<< Objectives >>We will further improve DIBL an innovative digital platform for collaborative learning based on dilemmas, adapt it to the Greek educational environment and evaluate its effectiveness.Then we will promote digital readiness, resilience and capacity by driving to informed implementation of Game Based Learning, supporting teachers' self-improvement and promoting the transformation of schools to learning communities by guiding their involvement in well organised training activities.<< Implementation >>We will organise learning experiences in an action research format, in two phases. In the first one in English, we will prepare teacher trainers as multipliers for the training activities of the second and main phase, to five different cities in Greek. We plan learning activities in six steps1. Mindset consolidation online2. Live/on site 5 days course 3. Supported pilot application of GBL 4. Evaluation-Certification 5. Dissemination-Reflection6. Informed implementation<< Results >>We will - evolve a collaborative dilemma based learning (DIBL) application - translate DIBL in Greek and prepare it for more languages- reach and include previously excluded schools and teachers and through them pupils- develop and share at least 40 evaluated GBL scenarios through digital teaching depositories in Greece and Europe- support GBL pedagogy and didactics by the informed implementation of GBL scenarios- promote participation of inexperienced school units in the Erasmus+ program

Project Title: Looking Out Looking InToo many young people feel like they are connecting with others, but are not successfully creating meaningful relationships. Social Media encourages what Martin Buber would call Ich-Es (I-It) superficial relationships, but people really need deeper Ich-Du (I-Thou) relationships. Factors that bring this about include:· information overload caused by modern forms of media;· the ever-increasing pace of the world;· the misuse of technology that unconsciously leads people to rely on a hit of dopamine;· the blurring between what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in the real world caused by the misuse of social media platforms;The same logic can be applied to both cultural awareness and to self-awareness. Young people are aware of other cultures, and news from other countries, but too often experience them as separate and distant – as content on a feed on their phone. And Socrates’ cri de cœur that we should “know thyself” also suffers from the same issue: how does someone have the time to concentrate on their own wellbeing and being comfortable with who they are if they become used to superficial interactions?Adler and Proctor’s seminal book, Looking Out Looking In, considers the importance of forming meaningful interpersonal relationships and the factors that define such relationships. This project seeks to enable and nurture meaningful interpersonal relationships between young people around Europe through music. We want young musicians to work together to create a “Symphony for Europe” and, as they compose, collaborate and perform together, they get to know each other properly, find out about each other’s cultural and personal similarities and differences, and discover something about themselves too.Through Erasmus+ funding, we would have the power to combine and cross-fertilise music and cultures across Europe. Music plays a unique role in countries across Europe. We want to explore our intertwined cultural and social histories. From local traditions through to renowned European orchestral works, we want to celebrate Europe’s greatest creative achievements.Ultimately, we want the project to culminate in a pan-European concert that at first shares and revitalises local musical and artistic traditions – particularly ones that are at risk of disappearing – and then the musicians join together to perform classical pieces that have a clear European connection. Finally, they would perform an orchestral piece composed as a collaborative project between the participating schools: the “Symphony for Europe”.There would be six participating schools, working together over a 24-month period. Some of these schools include pupils from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. At first, the teachers from the six schools will meet together to plan the structure of how the project will unfold, timelines and parameters for the Symphony. Then the schools would be paired together to work with each other on writing one movement of the symphony. This collaborative composing would use technology appropriately and encourage dialogue and a common goal. A staff and pupil exchange visit between the two schools would take place in year one. We estimate each school would have around 15 participating pupils in the exchanges, with more being involved in other ways. This would allow the young people to perform together, discover local musical and artistic treasures, and to get to know each other forming proper “I-Thou” relationships. We would generate opportunities for multilingualism and creativity.In year two, all six schools would collaborate to create the final movement of the symphony. This would culminate in all six schools travelling to the one place and meet in person, share local traditions and see each other as real people, forming unique relationships. This coming together would culminate in a concert featuring the complete “Symphony for Europe”.Erasmus+ funding is vital for the project to take place. Simply put, there is no other funding source that could pay for such an enriching and exciting project.To quote Buber, “All real living is meeting”.

<< Objectives >>The project aims to raise an European awareness, strengthen common values, underline the social importance of diversity and achieve a better understanding of other cultures. Therefore, music serves as the primary tool.<< Implementation >>The project will include two stays in the partner countries. During these stays, the students will make music, communicate, travel, eat and get to know each other. In the course of the stays abroad the joint concerts will be important highlights.<< Results >>The project should develop open-minded students who have an European understanding and recognize the social importance of diversity.

Within the framework of the project “School Bands Against Racism“ three big bands from the partner countries Greece, the Netherlands, and Austria dealt with the topics discrimination and racism. In this connection the universal language was music. Through the close cooperation all participants could learn a lot from each other by means of intensive discussions and activities which were undertaken together. Apart from making music together above all, the cultural exchange was right at the top of our list of priorities. The students could talk about their home countries and by doing that they could learn a lot about the chulture, the traditions, and the history of the partner countries and in doing so they could find out both things we have in common and cultural differences. So, many international friendships arose by making friends with each other. This strong sense of unity and solidarity could be felt mainly during our joint performances on the stage.The project “Bands Against Racism“ pursued several goals. Together with all students of the three partner countries who are between 12 and 19 years old a joint school band was founded. In doing so we succeeded in inspiring and motivating the participating musicians and therewith in fostering their musical talents. By means of joint concerts in all partner countries a large audience could be convinced of the musicality of the talented youth. By trips and joint activities all participants were encouraged to leave their comfort zone and to open themselves for the cultural exchange. In a joint undertaking the students dealt not only intensively with European values and the awareness of democracy, but also with the topics racism and discrimination. Furthermore, we succeeded in passing on these experiences and impressions to the audience of our concerts. Beyond that also the digital skills of the students were promoted. Specially mixed, edited, and mastered videos were published on YouTube and can be called up on our website as well. (http://bandsagainstracism.com/Media/YouTube/) But in addition to the confrontation with the content also the musical and creative potential of the participants was stimulated by making music together. By means of music titles, which have a connection to the topics racism and discrimination, content and music could be connected with each other. Through a multilingual moderation and especially selected pieces of music, also the audience could be confronted with the topics and could be made thinking about it.By means of this project we did not only succeed in promoting the musical development of the participating students , but also in stimulating cultural exchange and the confrontation with the topics racism and discrimination. The joint experiences and concerts welded all participants tightly together and thus one of our main concerns could be reached by the means of the universal language of music: international friendships which will hopefully last still for a long time.