"<< Background >>We applied for the ""DigitPedZgen"" project to address specific, pressing needs in the field of education due to COVID-19 crisis necessitating an immediate shift to digital learning across European countries. Our application aimed to respond to this urgent need for a well-defined and effective digital pedagogical strategy to facilitate the transition. The project aimed to equip teachers and school managers with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver high-quality inclusive digital education. The crisis underscored the demand for learning resources that align with sound pedagogical principles. We aimed to provide guidance and sustainable tools to avoid the challenges experienced during the initial phase of the COVID-19 crisis in spring 2020.We believe that our project successfully addressed urgent needs, enhancing digital pedagogical capabilities, customizing strategies, creating assessment tools, empowering teachers, and establishing a resource center for high-quality, inclusive digital education. These initiatives were crucial for ensuring high-quality, inclusive digital education within our institution and adapting to the evolving educational post-Covid-19 landscape.<< Objectives >>By implementing this project we aimed to develop Digital Friendly Schools with a clear Digital Pedagogical Strategy, spanning the effect among partner countries. To this end we accomplished the following:1. Our primary goal was to broaden our expertise and foster the creation of Digital Friendly School strategies. This expertise would benefit school management, teachers, students, and parents, helping them navigate the digital education landscape effectively.2. We aimed to empower each school to create its own Digital Pedagogical Strategy, tailored to its unique needs. This would seamlessly integrate digital resources and tools into teaching practices.3. We developed a web-based mapping tool, which is crucial for assessing our Digital Pedagogical Strategy Preparedness and for providing guidance to schools to address critical areas for improvement.4. By creating the MOOC resource of e-Activities and guidelines we believe we have equipped teachers with some skills to develop digital materials and ensure a holistic learning experience.5. We established a centralized resource hub for digital content, facilitating knowledge and resource sharing among teachers and students.<< Implementation >>In our project, ""Digital pedagogical strategy for Z generation,"" we implemented a range of activities. These activities were designed to enhance our school's capacity to provide higher-quality, inclusive digital education in response to the post-COVID-19 educational reality in European schools. Here are the key activities we implemented:We organized training sessions, and workshops for more than 70 teachers, and piloting lessons for more than 120 students at all three schools. The school management, teachers, students, and parents were involved in these workshops. The parents were introduced to the results of the piloting lessons and were given lectures about Z-generation students. In this way, their psychological knowledge was improved. These sessions aimed to broaden their expertise in developing and implementing Digital Friendly School strategies. The focus was on promoting the fundamentals of digital learning and communication to capture the interest of the Z generation of learners.In collaboration with our project partners, we created a Digital Pedagogical Strategy manual. This manual was translated into the languages of all partner countries to ensure it could be seamlessly integrated into school digitalization plans and visions across different linguistic and cultural contexts.We developed a web-based mapping tool that allowed schools to assess their readiness and effectiveness in implementing the Digital Pedagogical Strategy. This tool is available in multiple languages, including English, Norwegian and Bulgarian, to cater to the needs of all partner schools.To empower teachers with digital skills and a holistic learning approach, we introduced E-Activities and MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses). These online resources provided teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to develop digital materials and deliver effective digital education. The resources are available in English and Bulgarian languages. We established a centralised resource hub for digital materials and knowledge sharing among educators. This resource centre is a repository of best practices, digital teaching materials, and guidelines for effective digital education. The practical tools and free online resources uploaded on the hub enable teachers to become the actual digital learning designers for a creative performance in an innovative classroom context.These activities were carried out in a collaborative manner, involving all project partners from Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, and Norway. The goal was to ensure that each participating school could benefit from the expertise and resources generated by the project. By implementing and disseminating these activities, we aim to empower teachers and school managers across the European school community to muster up their visionary capacity and practical abilities towards the creation of Digital Friendly Schools, which will