Used by euxtra.com as information to its user. PDF file created and on the behalf of the European Commission.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/publ/pdf/comenius/creativity_en.pdf
2. Contents
3 Preface
4 Creativity and innovation in the classroom
Comenius Multilateral Projects
6 Effective teaching and learning for minority
children in preschools
7 BeCLIL – Benchmarking Content and Language
Integrated Learning
8 IIATM – Implementation of Innovative
Approaches to the Teaching of Mathematics
9 Think, Construct and Communicate: ICT as a
virtual learning environment
10 ECNLT – European Curricula in New
Technologies and Language Teaching
11 PRESENTIA – Training of School Education Staff
on School Absenteeism in students from
12–16 years old
12 VISTA – Violence in school training action:
Developing whole school in-service training
against violence in schools
13 THE GOLDEN 5: an educational intervention
14 Early Steps – Promoting health lifestyle and
social interaction through physical education
activities during pre-school years
Comenius Networks
15 The Learning Teacher
16 DAF-Südost – Network for German as a foreign
language in South, South Eastern and Eastern
Europe
17 SYNEVA – Quality assurance of synergy of
Internal and External Evaluation of Schools
18 Europe in the classroom – the Comenius
Programme
3. Preface
The more we try to peer into the future, the more we understand that the future |3
challenges will require all our creative capacities. Fortunately creativity is not a
constant; it can be enhanced in each individual and in society.
School education can play an important role in boosting creativity. Schools
provide their pupils with the means to create new ideas. They can show them
how to combine knowledge in new and inspiring ways. Schools have an increas-
ingly diverse student population with different cultural, social and economic
backgrounds and different ways of learning, expressing their ideas and acting.
What is often experienced as a challenge to teaching can turn into an advantage
when schools focus on cross cultural exchange and use the diversity in their
classrooms to enhance the creativity of pupils.
Combining the knowledge and methods of different disciplines, setting up
projects in which pupils manage their own learning processes as well as
supporting teamwork by pupils and teachers, can create favourable conditions
for creativity and innovation in the classroom.
In May 2008 Europe’s Education Ministers agreed to promote creativity and inno-
vation at all levels of education and training. Their conclusions support teachers’
professional role as learning facilitators and promoters of creativity. Promoting
Odile Quintin
creativity and innovation will be among the objectives for future European coop-
Director General for Education and
eration in education and will play and increasingly important role.
Culture of the European Commission
Through its support the Lifelong Learning Programme – the umbrella programme
for European cooperation in education and training from 2007 until 2013 – offers
learners, teachers and trainers at all educational levels a unique chance to cross
borders, to experience new forms of learning and to boost creativity and innova-
tion. This brochure invites you to get to know some Comenius projects which
have developed new, innovative and creative solutions to common challenges in
school education in Europe. I hope that you will be inspired and start to look at
schools in a different way – as the home of future inventors, creative artists and
imaginative minds.
4. Creativity and innovation in the classroom
4 | Schools can play an important role in developing and Many Comenius projects work on ways to improve the
enhancing the creativity of their pupils. They can raise school climate, reduce violence at school and create a
their curiosity and intuition as well as critical and lateral school for all. Their topics cover practically all aspects
thinking. They can support the joy of experimenting, the of school education and they tackle them by comparing
use of imagination and a sense of entrepreneurship. Many the situation in different countries, analysing them from
factors influence schools’ ability to do this. Tolerance and different perspectives and spreading existing good
mutual understanding are key for creativity in an increas- practices. The results of these projects can be used in
ingly multicultural environment. different countries and adapted to different educational
circumstances.
Comenius Multilateral Projects and Comenius Networks
contribute in many ways to creativity and innovation in Comenius Networks offer a platform to exchange experi-
school education. They explore new teaching techniques, ence and best practice. They bring together relevant exper-
new forms of language learning and ways to use ICT effec- tise in Europe with the aim of establishing sustainable
tively in the classroom. They develop training courses links between the different actors. They provide content
for teachers and school education staff as well as new support for other Comenius projects and partnerships.
curricula. They develop new approaches and methods
which support teachers in nurturing the creative potential
of their pupils.
