The fifth Learning/Teaching/Training activity of the ERASMUS+ Project “Our Lives In 20 Years” took place in Edinburgh in Scotland. Students and teachers arrived on Sunday, 5th February until Saturday, 11th February 2017 with 60 participants from 6 European countries: France (Champagnole), Germany (Lemgo), Italy (Catania), the Czech Republic (Most), Poland (Nasielsk) and Scotland (Edinburgh).
The topic of our mobility this time was “Our Education In 20 Years” and our students and teachers participated in activities and excursions that not only allowed them to experience Edinburgh but to reflect on the topic that was to be discussed.
Students were first requested to present and deliver education in past within their countries as well as looking at the style of learner that they have within their schools and colleges. Student were placed in multicultural groups to deliver a proposal for a new school and working to a budget. The idea being they were considering the learning style of the country their school was to represent. Students then presented their schools to the rest of the group.
The groups were to then created a variety of game boards reflecting the career or learning path of a student in a school. Students were asked to be realistic and up to date using the “Game of Life” as a back bone for the project. Students were found to produce games reflecting areas of stress and the importance of exams.
Student also visited the Surgeon’s Hall within the City. The Surgeon’s Hall was the backbone of medicine and surgery within the world and was key in education for many medical students for 100s of years. We participated in lectures about past education of medicine and workshops involving past surgical equipment and education of antiseptics which involved performing key hole surgery and how surgeons learned how to prepare for operations. After the workshops we were looked round the museum where specimens of lecturing equipment and body examinations were on display.
Students all were involved in a number of excursions and cultural activities including; Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Dungeons, a historical and ghost tour and the National museum of Scotland.
We also participated in a traditional Scottish Cèilidh, a Scottish Gaelic word for Scottish dancing. We had a meal of Scotch broth, Haggis, tatties and Neeps and Cranachan, before a live band played and taught us traditional Scottish dance.
We had a fun week and all students seemed to have a fantastic time. As a teacher I found the pupils to work really well and participated in every task put in front of them with incredible enthusiasm.
Natalie Stevenson
Article in the German school newsletter