Description of the Project

The aim of the project

The aim of the project is to increase the human capacity in high schools that will work on the integration of ICT in teaching through the application of technologies for e-learning and through creation of digital content for education in the form of online OERs. The project will provide training for the creation of digital content and the integration of ICT in teaching that is designed for a critical number of teachers from each partner organization. Creation of a critical number of digital content for teaching that will be used by all partner organizations and the wider community of teachers is also foreseen with the project. Besides teachers, students who will use these OERs will benefit from the project.

In the last decade great efforts have been made to integrate ICT in the educational process. But it has not been carried out with the desired dynamics. There are a lot of reasons for it among which the following are considered as most important ones: lack of digital learning content, insufficient training of teachers and lack of desire and motivation to follow and use the latest technologies and methodologies for e-learning. Besides these, the lack of time for preparation and application of these technologies in the classroom has been pointed out. These facts have been presented in numerous external researches and have been subject of our recent research on user acceptance of technology for e-learning. An indirect factor for reasons of inadequate integration of ICT in teaching is the rapid development of technology. Technology is developing faster than the average teachers can follow.

This project will help teachers make comparison between the technologies and methodologies they are currently using and the latest trends worldwide. The trainings will help them learn about new technologies and to gain skills for their application. With an adequate training they will be encouraged to start creating and sharing their own digital content.

Due to the above mentioned we believe that the implementation of this project will have adequate impact: teachers will receive increased competencies and skills through training; schools will receive advanced teaching methodology and students will be able to use directly lessons that we think will be more contemporary and easier to use.

The innovativeness of the project

- more attractive educationand training programmes, in line with individuals' needs and expectations;
- use of participatory approaches and ICT-based methodologies.

The innovativeness of the project is emphasized through the intention of application of the latest technologies and methodologies in a way adjusted to the needs and abilities of the local schools which are partner organizations in the project. When we talk about the latest technology we mean the application of e-learning and the development of digital content that will be approachable by Windows, iOs and Android platforms. OERs will be a huge assisting tools not just for professionals e.g. teachers but for the younger population as well. As they will assist their parents, friends or associates, they’ll be identified as future community young leaders and will be a raw model for the rest of their friends. Finally, EU funded projects are heavily insisting in creation of Open Resource Learning Objects, which is one of the targets of this project.

Cooperation and communication happen among all project partners and with other relevant stakeholders

Even at this stage, when the project is still in its draft version, the proposed consortium members are communicating between each other, in order to design best possible approach in obtaining best possible result. Numerous e-mail messages were exchanged and responses to any type of question were provided within 24 hours hence proving that the communication channels are open from the Day 1 of this project proposal. Similar situation is obtained with the remaining partners as well, since all of them had responded to the offer to be a part of this project within 48 hours. If this project is to be approved, the management team will meet on each 6 months, in order to be familiarized with the latest developments of the project targets and to have an overlook on every situation which might provoke creation of a bottleneck situation. The main way of communication considers exchange of e-mail messages. But, phone calls, Viber and Skype conference calls are another way of communication when immediate reaction would be required. Project management meetings will take pace in each of the consortium members’ facilities, thus enabling all consortium members to be familiarized with the possibilities for additional project developments. Having in mind the length of project life (30 months) the project management team will have 6 meetings, of which the first and the last one, the Kick-off and Final meetings will take place in Shtip. The remaining 4 meetings will take place at the premises of each of the institutions, part of this project in consequential order. On each meeting, at least one person from each consortium members will participate, representing and reporting on behalf of his/her institution.

The most relevant topics

ICT - new technologies - digital competences;
Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development).

Detailed description of the expected results

The expected main outcomes of this project refer to the development of the competences of the teaching staff to design and manage with OER. We also expect increasing and expanding of the cooperation with the schools in the region and Europe through creation of an OER exchange net.

We expect at least 30 teachers to undergo the training and to develop OERs to deliver at least three common subjects. Detailed description of the expected results is listed in intellectual outputs, multiplier events and training.