Comenius in figures
Since 2000 the Comenius programme has supported 466
multilateral projects which have developed new teaching
techniques, teaching material, and training courses for
teachers and other education staff in practically all fields
of school education. In nearly 50 Comenius networks,
experts have collected and exchanged knowledge and
good practices in school education in Europe.
5. Impact and sustainability
Teacher training courses, publications and interactive The following project descriptions invite you to have a |5
websites are the tangible results of Comenius Multilateral closer look at project results and their impact. They contain
Projects. Less tangible is the cooperation process itself, approaches to fighting violence at school, to promoting
the contact between colleagues from different countries a healthy lifestyle to pre-school children, to reducing
and the opportunities to exchange ideas. Both the tangible absenteeism, to using new technologies and methods
and the intangible results of Comenius activities impact effectively in language teaching, and to teaching math-
on school education in Europe. They change everyday life ematics with a focus on enjoyment. They have also devel-
in schools, change teaching and learning habits and open oped methods of quality assurance, teacher development
up new perspectives for improving school education. and networking among foreign language teachers.
6. Effective teaching and learning
for minority children in preschools
6 | Multicultural diversity can sometimes generate misun- developed a teachers’ guide, a compendium of learning
derstandings and serious difficulties. In response, this materials and a training module to suit the needs of chil-
project took a unique approach to the language issue and dren aged 5–7 from minority language communities. This
created a training course for Russian-speaking children in provides for greater inclusion of the mother tongue and
Estonia and Roma-speaking children in Slovakia. home culture in the classroom, combined with effective
learning of the ‘state language’ as a second language.
The innovation lies in proposing concrete solutions to
improve the schooling of very young children from immi- The Estonian project won recognition from the national
grant families in two countries that have only recently Ministry of Education and Science and the European
joined the EU. The products and philosophy are, however, Commission.
transferable elsewhere, and could be applied in any
Member State, old or new, and with very different socio-
cultural backgrounds and issues.
The project opens new avenues to all educators and
learners as mobility becomes ever more common. It has
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP WEBSITE
International Step by Step Hea Algus (EE), http://www.issa.nl/
Association COSPE (Co-operation for the program_equal_access.
Development of Emerging html#minority
CONTACT DETAILS Countries) (IT),
Liana Ghent, Executive International Step by Step PROJECT DURATION
Director Association (ISSA) (NL), 2004–2006
Keizersgracht 62–64 Sardes Educational Services
1015 CS Amsterdam (NL),
THE NETHERLANDS Wide Open School
Tel. +31 205207505 Foundation (SK)
Fax +31 205207510
E-mail: lghent@issa.hu
7. BeCLIL – Benchmarking Content
and Language Integrated Learning
Teaching subjects through a foreign language has been efficient for those already using this approach, or who |7
increasingly adopted by schools in Europe. BeCLIL iden- are considering trying it. It has also made available
tifies quality indicators in learning a subject in a second teaching materials used in the classes observed. Findings
language. It has pooled best practice from different were published in nine languages covering ten school
schools, countries and target languages, and published profiles – pre-school, primary and secondary – and a tran-
the findings in an online book. snational course to assess the findings of the project was
also created.
