Integration of Refugees through Digital Tools and Cultural Heritage

Throughout all the experiences we have had in our internationalization process so far, we have seen how Erasmus+ projects can definitely and positively influence our students in two main ways: improving their academic results and developing a European citizenship consciousness. This time we would like to mix IT with the help to Refugees in Europe, within the framework of our Cultural Heritage. Our objectives are based on the three main priorities of the project: social inclusion, open education and innovative practices in a digital era and social and educational value of European cultural heritage. We strongly believe that this is the way to get innovative didactic units involving new methodologies, student and teaching formation on social inclusion, safe use of social networks, practical use of mobile App and websites, European citizenship consciousness, prevention of ESL, bullying, segregation and radicalization and development of cooperative skills trying to find out solutions to the Refugees problem. Everything enclosed within the school community and local framework. Each country will select 20 students aged 14-16. That makes 100 students in total. Out of them, 10% will be students with educational or social difficulties. The Erasmus+ Programmes coordinator will count on a flexible and open Erasmus Team, formed by 8 to 10 voluntary and tenure teachers (depending on each school) and one parent. The project will involve more people either directly or indirectly (staff, teachers, administration staff, parents, local and regional authorities and associations, and the whole town and surroundings in general). We will use active and innovative methodologies and IT resources, learnt in KA1 projects and put into practice in our home schools, so we can develop cooperative skills when carrying out the different activities. We have prepared a wide range of activities, from cultural visits and artistic exercises to workshops, seminars, expositions and group work to try and find solutions for Refugees counting on digital resources. As far as the results, we would like to achieve a general background knowledge for students and teachers about one of the most important problems in Europe. They will be aware of how cultural heritage, innovative methodologies and sharing ideas with our European partners, can contribute to give us a great opportunity to solve serious problems involving real people like us: students, teachers, parents, all going through a complicated process of getting used to a new life. In order to achieve the optimization of the project dissemination we will develop a 5 levels impact programme: use of the App by authorities and schools, integration of students' knowledge through results into their learning process so they improve their marks and prevent ESL, use of digital media, social networks and digital platforms to disseminate our results and maintain a life-long learning, and, finally, transmission of information personally through seminars, workshops and local/regional newspapers, radio and tv channels. We are convinced that all that will make our internationalization and European citizenship consciousness possible and real.