Main objectives:
* To improve the quality and to increase the volume of student and teaching staff mobility throughout Europe, so as to contribute to achievemnt by 2012 of at least 4 million individual participants in studen tmobbility under the Erasmus programme and its predeccer programmes(ERA-OpObj-1).
* To improve the quality and increase the volume of multilateral cooperation between higher education institutions in Europe(ERA-OpObj-2).
* To increase the degree of transparency and compatibilty between higher education and advanced vocational education qualifications gained in Europe (ERA-OpObj-3).
* To improve the quality and increase the volume of cooperation between higher education institutions and enterprises(ERA-OpObj-4).
* To facilitate the development of innovative practices in education and training at tertiary level, and their transfer, including from one participating country to others(ERA-OpObj-5).
* To support the development of innovative ICT-baased content,services,pedagogies and practice for lifelong learning.(ERA-OpObj-6).
Project Summary:
The main objective of this Intensive Programme is to combine two main themes in one programme and to create a curriculum and educational materials about these themes which are “school development” and “inclusion. School development is a process undertaken by the school community to give direction to the work of the school in order to ensure that all pupils (regardless of any weaknesses) receive a quality education in terms of both holistic development and academic achievement. School development process includes
school effectiveness, quality enhancement, staff development, management of change and so on. The desired outcome of the school development process and product is the provision of an enhanced education service, relevant to all pupils’ needs, through the promotion of high quality teaching and learning, the professional empowerment of teachers, and the effective management of innovation and change.
Inclusion, on the other hand means all pupils in a school, regardless of their weakness in any area, become part of the school community. In most of the democratic states, education is seen as a major vehicle of social progress, justice and welfare, and the philosophy of inclusive education is based on the right of all individuals to a quality education with equal opportunity. By this way it is supposed to contribute to equality and justice, and promote social cohesion. Inclusive education means more than physical integration, so that in addition to accessible classrooms and facilities, students with disabilities must be afforded adequate instructional support systems. These supports may include flexible curriculum (for some students), adequately prepared teachers, and a welcoming school community culture that goes beyond tolerance to acceptance.
The innovative feature of this IP lies especially on the emphasis of the inclusive practices for school development. The programme will especially focus on the practical necessities for achieving the inclusion of all students (disabled, disadvantaged and so on) to schools educational programmes. To achieve these practical necessities, we surely need a working school development process which many shareholders of the school will take parts. School development planning here becomes a more important process. School development planning is an ongoing process that helps schools as complex communities to meet the dual challenge of enhancing quality and managing change.
So, in our Intensive Programme we will especially concentrate on how we can plan school development making sure that all students and shareholders of school community are included.
The target group of the Intensive programme will be all of the shareholders of school development process like preservice teachers, teachers, teacher trainers, school administrators, superintendents and educational leaders. Main activities of the programme will include the lectures, workshops and discussions of study groups. In the end of the programme we expect to have a training programme and training materials, especially prepared using ICTs. All of the products of this Intensive Programme will be shared via the project web-site.