The aim of BeCLIL – Benchmarking Content and Language
Integrated Learning – was to agree on good practice in
learning a subject in a second language. The project
tested quality indicators in classes in a range of countries
and target languages to build a reliable picture of the
current state of this methodology in Europe. The balance
of theory and practice has provided useful information
about current practice and offers insights into different
methodologies that can make this form of teaching more
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP WEBSITE
Centro de Profesorado y de IES Emilio Alarcos (ES), http://www.beclil.com
Recursos de Gijón C. P. Atalia (ES),
Hofstad Lyceum (NL), PROJECT DURATION
CONTACT DETAILS Esc. Sec. Camilo Castelo 2004–2007
Ms. Belén Roza Branco Carnaxide (PT),
Camino del Cortijo 17 Inspectoratul Scolar
Recinto Escolar. El Natahoyo Judetean Cluj (RO),
33212 Gijón OPEKO (National Centre for
SPAIN Professional Development
Tel. +34 985342100 in Education) (FI)
Fax +34 985354863
E-mail:
mbelen.roza@mepsyd.es
8. IIATM – Implementation of Innovative Approaches to
the Teaching of Mathematics
8 | IIATM – Implementation of Innovative Approaches to the The main outcome of the project is the book ‘Creative
Teaching of Mathematics – is built on the notion that Teaching in Mathematics’. It uses problem solving activi-
pleasure and joy make learning more effective. The project ties in topics like Early Number Sense, Relationships and
concentrates on constructivist approaches in math- Functions, Regular Polygons, 3D Geometry–Solids and
ematics rather than on mathematical content. It builds Patterns leading to Algebra, and actually makes them
on the close link between transversal and curricular key enjoyable. Field-testing in schools has demonstrated that
competences. this project is developing a valuable way ahead in math-
ematics teaching at European level.
Four expert institutions, from the Czech Republic, the
United Kingdom, Greece and Germany, have worked
together to improve the learning of mathematics at a
time when interest in studying science is low, despite its
importance for our future. The project focuses on new
approaches where the teacher has to adapt to different
ability levels and cognitive styles in different European
education systems.
PROJECT COORDINATOR CONTACT DETAILS PARTNERSHIP
Univerzita Karlova v Praze Ms Darina JIROTKOVÁ Universität Kassel (DE),
Department of Mathematics M. D. Rettigové 4 Aristoteleio Panepistimio
and Mathematical education 116 39 Praha 1 Thessa (EL), University of
CZECH REPUBLIC Derby (UK)
Tel. +420 221900252
Fax +420 221900248 WEBSITE
E-mail: darina.jirotkova@ http://euler.pedf.cuni.cz/
pedf.cuni.cz iiatm/
PROJECT DURATION
2003–2006
9. Think, Construct and Communicate:
ICT as a virtual learning enviroment
The outcome of this project was an international WebQuest process which continues to develop what has become a |9
course that trains teachers and stimulates a didactic use large repository of evaluated WebQuests. An active inter-
of the internet. WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson national community of users cooperate at the heart of
format in which most information that learners work with this dynamic platform to extend the frontiers of human
comes from the web. The tool has been successfully inte- creativity.
grated into an online public platform to make it easier for
teachers to provide such lessons.
To help embed the WebQuest concept in a solid and inno-
vative framework, the Think, Construct and Communicate
project offered teachers ways to use new technologies in
their daily teaching. An online environment was created in
which teachers could improve the quality of their teaching,
and guidelines, manuals and tutorials were developed for
the course and for WebQuest design. The outcomes were
disseminated right across Europe. The project started a
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP WEBSITE
Centro de Formación del Centro del Profesorado y de http://www.cfievalladolid2.
Profesorado e Innovación Recursos de Gijón (ES), net/
Educativa Valladolid II Centro del Profesorado y de
Recursos 1 de Zaragoza (ES), PROJECT DURATION
CONTACT DETAILS Centro Informazione 2002–2005
Alicia García de la Santa Documentazione Inserimento
Calle Soto s/n Scolastico Stranieri (IT),
47010 Valladolid RODN Wojewodzki Osrodek
SPAIN Metodyczny (PL), Univer-
Tel. +34 983587849 sitatea Valahia din Targo-
Fax +34 983260666 viste (RO), Universitatea
E-Mail: agarc123@alerce. Babes-Bolyai (RO), Joensuun
pntic.mec.es Yliopisto (FI)
10. ECNLT – European Curricula in New Technologies
and Language Teaching
10 | Each of the universities involved in ECNLT – European to an end. The project not only identified and satisfied
Curricula in New Technologies and Language Teaching – national training needs, but provided an overall view of
developed a national course on information and commu- what these needs are at European level. It demonstrated
nication technologies which provided an internationally European convergence, with a multilingual approach and
recognised certificate to teachers of European languages. international certification of courses developed in national
languages and addressed to teachers of languages that
Pioneering the convergence effort of the Bologna process, are not widely spoken.
