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Description
In a global context marked by the need to uphold democracy and human rights, education for democratic citizenship (EDC) is a prerequisite for shaping active and responsible citizens. In this context, the University of Craiova, alongside with Bifröst University and the University of Iceland, proposes a project which addresses the transversal competences that lead to EDC and shows how to develop them in classes not specifically oriented towards EDC topics.
Using a comparative and transdisciplinary approach to EDC and integrating information and communication technologies (ICT) in problem-based teaching/learning, the general objectives of the project are to design educational resources for developing EDC transversal competences and to strengthen the synergy between research and education. The project activities consist of: 1. investigating the partners’ needs in the field of EDC; 2. building a transferable model for developing and evaluating competences leading to EDC; and 3. capitalizing the results in a training course for future language teachers. Its intellectual outputs include two joint publications in peer-reviewed journals, a transferable model for the development and assessment of EDC transversal competences, and a handbook designed as a self-training/self-assessment tool for lifelong learning.
The beneficiaries are: the Icelandic and Romanian researchers, teachers and students involved in the project activities; researchers and teachers from the partner universities who have the opportunity to develop their EDC-related expertise, and their experience in terms of methodological innovation; national and international academic community, researchers and school teachers who will benefit from the intellectual outputs and dissemination events. The added value of the transnational cooperation with the donor state partners will be seen in a broader and more flexible approach of EDC, fostered by the contact between two different democratic cultures.
Summary of project results
In a global context marked by the need to uphold democracy and human rights, education for democratic citizenship (EDC) is a prerequisite for shaping active and responsible citizens. In this context, our university, alongside with Bifröst University and the University of Iceland, proposed a project which addressed the transversal competences that lead to EDC and showed how to develop them in classes not specifically oriented towards EDC topics.
Using a comparative and transdisciplinary approach to EDC and integrating information and communication technologies (ICT) in problem-based teaching/learning, the general objectives of the project were to design educational resources for developing EDC transversal competences and to strengthen the synergy between research and education. The project activities consisted of: 1. investigating the partners’ needs in the field of EDC; 2. comparing the status of EDC in Romania and Iceland, two countries that are fundamentally different in terms of state of democracy and educational policies; 3. building a transferable model for developing and evaluating the competences leading to EDC; and 4. capitalizing the results in a training course for future language teachers. Its intellectual outputs, available in open access on the project website, included two joint publications in peer-reviewed journals, a transferable model for the development and assessment of EDC transversal competences, and a handbook designed as a lifelong learning tool. Additionally, the project included a transnational short-term staff training event and a multiplier event.
The project had a strong impact on Romanian and Icelandic actors in the field of EDC: 62 Icelandic and Romanian academics and 200 Icelandic and Romanian students who were involved in project activities and 50 representatives of the Dolj County School Inspectorate, school managers, teachers, representatives of educational NGOs who were provided with new tools for the development of EDC.
The added value of the transnational cooperation with the donor state partners will be seen in a broader and more flexible approach of EDC, fostered by the contact between two different democratic cultures. The project effectively equipped researchers and teachers with relevant skills and tools to design modern teaching/learning activities that lead to the development and assessment of EDC competences and raised the students’ awareness of the importance of EDC in their training.
Summary of bilateral results
This project was meant to cover a gap still existing in Romanian education between the will declared in many recent political documents to strengthen EDC and its actual implementation into educational practice. The achievement of this objective was possible due to the cooperation with donor project partners from Iceland, which is considered to be one of the countries with the highest level of democracy, displaying a strong and genuine commitment to a democratic culture. The transnational cooperation with the donor state partners generated the following benefits:- A broader and more flexible approach to EDC, fostered by the contact between two different democratic cultures, shaped by different cultural traditions, values and attitudes;- The elaboration of a joint training course supported by a joint scientific reflection on EDC and the comparison of how EDC is implemented in the two educational systems;- Enhanced and mutually enriching good practice exchange between Romanian and Icelandic educational actors;- An increased ability of teachers to develop and assess the transversal competences that lead to EDC in language classes by means of ICT;- The creation of innovative teaching/learning methods and outputs;- A strengthened partnership between researchers and educators.All the partners expressed their interest in reinforcing and enhancing the bilateral collaboration after the end of this project. Both the Romanian and Icelandic partners consider that ACTA is a solid basis for future projects in the fields of education, language teaching, and teacher training.