Sensory Skills Education for Lifelong Learning Competencies

<< Background >>We understood that our SensEd project would showcase the importance of including sensory skills in education (SSE) for youth and adults. It'd equip learners with lifelong competencies, foster motivation and engagement in the world. We saw SSE with potential to impact brain development and learning patterns, addressing dimensions like mental health and holistic development. Similarly, and in accordance with the European Commission's adoption of the 8 Key Competences for LLL, SSE has the potential to cultivate these enduring skills essential for lifelong learning, benefiting learners in the long run beyond just academic achievement. Traditionally, most education systems prioritize STEM over SSE, and often neglect its emphasis on STE(A)M. We identified the need for greater inclusion and visibility of SSE, through which we aimed to boost motivation, knowledge and reduce dropouts. SSE has the potential to address the need to empower learners, educators and stakeholders through knowledge and innovation. Challenges today urge sustainability and a greener economy, reconnecting us with nature. SensEd aims to highlight SSE's significance in crafting a sustainable educational model, suggesting it can complement traditional curricula.<< Objectives >>SensEd primarily targeted VET schools, youth and adult learning centers. Essentially, our main objective was to work towards promoting the potential for introducing more SSE in curricula as it has the possibility of having transformative outcomes. We also aimed to show that through innovative approaches to SSE skills development, teachers and learners could strengthen confidence, expand skills sets and increase motivation which enrich educational and learning experiences. We also wanted to create tailormade SSE modules to meet partner needs so that these could be implemented alongside already existent curricula and extracurricular activities. In this manner, learners would gain important life-study-practical skills which would contribute to general well-being, sense of inclusiveness and motivation to self-development. Particular consideration was given to more vulnerable groups that included the disadvantaged and learners with special needs. Through its cooperative and participatory nature, SSE exemplifies inclusiveness. By involving diverse stakeholders in decision-making and resource allocation, the SSE modules could foster understanding, respect and cooperation, serving as practical examples of inclusive practices in action. << Implementation >>Our activities included the following:* R= Result1. Project management and implementation: Development of “SensEd Project Management Handbook”. Includes: management tools, risk analysis document. Other administrative activities: meetings, minutes, reporting to partners, financial (disbursements and timesheets overview). 2. Groundwork research and development of “Handbook showcasing Research and European Best Practices in the field of Sensory Skills Education” (R1). Activities also included interviews, questionnaires and a comparative partner-country data analysis to identify shared influences and experience of practice and theory. Participants included different stakeholders from project partner institutions and extended to general public. The findings and results were then used to develop a state-of-the-art “SSE Handbook” that also includes partner country specific data. Once this had been completed, the Handbook, showcasing research and European best practices in the field of SSE, served as a guide in the development of an SSE framework (R2). In addition, the Handbook also includes proposals for strategies to manage and monitor progress, quality and achievement in the establishment of an SSE program. Translations into different partner languages have also been made.3. Research, design and development of the “Sensory Skills Curriculum Framework” incorporating SSE and Pilot Modules (R2). 4. SSE in practice and outcomes (R3): activities held towards the development of new teaching and learning materials which includes the creation of a bank of ready-to-use resources for teachers and schools. This was done as in the format of class activities and workshops for respective stakeholders. Sample pilot modules were created, and these were tested and showcased within our partner schools and adult learning centres during six “Multiplier Events” held in each partner country. 5. We also designed and created from scratch a Digital Learning Environment (DLE) incorporating all activities, news and other Project Results. This involved constant activities in technical and content development as well as maintenance of all project initiatives. Activities include those related to dissemination and promotion of Erasmus and our project.6. Transnational Project Meeting 1: in person-kick-off meeting held in Stavanger7. Transnational Project Meeting 2: in person-kick-off meeting held in Palermo 8. Transnational Project Meeting 3: held virtually to disseminate R1, R2 and setting stage for R3.9. Learning Teaching Activities: Teacher Training for SSE Development Competencies 10. A total of seven Multiplier Events held in each partner country. These were held as Project conference to showcase creative outputs, activities and included activities for stakeholders held in form of workshops. The Multiplier Events were also carried out in the form of conferences (a total of five events), to disseminate the objectives and results of the project, as well as to showcase the creative outputs of the youth and adult learners who had the opportunity to be directly involved in the SSE programme and participate in activities. All project creative products are currently hosted as Open Educational Resources (OER) on our Digital Learning Environment that will be accessible at any time by anyone, free of charge even upon termination of project agreement. Available for viewing here: https://www.sensedproject.com/learnusername: erasmuspassword: ErasmusPlus123!One Learning, Teaching, and Training (LTT) activity targeting teachers in a teacher-training capacity was held and another four targeting mostly learners. The implementation of this activity enabled teachers/instructors will go back to their countries and use acquired knowledge and skills to train other colleagues in SSE principles. It also facilitated in the creation SSE modules and subsequent running of the pilot modules. Other activities: 1.Bi-monthly newsletters2.Dissemination of our project on social media platforms, institutional initiatives, local community networks. For this end there were also activities in creating a project brand and logo that would be used in all project-related activities and materials. Internal assessments3.Creation of steering committee of internal project members 4.Translations of relevant documents/materials5.Team meetings. Communication among partners via meetings or informally on social media apps.<< Results >>There may seem to be some overlap with activities, but the concrete outputs obtained from this project are outlined below. First are the four main outputs, which are available on the project digital learning environment: https://www.sensedproject.com/learn1.“Handbook showcasing Research and European Best Practices in the field of Sensory Skills Education”2.The “Sensory Skills Curriculum Framework”3.SSE in practice and outcomes: modules4.Digital Learning EnvironmentOther results:1.A project specific Management Handbook was produced and also served to collect qualitative and quantitative data.2.Newsletters3.Presentations and learning/teaching materials developed for the LTT in Italy as well as the 7 multiplier events. Content created in the form of presentations for the 4 TPMs are also included in the project DLE.