COMENIUS in the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 EUROPEAN COMMISSION Education and Culture
Background Welsh Viking or Norwegian Celt 38 years in education 1968-2010 Teacher s Degree and Post-graduate dgeree in Special Education and Teaching of English as a Foreign language Teacher, School Counsellor, Deputy Head, Secondary School, Deputy Director of Education and Head of Educational Advisory Services (Pedagogical Centre) Involved in more than 15 centralized EU-projects 4 years in private industry Director of Personel for four hotels
Karmøy The largest municipality between Bergen and Stavanger Norway s 20th largest municipality
Education in the 21 st Century: Get it right
Experiences collated from: * European Schools Project 1989-2008 * EU-funded projects 1997-2012 * Project info meeting Brussels Feb 2012
Schedule The LLP programme Comenius Multilateral projects Comenius School Partnership Comenius In-service-training courses Comenius Assistantships Comenius Regio Golden rules Questions & Answers as we move along
Why is the EU active in education & vocational training? EC Treaty Article 149 To contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by supporting and supplementing their action. Article 150 To implement a vocational training policy which supports and supplements the action of the Member States.
Member States are in charge of their education systems the European Commission has a supporting, fostering role
Over-arching EU policy goal: The Lisbon Strategy The Union must become the most competitive and dynamic knowledgebased economy in the world. Lisbon, March 2000 2005 re-launch: EU to become an advanced knowledge society with sustainable development, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.
The Lisbon Strategy Resources and investment Mobility & European co-operation Holistic approach to education Open learning environment Active citizenship Inclusion Making learning attractive Teacher and trainer education Basic skills Foreign language teaching ICT Maths and science Links with working life and society
The EU is working towards Lisbon Policy work with Member states Action programmes - subsidies
The Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) the European Commission flagship action programme in education & vocational training
LLP fosters co-operation among the Member States
LLP fosters mobility between Member States
Lifelong Learning Programme Duration: January 2007 December 2013 Budget: 6.9 billion euros Participating countries: 27 EU-Member States The programme is also open to: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein Candidate countries benefiting from a preaccession strategy (Countries of the Western Balkans) (Swiss Confederation)
LLP: Structure Comenius School education Erasmus Higher education & advanced training Leonardo da Vinci Vocational education and training Transversal Programme Grundtvig Adult education 4 key activities Political development; Language learning; ICT; Dissemination of best practice Jean Monnet Programme 3 key activities Jean Monnet Action; European Institutions; European associations
Comenius aims To develop knowledge and understanding among young people and educational staff of the diversity of European cultures and languages and its values To help young people to acquire the basic life-skills and competences necessary for their personal development, for future employment and for active European citizenship
Who can participate in Comenius? Basically, anyone involved in school education
What are the Comenius Actions? 1. Multilateral Cooperation Projects 2. Comenius School Partnerships and Comenius Regio 3. Mobility of individuals: Individual Pupil Mobility, In-Service Training, Comenius Assistantships 4. Comenius Networks
Promoting LLP in your school- What course do you wish to sail after? Pedagogisk Senter Karmøy Arion visit Almeria May 2006 6
Multilateral Cooperation Projects
Multilateral Cooperation Projects Development and transfer of innovation in educational best practices guidance for learners & teachers new teacher training courses
Positive Indicators * Balanced workplan * Active participation of all partners, clear management structure and division of tasks * Project coordinators supported at institutional level for all aspects of project implementation * Good internal/external communication (strategy, tools) * Web page as a dynamic tool for dissemination and promotion * Highly engaged target groups and stakeholders
Negative Indicators: Delays in workplan (e.g.partner withdrawal) Sleeping partners Very few activities implemented No compliance with publicity clause Weak implementation of dissemination strategy from the project start No internal quality control/evaluation mechanisms
Project Handbook 2011: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/llp/beneficiaries/ 2011/index_en.php Survival Kit for Lifelong Learning projects: http://www.european-projectmanagement.eu/
Participants Typically teacher training institutes, universities, associations, NGOs, etc. Duration 2/3 years Budget up to 300 000 Euro, max 75% cofinancing Selection By the European Commission
School partnerships
School Partnerships Multilateral* partnerships between schools. Activities may be pupil-oriented and/or school-oriented (*bilateral partnerships possible with a focus on language learning, including class exchange)
Class exchanges can be included Staff and Pupil Mobility Duration 2 years Budgetary support for mobility and local project costs Selection by National Agencies
Individual Pupil Mobility New action Duration: up to one school year Secondary level pupils Only between schools involved in Comenius School Partnerships
Comenius Assistantships
Student teachers gain first teaching experiences in another European country Duration 3 months to max. 1 school year Grant contributes to travel and subsistence, linguistic preparation Selection By National Agencies
In-service Training
Course themes: teaching techniques, methodologies, school management issues, etc. Also placements or job-shadowing Duration 1 to 6 weeks Grant contributes to travel and subsistence costs and course fees Selection By National Agencies
In-Service Training Participation in European training activities for teachers and other school education staff Training has to take place abroad, not in home country
Life Long Programme - course catalogue: http://ec.europa.eu/education/trainingdatabase/
Comenius Regio, a great opportunity for local authority linking within Europe Link up with another European region with the aim of improving your educational offer to young people Motivate local authority staff and teachers by exchanging best practice and promoting cooperation Include schools and other players linked to education (eg teacher training, youth groups, vocational educators, community organisations and employers) Funding of up to 45,000 available per region for meetings, work shadowing and other activities over a two-year partnership
: Comenius Regio consists of two partner regions, each of which must involve: * a local or regional authority with a role in school education * at least one school * at least one other relevant local partner (eg youth or sports clubs, parents and pupils associations, local teacher training institutes, other learning providers, further education institutions and local employers, community organisations, museums and advisory services).
