Explore More
Start date: Dec 1, 2016,
End date: Feb 28, 2019
PROJECT
FINISHED
Nowadays, the internet plays an important role in the education and learning of young people. It is used mainly for leisure, socialization and learning. Young people are all the time engaging with the different information found online and are attracted so much to the internet because it offers them the information in a way that they would like to see it and can understand it. Usually the same information can be found via apps, videos, text and presentations. Thus, as also corroborated by research, young people tend to engage more with the information when it is accessible and understandable. Research shows also that young people are very quick to browse away if the information provided is perceived as institutionalised or irrelevant. Digital natives have revolutionalised the way we deal with information and this is pushing EU and local institutions to find better ways how to engage with young people as shown in the EU’s Digital and E-participation strategy and the Maltese Government’s National Digital Strategy. Both strategies highlight the need to make the information more accessible to the users. One of the sectors that needs to catch up with this new reality is undoubtedly the education sector. Young people need to understand why they have to study and why this can help them for their future. Thus, importance to increase the ICT use in career guidance has been highlighted in various fora.It is for this reason that this Strategic Partnership through the ‘Explore More project’ proposes the development of a one stop shop interactive website targeting all secondary students aged between 11-15 in Malta, Greece and Portugal. Prisms has also partnered-up with the Directorate for Educational Services (DES) in that it has direct contact with the guidance teachers and can thus provide the necessary expertise. All three countries experience the same concerns and difficulties. Prisms together with the partners recognized the need to provide information to young people in a way that they can understand and interact with.The project will consist in a number of phases all contributing to the final phase; the launching of the interactive website that will be used by both the students and career guidance teachers. All phases will be managed and coordinated by Prisms the involvement of all partners:1. Launching of project2. Mapping of all educational institutions at post secondary level3. Research on all the courses/training being offered and requirements needed4. Analyses on the data collected5. Translation of information into an accessible and interactive information6. Website design + animation needed7. Focus groups to test website8. Training to teachers on the website9. Launching of the websiteApart from the intellectual outputs and in order to enhance communication and also to have better project management, all partners will be meeting in three transnational meetings; January 2017, November 2017 and December 2018. These will all be held in Malta. In the first meeting the partners will discuss the targets set for the project and will also go over the reporting obligations. In the November meeting the partners will discuss the outcome of the research whereas in the last transnational meeting the partners will be evaluating the project and will also discuss the best strategy for the launching of the website.The project envisages as well a Short-term joint staff training events. The Training course which will be hosted in Malta from the 13 - 17 November 2018 will have the objective to train the teachers on how to use the website with the students they work with. This will ensure that the website will be used to its full capacity and the teachers will disseminate the website with the target audience and also other teachers that they work with. This training will also ensure the sustainability of this project. Teachers will act as multipliers with other students and teachers to continue in using and developing this website even after the funding period. The training together with the intellectual outputs; the Mapping and Research of Educational Schools and Colleges and requirements needed at a post-secondary Level in Malta, Crete and Lisbon and the website will ensure that the young people can take informed decisions on the subjects they would like to further their studies/training in. Through the video-clips produced showcasing a typical day in a given career/profession will also bring closer the industry to the student and will present the industry with an opportunity to attract new people with added skills. Thus, this project will undoubtedly be impacting the young people but also the guidance teachers since they will be equipped with more tools to help them give career guidance. Most importantly, the aim of this project is to make the website sustainable once the funding period is over also by linking the ‘Explore More’ project to the website of the relevant education Ministries.
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