ensure the fulfillment of the broader objective of delivering high-quality, inclusive digital education in the evolving post-Covid-19 educational landscape.We had one Kick-off meeting in Bulgaria, one LTTA in Lithuania and 2 TPMs in Poland and Norway and regular virtual meetings, recorded in meeting minutes.All partner countries organized multiplier events for dissemination of the project results to a broader audience, most of which took place in the course of the Erasmus Days 2023. The events contributed to the creation of a network of ""Digital Friendly Schools"" across Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, and Norway. These schools, through collaboration and shared efforts, developed tools and resources for enhanced education, enriching the learning experience and fostering digital skills in the educational community. All events delivered presentations, training materials and resources, which provided valuable tools for educational institutions to design their digital transformation strategies and adapt to the challenges of the digital era. Additionally, as the host of the coordinating partner, the dissemination conference in Bulgaria established connections to the Bulgarian controlling and governmental authorities with the aim of updating the political curriculum for digital transition at school. The Sofia multiplier event also triggered the interest of the academic circles and inspired commitments on behalf of university and departmental leaders for future collaborative learning and internship activities or research, thus bridging the gap between the school and academic levels of education. This came as an upgrade to the project objectives. 19 High school project page: https://19su.bg/%e2%84%962021-1-bg01-ka220-sch-000032544-%d0%ba%d0%bb%d1%8e%d1%87%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%b0-%d0%b4%d0%b5%d0%b9%d0%bd%d0%be%d1%81%d1%82-2/ << Results >>The ""Digital pedagogical strategy for Z generation"" project yielded several concrete outputs and results that significantly contributed to enhancing the digital capabilities of our school and our partner institutions. These outcomes align with our project objectives and the needs we aimed to address. Here are the concrete outputs and results of our project:Output 1 - Digital Pedagogical Strategy Manual - The project developed a comprehensive toolkit that describes the important factors in a Digital Pedagogical Strategy. This toolkit is supported by a range of methods, tools, guidelines, and checklists to assist educators and educational institutions in developing effective digital pedagogical strategies. The Digital Pedagogical Strategy was translated into the languages of all partner countries (Lithuanian, Polish, Norwegian and Bulgarian), ensuring that it could be easily adopted by schools in different linguistic and cultural settings.Output 1 - Web-Based Mapping Tool - it was created to assess the preparedness of schools in implementing Digital Pedagogical Strategies. This tool provided a clear overview of areas for improvement and guided schools in enhancing their digital education practices (translated in Norwegian and Bulgarian language too).Output 2 - The project provided teachers with valuable resources to enhance their digital skills. E-Activities and MOOCs were developed to equip educators with the knowledge and skills required to create digital materials and offer holistic learning experiences (translated in English and Bulgarian languages). The project produced an online toolkit for pilot training, which includes 1-2 e-activities for each topic in Output 2. This toolkit is designed to have a positive effect on students' learning experiences by providing engaging educational resources.Output 2 - 5 Tutorial Videos were created for each topic in Output 2, enhancing the learning process by providing visual and step-by-step guidance to students and educators.Output 3 - Resource center/hub: The project established a resource center that is recognized as an important and useful source for the creation of digital learning materials. This digital hub offers valuable resources to support digital education among European schools. The establishment of a centralized resource hub for digital materials and knowledge-sharing among educators was a significant achievement. This hub serves as a repository of best practices, teaching materials, and guidelines for effective digital education. It facilitates collaboration and knowledge exchange among teachers and school staff. It may be used by students university teachers and staff as well.Approximately 60-80 students from Bulgarian, Lithuanian, and Polish schools participated in the pilot phase and carried out the recommended e-activities with the help of the amassed educational resources. Moreover, 20 teachers participated in workshops at their respective schools to test the digital learning content relevant to their teaching contexts. These values were measured by the number of participants.Stakeholders, including teachers from partner institutions, external educators, other schools, local stakeholders, universities, and educational authorities, now have access to valuable guidelines and tools for school improvement and teacher enhancement. The project ensured the accessibility and dissemination of results. Project outcomes are permanently available on the websites of the