CREATE- CollaboRation in Education Aiming Towards Employment Regio 1 Coordinator: Municipality of Karmøy, Department of Education and Culture Partners: Six sec. schools in Karmøy Haugaland School-Enterprises (Haugaland Skole- Arbeidsliv) and Ungt Entrepenørskap (Young Entrepreunership) Regio 2 Coordinator: Municipality of Mjølby, Sweden Partners: Two primary and one sec. school in Mjølby Forningen Framtidsfrøn (Young Enterprise
STORM - STORy Matters Regio 1 Coordinator: Municipality of Karmøy, Department of Education and Culture Partners: 3 primary and one secondary schools in Karmøy SILK - Skudenshavn International Lliteratur-and Kulturfestival Regio 2 Coordinator: Powys County Council, Wales Partners: 3 primary and one secondary schools in Powys The Hay Literature and Arts Festival *
STORM objectives are to: Enable children and young people in primary and secondary school to enjoy literature and cultural events provided by professionals from Norway, UK and, if possible, other countries Assist schools in integrating different forms of literature and cultural expressions with their own efforts to attain learning goals * Facilitate the pupils' access to a wide range of literature expressions, so that they can become acquainted with and develop an understanding of literature in all its forms
How to get started in 2012-13? Getting more information: Call for proposals Guidelines for Applicants Compendia of past and current projects Best practice guides Contact your National Agency Finding European partners: Contact seminars/preparatory visits Comenius courses such as SLAMIT Partner search tools European Schoolnet/ESP European School Project E-Twinning (Sleeping partners - slippin partners )
The Commission is proposing five measurable EU targets for 2020 that will steer the process and be translated into national targets: * for employment * for research and innovation * for climate change and energy * for education * for combating poverty They represent the direction we should take and will mean we can measure our success. (José Manuel BARROSO President of the EU Commission March 2010) Preface to E U R O P E 2 0 2 0 European strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
General Approach of the ET 2020 4 Strategic Objectives and 13 priorities: * Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality; * Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training; * Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship; * Enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training.
ET 2020 Benchmarks * at least 95%of children between the age of four and the age for starting compulsory primary education should participate in early childhood education; the share of 15-years olds with insufficient abilities in reading, mathematics and science should be less than 15% (PISA); t he share of early school leavers from education and training should be less than 10%; the share of 30-34 year olds with tertiary educational attainment should be at least 40%; an average of at least 15 % of adults (age group 25-64) should participate in lifelong Learning.
Some golden rules School/institution structure Curriculum (cross curricular or subjectbased) Holidays Exam periods Local ICT support/ict training At least two persons from each school/institution engaged in the project Testing and training the use of the e-mail systems together with your counterpart.
Some golden rules Plan the collaboration well ahead of time When you have received an e-mail letter - reply as soon as possible. Above all DO REPLY Always answer requests that the coordinator has for the interim and final report Teachers/PARTNERS should give each other a good introduction to their working conditions Keep each other informed of irregularities that may disrupt the communication: illness, technical problems, promotion.. Above all keep each other informed
Some golden rules Netiquette Be diplomatic. Criticism is always harsher when written. Use upper and lower case text, because MESSAGES IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS HAVE THE EFFECT OF SHOUTING Be calm. You may have misinterpreted the implied criticism or missed ironic humour in a message; do not send replies while you are still hot under the collar ( flaming )
If you need help in finding partner schools do not hesitate in contacting me at: john@silkfestival.no
MY CONCLUSIONS after working for more than 17 years in international projects are: It is much work, there are always some challenges ahead, but LLP gives pupils and teachers good training in co-operation and internationalisation And travelling is also a lot of fun - and thanks to LLP it s exclusive for us that have joined it But whatever we do we must remember that we should have a pupil-active school and..
I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they posses inside. Give them a sense of pride. To make it easier, Let the children s laughter, Remind us of how we used to be George Benson Greatest Love of them All
If living is seeing I m holding my breath In wonder I wonder What happens next? A new world, a new day to see