Friday 21 November 2014
Evaluation after the first international meeting
After the first international meeting in Krakow we made evaluation. Short evaluation report from it you can find here: https://www.slideshare.net/secret/wLcv283mutL3AZ
Wednesday 12 November 2014
The project story - part 3 - the first international meeting
Our first international kick-off meeting has been realized successfully. Hurrah!!
I was busy before the meeting – it was very difficult to set a date convenient for everybody, I was busy during the meeting – no celebrations, no sightseeing, only work and I was busy afterwards .. and it will be like this for the next two years.
But everybody, could you believe: EVERYBODY, is so enthusiastic! We had really excellent meeting: very efficient, smoothly going, fruitful and, above all, very friendly. We have realized our plans completely: agreed on what was to be agreed, share tasks, set deadlines and even manage to discuss the project logo proposals. We choose the Union-Jack-butterfly idea for our logo and Bea (using her widespread connections) declared to work on this.
And the very next morning – could you imagine! – the butterfly arrived itself – in a very sweet form as our official project cookies. Agnieszka baked them – probably between 3-4 at night.
Definitely the best part of our meeting was a brainstorming session on the first (intellectual) product called modestly “O1”. Ania, the brainstorming leader, developed a very cunning method to provoke our creativity, so it burst like a volcano. We hardly managed to put down what we were inventing!
Thursday 6 November 2014
The project story - part 2 - teams and papers
I have no Mothers anymore, but don’t you worry - they did not disappear, on the contrary, they even multiplied, and became the project teams. They've got new names like project coordinators, product production coordinators, teachers, experts, consultants ... we even have two “beauty of language and creativity officers”, native English speakers, who will organize a kind of a “beauty salon” for me, when needed. Of course we don’t call them like this, they have beautiful real names: Manuela, Bea, Gyongyi (first you have to say Mon Dieu – and then try to pronounce) Ania, Agnieszka, Malwina, Basia, Andrea, Tim and Soren.
As for the creativity ( I would even say an intellectual fertility) I have no worries – my oldest mother, ups… sorry: The Main Project Coordinator, has produced 28 different papers just for the project launching ….it is terrible to think what will come next.
The others have contributed as well and now we have loads of plans, procedures, lists of obligations, local tasks, partners tasks, documents, different templates, work sheets, time sheets, evaluation and monitoring tools, agreements and reports.. so I know exactly what I have done and what I am doning and what will I do and how, in any situation and who I may ask for help and to whom complain to. Impressive!
My Father remains the same and even gets fatter with new regulations and explanations. But he is good-natured chap and whatever we ask him he always kindly answers.. not himself of course, but through his assistance, whose name is Jakub.
As for the creativity ( I would even say an intellectual fertility) I have no worries – my oldest mother, ups… sorry: The Main Project Coordinator, has produced 28 different papers just for the project launching ….it is terrible to think what will come next.
The others have contributed as well and now we have loads of plans, procedures, lists of obligations, local tasks, partners tasks, documents, different templates, work sheets, time sheets, evaluation and monitoring tools, agreements and reports.. so I know exactly what I have done and what I am doning and what will I do and how, in any situation and who I may ask for help and to whom complain to. Impressive!
My Father remains the same and even gets fatter with new regulations and explanations. But he is good-natured chap and whatever we ask him he always kindly answers.. not himself of course, but through his assistance, whose name is Jakub.
Wednesday 5 November 2014
The project story - part 1 - InMETE has arrived
My name is InMETE and I come from another world - the World of European Projects. This world is a bit different from yours so don’t be surprised that although I am 55+ I was born quite recently - on the 8 of August 2014. I was conceived on the 30 of April, and led my very nervous prenatal life as an “application” but finally the Polish National Agency decided that I am worthy to live. I was really lucky!
You may be
curious whether I am a male of a female.. well, there is an equal participation
of both sexes ensured in me… but life is life, so if I had a body like you I
would look rather odd: female hips and breasts, eyes with unisex make up and
finally moustaches and a beard.
I was baptized on 5 of November 2014. The Polish NA was my godmother and she declared to support me but she demanded from my poor Mothers a financial guarantee that they will bring me up well.
I have lots of Mothers (one of them is even a man) from 3 countries: Poland, Italy and Hungary, but only one Father - his name is “Programme Guide” and he is very fat: 267 pages. Don’t ask me about their Honey Moon – it was not honey at all. But anyway I came to existence and now I am very eager and enthusiastic to do everything: Project management and implementation, Transnational Project Meetings, Intellectual Outputs and Multiplier Events.
I was baptized on 5 of November 2014. The Polish NA was my godmother and she declared to support me but she demanded from my poor Mothers a financial guarantee that they will bring me up well.
I have lots of Mothers (one of them is even a man) from 3 countries: Poland, Italy and Hungary, but only one Father - his name is “Programme Guide” and he is very fat: 267 pages. Don’t ask me about their Honey Moon – it was not honey at all. But anyway I came to existence and now I am very eager and enthusiastic to do everything: Project management and implementation, Transnational Project Meetings, Intellectual Outputs and Multiplier Events.