each of the ECNLT partners created a three-module course
on language teaching and new technologies. Many teacher
training institutes joined forces to improve the skills of
language teachers at national level and their involvement
has guaranteed the sustainability of the project – which
is still alive long after Comenius financial support came
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP Universidade do Algarve (PT),
Universiteit van Amsterdam RUG Ghent University (BE), University of Strathclyde (UK)
Instituut voor de Lerareno- Agricultural University Plodiv
pleiding (BG), Landesinstitut für Schule WEBSITE
Bremen (DE), University of http://www.eurolinguaict.net
CONTACT DETAILS Patras (EL), Universitat de
Ton Koet (Dr AGM Koet MA) Barcelona (ES), Universita’ PROJECT DURATION
Spinozastraat 55 degli Studi di Torino (IT), 2003–2006
1018 HJ Amsterdam IMCS Intercollege (CY),
THE NETHERLANDS Kauno Technologijos
Tel. +31 205995660 Universitetas Centre of Foreign
Fax +31 205251290 Languages (LT), University
E-mail: A.G.M.Koet@uva.nl Eötvös Loránd Budapest (HU),
11. PRESENTIA – Training of School Education Staff on
School Absenteeism in students from 12–16 years old
Schools, parents, public institutions and other support specific cases, together with a holistic focus on inclusive | 11
systems came together in Presentia to help reduce absen- practices. It also recommends who must act, how, and
teeism. Through joint work on resources and through when. Easily adaptable forms and questionnaires and a
sharing their expertise, they established a multidimen- guide in three languages to help schools improve attend-
sional and multicultural approach. ance are among the outcomes of the project, as well as a
course to train teaching staff and other school agents to
Lack of schooling and low or irregular attendance is often use the guide.
a symptom of family situations and/or socio-economic
disadvantage. Pupils in those circumstances are often
trapped, as missed education and school failure may lead
to or perpetuate situations of social exclusion. The innova-
tive aspect of the Presentia project is that it brings together
all the parties that need to act to prevent absenteeism in
pupils aged 12–16, and exemplifies how joining forces can
provide multidisciplinary solutions. The protocol created
proposes following a cycle of detection and assessment,
intervention, follow-up and referral or termination of
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP WEBSITE
Ayuntamiento de Cartagena Comune di Gela – Assesorato http://www.propresentia.org/
Istruzione, Universitá e
CONTACT DETAILS Ricerca (IT), PROJECT DURATION
Agustín Guillén Marco Comune di Caltagirone – 2004–2007
Sor Francisca Armendáriz Servizi della Pubblica Istruzi-
30202 Cartagena one e dei Servizi Sociali (IT),
SPAIN International School of the
Tel. +34 968128830 Gothenburg Region (SE),
Fax +34 968120660 Warwick Education Social
E-mail: gestioneducativa@ Work Service (UK)
ayto-cartagena.es
12. VISTA – Violence in schools training action: Developing
whole school in-service training against violence in schools
12 | Violence and bullying are closely linked to the process organisational approaches that contribute to the devel-
of educational reform. Introducing more creativity and opment of a whole-school approach to preventing violence
freedom in schools can, in view of extensive changes in schools. The main output was a one-week European
affecting the young generation, cause negative symp- in-service training course with an accompanying training
toms. Projects like VISTA (Violence In Schools Training manual and website. eLearning courses based on these
Action) provide useful suggestions as to how to cope with materials are still successfully provided by its successor
these problems. project, VISTOP (http://www.vistop.org/), addressed to
teachers, parents and policy-makers.
