502145-LLP-1-2009-1-DE-COMENIUS-CMP MIRACLE Migrants and Refugees A Challenge for Learning in European Schools MIRACLE - Migrants and Refugees A Challenge for Learning in European Schools COMENIUS project http://www.miracle-comenius.org/ prepared by Dr. Kristina Toplak, Slovenian Migration Institute, ZRC SAZU, ktoplak@zrc-sazu.si for the International Comenius Meeting Intercultural Competence Regional Cooperation, Zagreb, 27th of June 2011
About the project: MIRACLE is a Comenius multilateral project funded by the European Commission with 395.000. Representatives from different institutions (University, research institution, NGO s, primary schools) in six European countries are collaborating in the MIRACLE project. Partner countries: Germany (coordinator of the project Leibniz Universität Hannover), Italy, Malta, Hungary, Switzerland and Slovenia. Duration: 2 leti Aims: The main aim of the project is to enable pupils with migration background of realizing a more successful school career. Other aims are: to increase learning motivation of pupils with migration background, to train teachers to be able to teach in (culturally, religiously, socially) heterogeneous classes and to develop materials and methods for intercultural education and intercultural competences.
The consortium developed 1) a teacher training course focused on cultivating political-intercultural competence among teachers in elementary schools and 2) teaching/learning material for elementary school pupils of varying levels. Further aspects of the MIRACLE project are: An internal forum where partners can give and receive support and feedback to each other s material. The presence of an external evaluator who reviews the quality of the modules as well as the teaching/learning material after the trial run-throughs. This evaluation will aid in the preparation of modified and improved versions of the material. Publications describing the MIRACLE project and material in journals and newspapers A course manual and DVD (in German, English, Italian, Slovenian, and Hungarian) with final versions of the teacher training modules and the teaching/learning material A five-day teacher training course for teachers offered via the Comenius- Database
The Civic-Cross Cultural Education Teacher Training Course designed by the Miracle consortium will take place in Berlin, Germany from 17 21 October 2011. Content of the TTC: 6 modules: 1. module Migration 2. module Cross cultural competences 3. module Whole school approach 4. module Teach me presentation of material developed by participating teachers and sharing the experiences 5. module Teaching/learning units developed inside the project 6. module Managing cultural and linguistic diversity
Working platform: Work is divided in 6 Work-packages WP 1 Needs analysis WP 2 Development of modules and teaching/learning material WP 3 Trial period WP 4 Dissemination WP 5 Management WP 6 Evaluation and quality assurance Partners share responsibilities inside the partnership, one being coordinator detailed working plan from the start, clear aims and goals.
Internal and external quality assurance: Internal quality assurance: Activity report describing the work done completed by each partner every three months Monitoring Report outlining the project s progress written by coordinator every six months In the internal forum, the partners give and receive feedback to each other s created material External quality assurance: on-going project evaluation through the external evaluator
Added (European) value (in the field of multicultural education) European perspective (5 countries with different education systems and specific migration situations) Cooperation between researchers, NGO s and primary school teachers in the project developing teaching units and modules; sharing diverse experience and didactical skills in the respective field Needs analysis (national level and comparative analysis) done beforehand, as the base for TTC curriculum Content of the modules developed according to the actual needs; practical approaches are included Trial period for testing modules and teaching/learning units (5 trial courses in each partner country, partners cooperated with each other participating and/or facilitating)