Project in brief
Project title:
Innovative methods for increasing effectiveness of teaching English of 55+ learners.
Project acronym:
InMETE 55+
Project duration:
2 years 01.09.2014 – 31.08.2016
Project Partnership:
1. coordinator - The Fullness-Of-Life Academy Association, Poland
2. partner - The Italian Adult Education Union, Italy
3. partner - The Courses Educational and Cultural Association, Hungary
Target groups:
Educators and learners 55+ involved in non-vocational teaching/learning English, organizing in non-profit institutions, and/or non-formal and informal educational groups.
Project background:
Being experienced on the seniors education field, especially languages teaching, Partners already know needs, problems and gaps in the English teaching of 55+ learners. This enabled Partners to identify specific areas where the needs are the most urgent and have not been addressed yet.
Intellectual outputs:
O1 – investigation of possible recourses, materials and ideas which could be used during the English lessons to increase cognitive functions of elderly learners, in particular their attention, emotional involvement, memory functioning, senses and body involvement, communication sensitivity and capability, and also their well-being , preparing a resource-pack
O2 – nine detailed lessons outlines together with teaching/learning materials for teachers and students (each for two levels: beginners and intermediates) including innovative elements taken from external sources like art, historical heritage of our countries, memory rules and methods, music, poetry, dance and para-theatrical forms etc.
O3 – 2 curriculum propositions for beginners and intermediates, for 1 academic year, including above lessons
Project schedule:
September 2014 - general project organisation, signing financial agreement with partners
November 2014 –1 meeting in Poland – preparing project realisation, procedures, plans and other documents,
November, December 2014, - working on O1
January 2015 - working on O1, preparing a resource-pack
February 2015 – 2 meeting in Hungary – discussing results of O1, agree on final version, preparing for O2 +O3 realisation
March, April, May 2015 – working on O2 +O3
June 2015 – 3 meeting in Italy – discussing the O2 +O3 progress, preparing for the next phase
July, August, September 2015 - working on O2 +O3
October 2015 – 4 meeting in Hungary – discussing results of O2 +O3 – preparing for testing
November 2015 – preparing O2 +O3 version for testing, developing a testing procedure
December 2015, January, February 2016 - testing O2 +O3
March 2016 – 5 meeting in Poland - discussing testing results, implementing them into the O2 +O3
April, May 2016 – final testing, preparing dissemination plan and discussing and setting our conditions for open access for materials produced
June 2016 - 6 meeting in Italy – discussing the final version of O2 +O3 and dissemination
July 2016 – separated dissemination events in each country for representative of non-profit institutions, and/or non-formal and informal educational groups organising English classes for seniors – on local/regional/national level
August 2016 - closing project , preparing report
Innovative methods for increasing effectiveness of teaching English of 55+ learners.
Project acronym:
InMETE 55+
Project duration:
2 years 01.09.2014 – 31.08.2016
Project Partnership:
1. coordinator - The Fullness-Of-Life Academy Association, Poland
2. partner - The Italian Adult Education Union, Italy
3. partner - The Courses Educational and Cultural Association, Hungary
Target groups:
Educators and learners 55+ involved in non-vocational teaching/learning English, organizing in non-profit institutions, and/or non-formal and informal educational groups.
Project background:
Being experienced on the seniors education field, especially languages teaching, Partners already know needs, problems and gaps in the English teaching of 55+ learners. This enabled Partners to identify specific areas where the needs are the most urgent and have not been addressed yet.
Intellectual outputs:
O1 – investigation of possible recourses, materials and ideas which could be used during the English lessons to increase cognitive functions of elderly learners, in particular their attention, emotional involvement, memory functioning, senses and body involvement, communication sensitivity and capability, and also their well-being , preparing a resource-pack
O2 – nine detailed lessons outlines together with teaching/learning materials for teachers and students (each for two levels: beginners and intermediates) including innovative elements taken from external sources like art, historical heritage of our countries, memory rules and methods, music, poetry, dance and para-theatrical forms etc.
O3 – 2 curriculum propositions for beginners and intermediates, for 1 academic year, including above lessons
Project schedule:
September 2014 - general project organisation, signing financial agreement with partners
November 2014 –1 meeting in Poland – preparing project realisation, procedures, plans and other documents,
November, December 2014, - working on O1
January 2015 - working on O1, preparing a resource-pack
February 2015 – 2 meeting in Hungary – discussing results of O1, agree on final version, preparing for O2 +O3 realisation
March, April, May 2015 – working on O2 +O3
June 2015 – 3 meeting in Italy – discussing the O2 +O3 progress, preparing for the next phase
July, August, September 2015 - working on O2 +O3
October 2015 – 4 meeting in Hungary – discussing results of O2 +O3 – preparing for testing
November 2015 – preparing O2 +O3 version for testing, developing a testing procedure
December 2015, January, February 2016 - testing O2 +O3
March 2016 – 5 meeting in Poland - discussing testing results, implementing them into the O2 +O3
April, May 2016 – final testing, preparing dissemination plan and discussing and setting our conditions for open access for materials produced
June 2016 - 6 meeting in Italy – discussing the final version of O2 +O3 and dissemination
July 2016 – separated dissemination events in each country for representative of non-profit institutions, and/or non-formal and informal educational groups organising English classes for seniors – on local/regional/national level
August 2016 - closing project , preparing report
Summary
Teaching foreign languages, especially English, to seniors, is becoming one of the most crucial elements of education in later life in Europe.