three schools and partner organizations (ValueMe and Prios). Additionally, the associated partners of the Bulgarian coordinator and the local educational authorities have posted the outcomes on their websites and social media pages.These concrete outputs and results are a testament to the success of our project in addressing the identified needs and achieving our objectives. We achieved the specific results: IO1/IO2/IO3 related to broadening teacher and school management expertise, stakeholder participation, and the provision of guidelines and tools for digital education. These outcomes contribute to addressing the challenge of developing digital teaching competence and align with the increasing role of digital education in the post-COVID-19 educational landscape. They have had a positive and lasting impact on both our school and on partner schools and institutions, improving the quality of education in a rapidly changing digital world in Europe and all over the world. project page: https://digipedzgen.eu/"

The project “Overcoming functional illiteracy through ICT, to ensure social and professional integration” (OFI-ICT-PSI) is a Strategic Partnerships for school education, based on cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices, between Romania (coordinator), Croatia, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia and Turkey, addressed to at least 70 teachers, that will benefit from 7 joint staff short term training events, at least 50 teachers inside the partner schools, that will benefit from the disseminating workshops and at least 70 teachers outside the partner schools, that will benefit from a training seminar and 3 training modules.The motivation of it is given by the results of the PISA tests. For reading literacy, Romania scored 428, North Macedonia 393, Greece 457, Turkey 466, Italy 476, Croatia and Lithuania 479, the level of functional illiteracy, in these countries being more than 40%. Romania and the Republic of North Macedonia, are situated among the 8 countries that gave the test using paper and pen instead of digital instruments. We have 2 horizontal priorities, to support staff and to have innovative practices in a digital era, and a school related one, to reinforce the development of key competences. We aim at achieving 5 objectives: conduct a scientific research, until August 2021, to identify and define functional illiteracy at the level of the countries within the partnership; strengthen and develop literacy skills for at least 20% school teachers by preparing 7 work notebooks for an optional subject, until August 2022; contribute to the enrichment of open educational resources for the 7 partner schools until July 2023, by creating an e-book which uses literacy strategies in teaching; training at least 70 teachers outside the partner schools, by August 2023; ensure long life learning, for at least 20% school teachers, by making a webinar portfolio, on contextualized learning situations, using literacy skills, until August 2023.The tangible results will be: 1 methodological guide (the intellectual output); 7 work notebooks; 1 e-book; 1 webinar portfolio; 7 diagnostic studies; 1 comparative study; 1 standardized psycho-pedagogical screening; 12 standardized tests; 168 crosswords; 168 mind maps; 168 puzzles; 168 guided reading exercises; 168 didactic games; 19 presentations and 19 workshops on web 2.0 applications; 133 exercises using web 2.0 applications; 1 training seminar; 3 training modules; 7 round tables.The intangible results will be: consolidate the European dimension; enhance the capacity for transnational and trans-sectorial cooperation; assess the level of functional illiteracy and understand its dangers; identify common causes for functional illiteracy; establish common means of action; reinforce the development of key competences; strengthen the relationships between teachers; create a sense of achievement and develop self-confidence via peer-learning; improve evaluation; consolidate the digital dimension in education; enrich OER; multiply new teaching methods; apply innovative digital practices; develop cooperative learning; develop English and ICT skills; increase the visibility and prestige of the school; facilitate social and professional integration.The main activities are: write diagnostic and comparative studies; draw up standardized tests; make presentations and conduct workshops; create exercises/tests/games; train teachers through seminars and modules; write a methodological guide, an e-book and 7 work notebooks; create a webinar portfolio on contextualized learning; organize round tables, meetings with experts and on-site workshops in sister schools or universities.For the dissemination we will use: 1 blog, 1 face book page,1 e-Twining page, 7 conferences, 7 recap videos, 49 Pecha-Kucha,49 workshops,49 article,49 film projections,21 exhibitions,21 photo boxes,7 story-telling,21 living libraries,7 festivals.In terms of impac, the partner schools will: improve their image,increase their prestige and develop their European dimension,enrich the partner's network,have human resource with knowledge and experience to combat functional illiteracy,enrich the OER,implement and integrate modern and dynamic ICT teaching methods,develop students reading habit,develop a modern learning environment,ensure cooperation with experts in the field of education.The sustainability of the project will be ensured by e-Twining, website, face book and EPRP, where our products will be published as open didactic resources. The workbooks will be used for an optional subject, „Digital literacy”. The e-book and the webinar can be used during classes, in Literature, Languages and ICT, but also into those of education for society, health education, legal education, counseling and guidance. For training others, these tangible results, along with the Methodological guide, can be subject to demonstrative lessons, carried out in front of school inspectors, for obtaining the didactic degrees

