Introduction - Here is our Project...

Title: Let's get to know ourselves and our cities

Short description
Students taking part in the project are working in groups in France, Spain, Greece and other countries introducing themselves to the others, describing their family, their school environment and the educational system in their country, presenting their region and their city (architecture, houses within the sustainable development context, civilization, culture). They exchange ideas, suggestions, opinions, plans, designs, and images using IC tools.

Students in their countries surf on the WWW and look for material concerning the above subjects. They make crossword puzzles, riddles and diagrams trying to communicate and explain their customs, their interests, their hobbies and whatever they think their future will be like. They study, comment and publish their own thoughts and opinions as well as those of their collaborators about studies at University or job via blogs, power-point presentations and web pages.

Guidelines:
· Who am I?
· What is my family and my house like?
· What is my school, the educational system, post compulsory education like?
· What is my town like? (Architecture and environment)
· Which are my interests, hobbies, ambitions (studies and job)
· Entertainment, customs, lifestyle.

Responding to the above topics
· The students will exchange images, photos, videos and texts. They will reflect on and present their existing situation and they will dream of their future.
· By working on the Internet and using IC tools with the partners from other countries they will also appreciate the universal character of the Internet and its power.

Aims
To get a new view of the world around us
To empower young people with those tools, knowledge and skills they need to communicate in the future world
To deepen the relations among the European young people
To create a background for further educational plans
To improve their command of English
To get substantially familiar with modern IC collaborative tools and to improve their implementation skills in developing blogs, WebPages or Power-Point Presentations
To experiment with new learning methodologies
To learn how to work in international teams
To get know the cities, the schools, the likes and the dislikes of our partners and exchange ideas about the way young people live
To develop critical thinking and explore the European perspective
To exchange information about cultural differences and similarities
To obtain intercultural knowledge, experience and computer literacy
To make friends in another country and, if possible, to visit their cities.

Work process
At first all students introduce themselves and their family. Then they work on tasks in 5 sub-groups with students from different countries. There are approximately 2-4 students of each country in each group.
The first group focuses on school and the education system. This could be in the form of a diagram, a drawing or crossword puzzles.
The second group deals with the buildings, the architecture and the famous architects in each town/region (Le Corbusier, Calatrava, Gaudi etc)
The third group works on the Environment (houses built within the sustainable development context, zoning plan etc).
The fourth group presents the customs, interests and hobbies of young people.
The fifth group works on presentations about the civilization, the culture, the tradition and the customs of their own country.

Groups are encouraged to cooperate with each other when necessary. Comparisons between countries are compulsory. Communication in English among students via ICT is important. Each object-tool (photo, image, picture, sound, or video animation) utilised is accompanied by notes or comments and bibliography could be added.

"Project outcome"production
Work plans, schedules and procedures
Blogs, Presentations and web pages
Pictures or videos of the work process

Practical Tips
Communication Tools: e-mail, chat, TwinSpace, web sites, Voip (Skype or MSN)
Communication Language: English

Participants
Groups of students aged 16-19
Group of teachers of different specialization

Framework
Subjects:
Information and Communication Technology
Environment and Natural Sciences
Multimedia and Network
English
Graphic Arts and Architecture
Programmes:
E-twinning
Environmental Education