Existing analysis concerns mainly the needs and current state, but there are not enough didactic materials which would support teachers in their daily work with learners 55+. This concerns in particular those materials that go beyond the traditional language course, and include such elements that are emotionally engaging, motivating, and provide new incentives: mental, physical and sensory - so essential in later-life pedagogy.
The partnership consists of 3 partners from Poland, Hungary and Italy, who possess considerable experience in senior education, especially in language teaching and represent a complementary approach, including academic.
This has enabled the partners to identify the most urgent needs and gaps in teaching languages (especially English) to older learners and to propose innovative solutions to address them.
The project goal - which is to develop tangible propositions of innovative methods for increasing effectiveness of teaching English to 55+ learners - will be achieved by intensive and well-structured cooperation and common development of three intellectual outputs:
1) a resource-pack of possible resources: materials, ideas and guidelines which could be used during the English lessons to increase cognitive functions of elderly learners, in particular, their attention, motivation, emotional involvement, memory functioning, senses and body involvement, communication sensitivity and capability, and also their well-being,
2) nine detailed lesson outlines together with teaching/learning materials for teachers and students (each for two levels: elementary (A2-B1) and intermediates (B2) including innovative elements taken from external sources like art, historical heritage of our countries, memory rules and methods, music, poetry, body expression and para-theatrical forms, etc.
3) two curricula for a one-year (60 hrs) course for learners 55+, two levels - elementary (A2-B1) and intermediates (B2)
The dissemination of project results and outputs will be a very important part of our project, which multiplies its outcomes and impacts. We will promote a free access to intellectual outputs offering our products to our target group (seniors' educators from non-profit sector). The dissemination activities will be held throughout the entire project using diverse means and channels. The final dissemination events will take place in each partner country separately to address local needs and expectations best.
Project realisation will bring tangible and longer term benefits (the three outputs mentioned above) which will also serve as a starting point for further development of innovative teaching/learning resources for the elderly, and as a source of inspiration for both direct and non-direct project beneficiaries.
The project will foster and expand partners' cooperation and will push it towards a more product-oriented and innovative approach to transnational projects.
Existing analysis concerns mainly the needs and current state, but there are not enough didactic materials which would support teachers in their daily work with learners 55+. This concerns in particular those materials that go beyond the traditional language course, and include such elements that are emotionally engaging, motivating, and provide new incentives: mental, physical and sensory - so essential in later-life pedagogy.
The partnership consists of 3 partners from Poland, Hungary and Italy, who possess considerable experience in senior education, especially in language teaching and represent a complementary approach, including academic.
This has enabled the partners to identify the most urgent needs and gaps in teaching languages (especially English) to older learners and to propose innovative solutions to address them.
The project goal - which is to develop tangible propositions of innovative methods for increasing effectiveness of teaching English to 55+ learners - will be achieved by intensive and well-structured cooperation and common development of three intellectual outputs:
1) a resource-pack of possible resources: materials, ideas and guidelines which could be used during the English lessons to increase cognitive functions of elderly learners, in particular, their attention, motivation, emotional involvement, memory functioning, senses and body involvement, communication sensitivity and capability, and also their well-being,
2) nine detailed lesson outlines together with teaching/learning materials for teachers and students (each for two levels: elementary (A2-B1) and intermediates (B2) including innovative elements taken from external sources like art, historical heritage of our countries, memory rules and methods, music, poetry, body expression and para-theatrical forms, etc.
3) two curricula for a one-year (60 hrs) course for learners 55+, two levels - elementary (A2-B1) and intermediates (B2)
The dissemination of project results and outputs will be a very important part of our project, which multiplies its outcomes and impacts. We will promote a free access to intellectual outputs offering our products to our target group (seniors' educators from non-profit sector). The dissemination activities will be held throughout the entire project using diverse means and channels. The final dissemination events will take place in each partner country separately to address local needs and expectations best.
Project realisation will bring tangible and longer term benefits (the three outputs mentioned above) which will also serve as a starting point for further development of innovative teaching/learning resources for the elderly, and as a source of inspiration for both direct and non-direct project beneficiaries.
The project will foster and expand partners' cooperation and will push it towards a more product-oriented and innovative approach to transnational projects.
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