius representative of own country;
● search of informations and presentation of the minigenius to the partner schools; sending by postal mail of the minigenius;
● welcome and familiarization of the minigenius at school; organization of visits to places the most significant and beautiful in own country and presentation of foods or typical events;
● narration and documentation of experience in the logbook and in TwinSpace;
● monitoring and evaluation of the experience and the work done;
● dissemination
1. Todevelopattitudes,behaviors,values,knowledgeandskillsneededtoliveina multicultural and globalized world.
2. Topromotemulticulturalandmultilingualdialogue
3. Topromoteinstudentsanattitudeofrespecttowardsotherpeoplesandother
countries, overcoming stereotypes and prejudices.
4. To improve the teaching and learning of the English language.
5. Toincreasetheuseofthetechnologiesofinformationandcommunication.
6. ToimprovetherelationshipsandtheknowledgeamongschoolsinEurope.
7. ToknowaboutimportantcharactersorgeniusinEurope.
8. ToknowimportantandrelevantfeaturesofsomeEuropeancountries.
9. To expand the knowledge and experience of all pupils participating in the
project, especially those at risk.
10.To promote the active participation of all pupils, including those with special
needs.
11.Motivating students to learn
12.Learning to learn
13. Improve and make interactive the teaching / learning process
Teachers and students of the different partner schools, parents, the school community. Teachers and students provide for sending and receiving of various mini genius, use the tools that the eTwinning portal provides as well as numerous Web 2.0 to narrate and document the several trips made by the minigenius, to communicate with each other or publish on the web. Parents work with pupils at home hosting the minigenius and accompanying children in different trips. The publication of the various activities on the website allows members of the school community to follow and catch up the different travel routes and expand their knowledge of other cultures and ways of life.
Ours was an attempt to overcome the various obstacles that impede students to actually visit a place, to travel, bringing, thanks to the use of technological tools and direct interaction with the partner schools, some elements of the culture and beauty of the various European countries to the knowing of all. The project has approached the students to different cultures and brought them to understand and accept them; in a playful and enjoyable way pupils have known some important people and the contribution they have given not only to the culture of their country but to the world; have enhanced their communicative, digital, social, organizational skills. The proposed activities have motivated all pupils, especially those in difficulty, to engage and learn. All pupils have acquired basic knowledge and skills to become active and informed citizens in a multicultural and globalized society. The project has facilitated the exchange of experiences and teaching practices of the teachers involved, that in this way they improved their way to school, with positive effects on the entire educational institution. For all these reasons, the project is an example of good practice that can be replicated in other schools