The aim of this project was to build a platform on the
outcomes of earlier violence-prevention projects under
the Connect scheme, to disseminate good practice at
European, national and local levels and to support key
policy-makers and schools. To do this, it integrated
both whole-school approaches and political initiatives.
It brought together expertise in different teaching and
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP WEBSITE
University of Surrey Katholieke Universiteit http://www.vista-europe.org/
Leuven (BE),
CONTACT DETAILS Institut Za Reshavane Na PROJECT DURATION
Prof. Helen Cowie Konflikti (BG), 2003–2006
The Duke of Kent Building University of Dublin – Trinity
Guilford GU2 5TE Surrey College (IE),
UNITED KINGDOM Universidad de Cordoba (ES),
Tel. +44 1483686700 University of Stavanger (NO)
Fax +44 1483682541
E-mail:
h.cowie@surrey.ac.uk
13. THE GOLDEN 5: an educational intervention
Pupils often feel that attending school is imposed on them ment, building relationships, social climate, personal- | 13
and has no value. For those at risk of social exclusion, the ised learning and family-school relationship. Teachers
consequent lack of motivation reflects and intensifies conduct a self-evaluation of their skills, and then select
their social problems. This project developed strategies the steps they will apply in the classroom. Resources on
and methods for improving pupil motivation. the project's website support and motivate the teachers
and bring them into contact with colleagues elsewhere.
The Golden 5 project aimed at helping teachers turn Materials in five languages have been in use since 2004
difficult classroom situations – typically in mixed-ability and are available via an international on-line network
secondary classes – into empowerment, by success- allowing registered teachers access and the opportunity
fully addressing diversity, lack of motivation and social to contribute to continued improvements.
and personal development drawbacks. It concentrated
on improving teachers’ competences step-by-step, with
encouragement to decide on where and on whom to focus
their efforts first. Throughout the process, strategies
are reviewed – and reinforced – for classroom manage-
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP WEBSITE
Universidad de Sevilla Le Soufflé (BE), http://www.golden5.org
PROMECO Centro di promo-
CONTACT DETAILS zione della communicazione PROJECT DURATION
María José Lera (IT), Centrum Metodczne 2004–2007
Facultad de Psicología Pomocy Psychologiczno-
41018 Sevilla Pedagogicznej (PL),
SPAIN Ramsvik skole (NO)
Tel. +34 679597678
Fax +34 954559544
E-mail: lera@us.es
14. Early steps – Promoting healthy lifestyle and social interaction
through physical education activities during pre-school years
14 | Professionals from Greece, United Kingdom, Italy, Cyprus Pre-school is an ideal phase for seeding creativity and
and Finland have designed an innovative physical educa- innovation among future citizens, adding a valuable
tion curriculum for pre-school children. It aims at long- sustainability to the project’s qualities. Children were
term impacts on society by helping teachers implement closely involved in testing and evaluating the “Early
new creative ways that promote the idea of taking care of Steps” curriculum, both as targets and actors of the
themselves among young children. project. At the same time, their teachers have learned to
modify their teaching habits to accommodate their new
There are three main areas of focus: developing funda- learning processes.
mental motor skills, acquiring a physically active lifestyle
and respecting individual differences. The result is a new
physical education curriculum that goes far beyond the
objectives of sports activities and offers innovations in
the development of education. It enhances transversal
competences and offers potential for cross-curricular
activities extending as far as early language-learning.
