Legends.com - With Legends we Communicate, we Connect, we Collaborate, we Create for a better future

"<< Background >>The project Legends.com aimed to introduce digital storytelling methods to language learning and teaching to meet the need for innovative language teaching methods at partner schools. The means used were local legends connected to the natural environment, as they form a natural part of cultural heritage and a great storytelling material to build on. The project's vision was sustainability as the connection and balance between humans and the environment and sustainability in human relationships, especially between adults and adolescents, to boost each school's dedication to sustainability and inclusion. It aimed to develop language and digital skills, foster communication and creativity in language teaching and deepen intercultural environments at partner schools. Its goal was to strengthen the cooperation between language teachers within each school and at the international level to support the partner schools' need for the internationalisation of education.<< Objectives >>The project Legends.com sought to foster international cooperation and the exchange of good practices among language teachers at partner schools. It focused on improving students' language and digital skills by using digital and traditional storytelling methods. It aimed to increase participants' awareness of sustainability regarding the environment and human relationships and promote intercultural environment in partner schools through joint transnational activities.<< Implementation >>The main activities implemented in this project were:-A Digital Storytelling Webinar was held by Ms Zisoula Goutsioukosta, an expert with a PhD in Digital Storytelling from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, for language teachers from partner schools and guests.-Four transnational meetings were held in all partner schools to explore local legends connected to the natural environment and the environmental problems related to the sites where the legends occur. Students created digital stories based on local legends or mythology.-Reading events for older people, refugees and children to foster awareness of inclusion and sustainability in human relationships. Complementary activities were:-Creating a project logo in a logo competition.-Using digital storytelling, traditional storytelling and legends from partner countries in foreign language lessons.-Translating the legends to partner languages.-Recording podcasts and creating e-books.-Coordinators' meetings online and during transnational meetings.-Creating digital platforms.-Creating a network of teachers interested in legends and innovative language teaching methods like digital storytelling.-Evaluation and dissemination activities.<< Results >>Tangible outcomes: -An e-book with a selection of local legends from partner countries in English language and e-books in partner countries' mother tongues (The e-book was supposed to contain five legends from each country, but due to the specific content of the transnational meeting in Finland, we included only three Finnish legends and substituted the remaining two with more other partner countries' legends.)-A Spotify Channel ""Legends Erasmus"" and a YouTube Channel ""Legendscom"" with podcasts in English to share legends with the public (see the links in the Impact and Follow-up section)-Digital storytelling content created during the transnational meetings and in language lessons-An eTwinning Group ""Legends Community""Intangible outcomes-Introduction of digital storytelling method in language teaching in partner schools and incorporating it into the school curricula-A greater internalization and interculturality of education in partner schools-A greater awareness of project participants about sustainability in human-nature and human-human relationships.-A network of language teachers dedicated to international cooperation, innovative language teaching methods and using legends as a natural source for storytelling"