European Union at School

General information

Code: EU/E+/JMProject
Period: 1.2.2011 - 31.8.2015
Project leader at FDV: prof.dr. Ana Bojinović Fenko
Research activity: Social Sciences

Abstract

The European Union in school is a collection of three projects on teaching and learning of EU at primary and secondary schools in Slovenia implemented in the period 2010–2015 by Centre of International Relations (CIR) at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences. They were financed by the EU’s Lifelong Learning and Erasmus+ programme and carried out by interdisciplinary teams of academics from Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Pedagogics at the University of Ljubljana. These projects involved diverse research and teaching activities, namely analysis of formal curricula and teaching materials, implementation of 38 experimental teaching hours based on innovative didactics in schools in a form of peer-to-peer teaching visits, followed by systematic evaluation, focus group interviews with 103 teachers and students of education, and direct and indirect feedback from almost 1000 primary and secondary school pupils and students. In 2017, the project EU4PRIM (Enhanced EU content in primary school curricula), which was one of the three projects within the European Union in school collection, received the Success story and best practice award by European Commission Directory General for Education and Culture. Additional information: Ana Bojinović Fenko (e-mail: ana.bojinovic@fdv.uni-lj.si; phone: +386 1 5805 224).

The phases of the project and their realization

First phase of the project: the ‘Innovative teaching for continuing learning of EU integration’ project (from 1 February 2011 to 31 January 2012) The aim of the ‘Innovative teaching for continuing learning of EU integration’ project was to improve teaching of EU in primary and secondary schools in Slovenia. This was done through development of teaching methods (in particular of quiz, research project, debate and essay) and materials, teaching and training of teachers and nationwide dissemination of results. In the first stage, reviewing of the existing materials for teaching EU at school took place. In the second stage, following a nationwide call, a seminar involving lectures and training on EU contents and on applying modern didactics was held. The third stage consisted of teaching experiments at schools in the form of teaching visits by peers and experts (sometimes taking the role of guest teachers). During the final stage of the project an open public event was organized where results were presented and discussed. All together 52 teachers participated in the project, 33 from primary and 19 from secondary schools. In addition, three university students of pedagogics were involved. At primary schools, 10 teaching visits were organized. Number of pupils involved through the teaching visits was 232 (Activity Report 2012). Second phase of the project: the ‘Problem based learning and cross-curricular teaching of the EU – PROCROS’ project (from 1 September 2013 to 31 August 2014) The PROCOS project aimed to strengthen integration of EU contents in school programmes through problem-based and cross-curricular teaching/learning methods. Project targeted primary and secondary school teachers, university students of faculties of Pedagogics and Arts – future teachers, and pupils/secondary school students. During the first stage of the project, model teaching hours including teaching tools and materials were prepared. The second stage consisted of teaching and training seminars. During the third stage teaching experiments were implemented at schools in the form of (guest) teaching visits by peers, students and experts. In addition, nationwide research essay competition was organized. At the final public event, some of the best practices were presented and discussed. All together 30 teachers in primary and secondary schools and 18 university students of education participated in the project. All together 247 primary school pupils and 90 secondary school students were present during nine teaching visits to five primary schools and one event jointly organized by two secondary schools. In addition, 21 secondary school students submitted their essays for nation-wide competition (Activity Report 2014). Third phase of the project: the ‘Enhanced EU content in primary school curricula (EU4PRIM)’ project (from 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2015) The ‘Enhanced EU content in primary school curricula (EU4PRIM)’ project aimed to enhance EU contents in primary school curricula by developing ready-to-use teaching hours and knowledge examination sheets. In the first stage of the project, primary school curricula of selected classes were analysed, and some proposals were drafted. The second stage of the project consisted of two seminars and workshop events where primary school teachers, university students of pedagogic and experts on EU contents and didactics working in groups (based on the subject area) together developed concrete ready-to-use teaching hours and knowledge examination sheets. During the third stage of the project, teaching hours and knowledge examination were implemented in experimental terms in the form of (guest) teaching visits by groups of peers, students and experts. At the final event results were presented and discussed. Preparation of teaching hours involved ten primary school teachers and 30 students to become teachers; 350 pupils, 20 local teachers and 38 non-local observers participated in the 18 teaching visits organized at primary schools; three members of the Expert Council for General Education and one from Ministry of education were also involved in the project (Activity Report 2015).