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP Nenainniemi Kindergarten
Alexander Technological 1st Public Preschool Center (FI), University of Jyvaskyla
Educational Institute of of Kalamaria (EL), 3rd Public (FI), Sheen Mount Primary
ThessalonikI Preschool Center of School (UK), University of
Kalamaria (EL), 1° Didactic Surrey – Roehampton (UK),
CONTACT DETAILS Circle “Leonardo Da Vinci” Ewell Grove & Nursery School
Evridiki Zachopoulou (IT), Scuola Dell’Infanzia (UK)
P. O. Box 141 (EXI. P. P. A.) (IT), Panepistimo
Sindos 57400 Kyprou (CY), Public Pre- WEBSITE
Thessaloniki school Center of Lakatamia http://earlysteps.teithe.gr
GREECE (CY), Public Preschool Center
Tel. +30 2310791528 of Tseriou (CY), Kuokkala PROJECT DURATION
E-mail: ezachopo@bc.teithe.gr Kindergarten Center (FI), 2004–2007
15. The Learning Teacher
This network of institutions and schools from several place during the preparation of conferences, seminars | 15
European countries was designed to foster a generation of and courses where all the involved participants could
innovative teachers who could bring new understanding acquire high-quality knowledge and skills. These led to
of the processes influencing our children in a new era and a continuous flow of publications and materials freely
could evolve through constant dynamic learning. available online. “The Learning Teacher” network is a
valuable support to teachers in a changing world and a
“The Learning Teacher” network focuses on empow- contribution to the successful transformation of educa-
ering education professionals by identifying strategies tion at European level.
and principles that can gradually transform the role of
teacher from the static “teaching only” approach to more
dynamic and creative participation in “life long learning”.
The active collaborative network stems from a Comenius
project initiated and developed in 2003–2006. It success-
fully continues in the form of an association which is still
expanding. A wide range of collective activities took
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP The University of Greenwich
Barn och Ungdomsförvalt- PAU (Přátelé angažovaného (UK), East Sussex County
ningen učení) (CZ), Služba Škole Council Learning Support
Nymburk (CZ), Eszterházy Service (UK)
CONTACT DETAILS Károly College (HU), Univer-
Magnus Persson sity of Veszprém (HU), WEBSITE
Drottninggatan 47 Christelijke Hogeschool http://www.learningteacher.
651 84 Karlstad Noord-Nederland (NL), org
SWEDEN Associação de Professores
Tel. +46 54295741 de Sintra, Lisbon (PT), PROJECT DURATION
Fax +46 54295790 Karlstads universitet, 2003–2006
E-mail: magnus.persson@ Department of Educational
karlstad.se Sciences (SE),
16. DAF Südost – Network for German as a foreign language in
South, South Eastern and Eastern Europe
16 | DAF Südost is a network of teachers of German as a foreign capacities for innovation in their everyday teaching. The
language in South, South East and Eastern Europe. It value of the initiative is demonstrated by the fact that
provides information to its members and promotes collab- years after project funding ceased, the website continues
oration and the exchange of ideas about materials and to evolve and to be used by institutions and individuals
methodology. from all over the world.
The project set up an internet-based virtual community
for teachers of German as a foreign language. This target
group is often geographically dispersed and isolated,
and individual teachers may not have colleagues at local
level with whom they can share information and develop
ideas. The platform was in itself an innovative idea, but
more importantly it gives access to new inspiration and
materials, which enables the target group to develop their
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP Vigo (ES), Institute for Higher
Ellinogermaniki Agogi Sofia University St. Kliment learning Balbo (IT), Batthyány
Ohridski (BG), Shumen Uni- Kázmér High School (HU),
CONTACT DETAILS versity Konstantin Preslavski Autonomous High School
Ms. Dagmar Schaeffer (BG), Universität Duisburg- of Gdansk (PL), Portuguese
Dimitriou Panagea Str. Essen (DE), Institut für Inter- Catholic University (PT),
15351 Pallini Attikis nationale Kommunikation Univeristy of Ljubljana (SI)
GREECE (DE), Max Hueber Verlag (DE),
Tel. +30 2108176713 Universität der Bundeswehr WEBSITE
Fax +30 2106032554 (DE), Ellinogermaniki Agogi www.daf-netzwerk.org
E-mail: (EL), Goethe Institute Intern-
dks@ellinogermaniki.gr nationes Athens (EL), Official PROJECT DURATION
Foreign language School 2003–2006
17. SYNEVA – Quality Assurance through Synergy of
Internal and External Evaluation of Schools
Evaluation is an integral part of innovation in education The project also increased awareness of the benefits of | 17
and consequently an important factor in developing excel- the interplay between internal and external evaluation. It
lence in European schools. SYNEVA (Quality Assurance identifies the impact on school leadership and manage-
through Synergy of Internal and External Evaluation of ment, involvement of parents and the public interest from
Schools) has built on previous experience in this field and national and international instruments for measuring
brought new insights to quality development in schools. education systems. The published examples of good prac-
tice could inspire the wider introduction of an evaluation
“Specifically, improvements in education are seen as culture into schools and could help networks to grow.
