Participation in the international projects
Vydūnas Gymnasium takes part in EU-founded Erasmus+ projects
In 2016-2018 KA2 Erasmus+ project “Living in a Globalized World” took part. It focused on the development of a job orientation program (JOP). The main objective was to develop a new job orientation plan to incorporate into the school curriculum and apply by all partner schools. The outcomes of the project are on the homepage of the project where you can find the program, students’ made booklet, teacher’s booklet containing teaching ideas and methods, and so on. The information on the page is in English, German, Turkish and Lithuanian languages.
During the project students and teachers visited Germany, Lithuania, and Turkey. While visiting partner countries, participants had an opportunity to compare educational systems, enriched knowledge of working life in the different countries/regions and its influence on modern society, developed communication skills in oral and written English. Also, the project encouraged the feeling of European citizenship, promoted tolerance and respect for other cultures and countries, also, developed the use of ICT in education.
In 2019 KA2 Erasmus+ project “We are Europe” started. The main idea of the project is that we are all members of the EU, even though we are from different countries, with different backgrounds, we all have an EU mentality. During the project, students will experience what Europe means for them. It ́is something the adults often talk about, but what does it mean in its essence? It is the fundamental question that students will try to answer in this project. Also, the project will provide an opportunity to experience other cultures and their languages which help students develop an open mind and allow a critical reflection on their own culture. The project will help consolidate relationships among each other and with students from their partner schools, together with the unique opportunity to get to know lifestyle of partner countries and the school life in other countries.
In 2019 KA1 Erasmus+ project “Teachers‘ Competences for Interdisciplinary Education in Primary Classes” started. The project aims to develop professional competencies (management, didactic, communicative, innovations, social, and subject), empowering the productive interdisciplinary integration in the school processes. Four teams (two people per team) participated in international courses in Greece, Italy, Germany, and Spain. The teachers acquired knowledge in interdisciplinary integration activities, enlarged their understanding of the STEAM idea and its application in a lesson. The participants of the project shared insights and observations with Vydūnas Gymnasium and Klaipėdas’ city community. The activities of the project were disseminated on the national and international level by organizing the e-Twinning project and National Conference on STEAM topic.
In 2020 Erasmus+ KA1 project “Development of Integrative Models for Quality Education“ started. Klaipeda Vydunas gymnasium has a strategic goal for 2020-2022, to improve the quality of education through facilitating the integration of art and science subjects with the use of ICT. The project is oriented to social, science, and art teachers, working with 5-8 grade, and their motivation to initiate integrated activities. The project aims to develop five integration models ensuring the qualitative education process that increases the interaction of art and sciences with ICT. The integration model is taken as a project or a circle, that integrates different subjects designed by at least 3 teachers. Five teams (two people per team) will participate in five international courses, and one school administrator team will do job shadowing (two persons). The teams will share knowledge and experience gained in the courses by creating the methodology, methods, and scenarios of three subjects integration.
In 2019 e-Twinning project “Explore, Adore, Decor. The World Around You” took place. The project partners were Georgia (Georgian -American School), Ukraine (Stepanivka School), and Lithuania (Vydūnas gymnasium). The project ensured the distribution of European values among youth, exchanged the experience, and strengthened cooperation between partner countries. The activities planned for the project supported and promoted common historical and cultural heritage among young people. The main aim was to develop a positive attitude to cultural diversity and practice communication and digital competencies. So students presented their countries, traditions, sights, culture, and languages. Students acquired new experiences and knowledge about their partner’s country, developed their communication skills, and improved digital competence.
PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL PROJECTS
In 2021 Gymnasium participated in a National project “Artificial intelligence at school: the learning analytics scenarios in modernizing general education in Lithuania”. The project coordinator is Klaipeda University in partnership with the Development Center of Schools (Mokyklų tobulinimo centras). The Research Council of Lithuania financed the project. It aims to create learning analytics development scenarios based on combined practice research to modernize general education in Lithuania with the help of artificial intelligence.
The project team learned to operate LearnLab and EdutenPg platforms for learning/teaching with two experimental classes of students. They practiced the application of learning analytics tools and created lesson models based on platforms. Also, the teachers, together with the researchers, worked hard on reflection on the learning analytics application processes, methods and outcomes. During the project, the package of documents, based on the research, was created and presented for the National Ministry of Education to apply learning analytics and artificial intelligence at schools in the near future.