CONTEXTAs schools whose student populations are entirely/partly made up of disabled students, we want to give them the best support for mainstream integration. Our needs analysis with our teachers highlighted that, as the Erasmus+ priorities emphasise, they need continuous support to boost their specialized professional profile - they need know-how and training on contemporary teaching techniques, and how to apply new tools in the classroom.A very beneficial tool in special education is that of creative drama. This is an integrative process that develops imaginative thought and creative expression in children. Through movement, pantomime, improvisation, story dramatization and group discussion, they acquire language and communication skills, social awareness, problem solving abilities, self-esteem enhancement, and an understanding of theatre. Academic studies show that it is an even more useful learning technique for disabled children. Drama is an alternative to the classic classroom system, which is boring and inadequate for disabled students. It gives them an opportunity to perceive, solve and explain any problem in their own levels and has important physical benefits - with the movements made during drama, they develop the body's control, coordination skills and sense of rhythm. ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGIESThis project intends to empower special education teachers to make new or better use of drama in their teaching techniques, through training and the exchange of good practices. We have designed a project consisting of 5 LTTs - each school will host a 4-day mobility on their respective niche area of expertise:-C1 MT: Multi-modal drama therapy -C2 PO: Stage, costume & prop design-C3 IT: Story-based creative drama-C4 TR: Integrating drama into curriculum-C5 LT: Body language in creative dramaEach will consist of 3 days of training (hands-on workshops, seminars, lectures, presentations) and a final day that is geared towards the exchange of best practices and creating a subsequent ideal lesson plan. Moreover, each LTT will provide time for classroom visits and touring each school's specialised infrastructure. This is important in the field of special education, as seeing practices, technologies and equipment in other countries will inspire them to aspire to different and improved methods themselves.The LTTs are supported by local activities for LTT preparation, online documentation, and drama activities with students.OBJECTIVES1.To train 64 educators in the use of drama as an educational technique, covering various aspects (music/drama/dance therapy; stage and costume design for music theatre; story-based drama; body language; integrating drama across the curriculum)2.To provide 64 educators with the opportunity to learn from each other on the topic of creative drama3.To adopt a train-the-trainer approach to pass on the knowledge acquired by the participants4.To establish a strong transnational cooperation between 5 Programme Country schoolsPARTICIPANTSEach mobility will be attended by 4 participants; 3 special education teachers (different each time) and 1 coordinator from each school (part of the SMT) who will remain consistent. The latter is important, as it will ensure consistency and facilitate learning outcome integration into SDPs and curriculum, ensuring each school's capacity building. Following each mobility, the participants will disseminate the learning outcomes and materials with their colleagues via each school's established internal staff training channelsRESULTS1. 64 educators receive training on the use of drama in education (music/drama/dance therapy; stage and costume design for music theatre; story-based drama; body language; integrating drama into curriculum) 2. 64 educators improve their own knowledge on the topic of creative drama in education by learning from other educators; 3. This training and improved knowledge will be disseminated to non-participant educators within our schools, so that the project has the maximum impact possible. 4. 5 European schools will undertake mutual capacity-building.5. Online documentation and dissemination of the project via booklets, a DVD of local activities, digital magazine/e-journal, blog, and articlesIMPACT-Educators will gain competence in using creative drama techniques;-SEN children will benefit immensely on a personal level via more engaging and interesting learning techniques in their daily classes, and will improve holistically (eg. self-esteem, motor skills, creativity, critical thinking). LONG-TERM BENEFIT-Schools will build their capacity to support children with learning disabilities.-Schools will strengthen their European dimension and their capacity for cross-border cooperation.