Szociális hátrányos helyzetű tanulók kritikai gondolkodásának, környezettudatosságának és digitális kompetenciáinak fejlesztése a művészeti nevelés eszközeivel

<< Background >>We submitted the application in response to growing inequalities in education and increasing environmental challenges that directly affect our school communities. We recognized the need to systematically strengthen the inclusion of students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and students with special educational needs, and to help them develop key competencies for responsible and sustainable living in the 21st century. We see a persistent lack of inclusive, hands-on approaches that connect art, sustainability, and digital skills while meaningfully supporting these learners. Teachers also need stronger methodological support, more opportunities to share good practice, and space for cross-border collaboration. In our local context, there is a clear need to systematically build critical thinking, environmental literacy, and a culture of responsible consumption; at the same time, we aim to strengthen the involvement of families and the wider community in school life. Because these are shared regional challenges, we seek solutions aligned with European priorities on inclusion and the green transition, and we work to bring these principles into the everyday practice of schools.<< Objectives >>Our goal was to reduce educational inequalities by creating the conditions for students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and students with special educational needs to develop key competencies for responsible and sustainable living in the 21st century. We worked to strengthen an inclusive school culture and student participation through approaches that connect art, sustainability, and digital technologies. At the teacher level, our aim was to build pedagogical capacity, a shared professional language, and stronger professional networks — especially for working with diverse groups of students — through international exchange and collaborative learning. At the community level, we sought to encourage a culture of sustainability and responsible consumption, engage families, and connect schools with local partners. We defined these goals in line with the horizontal priorities of Erasmus+ (inclusion and the green transition) and with the principle of “think global, act local,” with the intention of bringing these approaches into everyday school practice and supporting their sustainability beyond the end of the project.<< Implementation >>Over the course of the project we carried out a series of connected activities. Regular project meetings in both Hungary and Slovakia provided a framework for joint planning, defining the methodological handbook, aligning task focus, and reviewing interim results. Creative activities involving students took place regularly in the participating schools in Slovakia and Hungary; these activities also served as practical testing of the proposed tasks. Specialized workshops with teachers and experts focused on how EcoArt tasks could be integrated into school curricula and adapted for different age groups, including students with special educational needs. Thematic project days at several schools in Hungary and Slovakia let students explore selected topics in depth during a full day, strengthening their understanding of sustainability and supporting a community-based approach to learning. The final activity was the EcoArt conference, which allowed students, teachers, and the wider public to reflect on the experience. The methodological handbook was presented at this conference, together with outputs and insights intended to inspire other institutions.<< Results >>The main output of the project is the EcoArt methodological handbook (181 pages, 50 activities), available in SK and HU, with additional materials on the project website. The handbook links creativity, art, sustainability, and digital technologies, and is designed for work with students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and students with special educational needs. Its content was developed through practice, by implementing 18 creative learning activities with the participation of 200+ students. These activities were used to test and refine the tasks, to strengthen a culture of sustainability, and to offer a safe space to succeed. In parallel, we organized a series of 8 professional workshops (7 one-day and 1 three-day) with the participation of 100+ teachers and experts to help schools build capacity in inclusive and environmental education. Another result was a set of thematic project days carried out at 6 schools in Slovakia and Hungary, involving 607 students and 24 teachers; schools also established recycling centers and organized student exhibitions. The project concluded with the EcoArt conference, which brought together 100+ participants, including the wider community, and presented inclusion as an explicit practice.