Early Digital Diagnosis and Intervention

In line with the European Commission goals ( ETAT2020, EC 2018) to reduce the early education leavers statistics, the project “Early Digital Diagnosis and Intervention(EDI)” aims to improve student retention rates. The problem of early school leaving (ESL) affects societies, economies and highereducation as underscored by UNESCO, Sustainable Development Goals (2019). With schools struggling with a significant number of students who give up on education before finishing secondary school, the aim of the EDI consortium is to find a way to keep students in education.The EDI project aims to help teachers, families and students to better understand the causality and consequences of leaving education in order to find possible solutions to the ESL problem. We believe that only a comparative analysis of practices and interventions between countries which do well inthe ESL statistics and those at the opposite end of the spectrum would deliver a sustainable solution to the ESL problem. Besides economic and social mobility impacts, ESL has been linked to bullying, violence or micro criminality. ESL is a threat to the successful future development of the workforce and community prospects.In preparation to the project proposal, the literature review showed that the drivers to the ESL vary and can be countered by engaging a number of supporting stakeholder groups. This project is the first step toward developing a clear, holistic community-wide action plan providing early diagnostics to the ESL problem.The students involved in the project are 14-18 years old and they will work in mixed international groups. The target groups addressed are teachers working with and students who have the risk to leave the school during the school year for different reasons and students showing signs of risk. The target group will include students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds forming a representative sample of 300 in total from 5 different countries. The support of with the support of local social agencies, educational authorities and ICT solution partners has been secured ahead of the EDI commencement.During the proposed 24 months the EDI project activities will include: gathering and exchanging information, conducting research, survey design, creating an ICT e-platform to be used by all school in Europe to implement ESL risk diagnostics.The results will have transformative effects on European schools, Higher Education Institutions and Educational Authorities. This eco-system view has driven the EDI consortium formation strategy.Educational Authorities, schools and HEIs are represented by Greece ( highest ESL rates at 18% EC 2018), and Turkey where the drop out rates of female students are particularly staggering. The qualitative data collection informing the debate about the ESL problem will be carried out during focus groups among teachers, parents and students. A significant output result will be the creation of an Etwinning entity and a unique e-platform portal, sharing a guide book where the materials and activities of the project will be accessible.The expected results will include:• providing practical ideas and new strategies for the classroom interventions• raising students’ motivation to learn• improving competences linked to the teachers’ professional profiles• increasing capacity to cooperate on international level• providing teachers with a resource of ready- to- use materials to prevent ESL• involving students, families, health and social agencies• improving students’ and teachers’ knowledge and competences in English and ICT• promoting the collaboration between school and families• promoting social integration at school• involving students in dynamic and creative activities• developing students’ autonomy and confidence• bringing positive and long-lasting effects to the partner organisations involved.Based on the results of the project Intellectual Outcomes the following impact will be achieved :1. Help reduce the phenomenon of early school leaving;2. Define a methodology for the setting and implementation of actions that can be used in other educational institutions;3. Allow ”reusability” of the flagship project initiatives through the use of ICT for diagnostics4. The android app and online portal will be accessible by institutions all over Europe.The Multiplier events in five countries will increase the reach of the project dissemination contacts to hundreds of educators and stakeholders. The project dissemination strategy aims to reach thousands of schools, HEIs and educational authorities stakeholders in the first 24 months. The sustainability of the EDI consortium is envisaged to be achieved through further involvement of national educational authorities and HE funding initiatives underpinning the success of the ESL targets of early school leaving.