vitally important in ensuring that every child develops
his/her talents and abilities in order to contribute to
the Europe of the future” says the project outcome, the
SYNEVA Declaration, which could serve as a starting point
of any school evaluation design, and is published in 18
languages online.
PROJECT COORDINATOR PARTNERSHIP gisches Institut der Stadt
Pädagogisches Institut für Het Gemeenschapsonderwijs Wien (AT), Pädagogisches
die deutsche Sprachgruppe (BE), Ministerium der Institut des Landes Tirol (AT),
Deutschsprachigen Gemein- Stadtschulrat für Wien (AT),
CONTACT DETAILS schaft Belgiens (BE), Hämeenlinnan opetusvirasto
Rudolf Meraner Europäische Schule München (FI), Zavod sv. Stanislava
Amba-Alagi-Strasse 10 (DE), Institut für Qualitäts- (SI), Barn- och ungdomsför-
39100 Bozen entwicklung, Hessen (DE), valtningen, Karlstad (SE),
ITALY Haridus-ja Teadusministee- University of Strathclyde
Tel. +39 0471416700 rium (EE), Laois Education (UK), Høgskulen i ogn og
Fax +39 0471416729 Centre (IE), Departament Fjordane (NO)
E-mail: rudolf.meraner@ d’Ensenyament – Generalitat
schule.suedtirol.it de Catalunya (ES), Deutsches WEBSITE
Schulamt Bozen (IT), http://network.syneva.net
Deutschsprachiges Realgym-
nasium und Handelsober- PROJECT DURATION
schule Sterzing (IT), 2004–2007
Q5-project (NL), Pädago-
18. Europe in the classroom – the Comenius Programme
18 | The Comenius Programme is the part of the Lifelong • Comenius Regio Partnerships support the cooperation
Learning Programme focused on school education. It aims of local and regional authorities with a role in school
to develop knowledge and understanding among young education. Their aim is to support new forms of coop-
people and educational staff of the diversity of European eration between school education authorities, schools
cultures and languages and its value. Its actions are and other educational providers in different European
designed to support young people in acquiring the basic regions.
life-skills and competences necessary for their personal
development, for future employment and for active • The eTwinning initiative takes advantage of the possi-
European citizenship. bilities offered by the Internet and digital media to
promote European school cooperation, collaborative
In addition to Multilateral Projects and Networks learning and project based pedagogy. eTwinning offers
presented in this brochure Comenius supports the fol- on-line tools and pedagogical support.
lowing activities:
• A new action for the mobility of individual school pupils
• Comenius Assistantships give future teachers the is being launched in autumn 2009 in a limited number
opportunity to spend up to ten months at a host school in of countries. Please take a look at the website for more
another European country, to enhance their knowledge details.
of other European languages, countries and education
systems, as well as to improve their teaching skills. • For more information about Comenius: http://ec.europa.
eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/comenius
• Comenius In-Service Training grants enable teachers
and other school education staff to participate in
in-service training activities in another country. The
training may take the form of a training course, a confer-
ence, a seminar, or of job-shadowing.
• Comenius School Partnerships support the coopera-
tion between schools from different European countries
and invite them to implement joint learning projects for
pupils and teachers. They help pupils and teachers to
gain more knowledge in the project’s topic and improve
their skills in teamwork, project management and infor-
mation and communication technologies (ICT).