Summary

Modern technologies have a tremendous impact on both modern societies and individuals, in particular on young people, who are challenged every day by the constant changes and the need to be up-to-date. Technology is in fact a double-edged sword : we have realised that our students, and this is a common point for all the seven schools, have a restricted vision of technology, as they only use it for entertaining purposes (video games) or as a means of communication (social networks).

On the one hand, this project sets out to attempt to tie things together, since we strongly feel that school education should provide a framework for young teenagers, aged from 13 to 16, to analyse the world - both critically and globally. This should enable them to arrive at a way of conduct in this world which allows to make their own choices while aware of the multiple benefits of using technology in three major fields: Environment, health care and social life & education.

To give an idea how we are going to work we give here an example of our planning for the third project year: Our project aims at putting at their reach the appropriate tools to fight the dangers which these modern technologies undoubtedly bring about (e.g. the exaggerated use of social media causing bullying, addiction and isolation).

We have designed a set of classrooms activities connected with the syllabuses,currently in force, of the following academic subjects: English, History, ICT, Ethics, Philosophy, Natural sciences, Electrical engineering and Social science, to be put into practice during a semester resulting in a mini-project which every school will present to the others during the Learning /Teaching/Training Activities planned for this. To do so, the students will need to improve their skills in several areas: in English as all the presentations will be held in this language, digital competence as the use of new technologies (computer, mobile phone apps, video-conferences, specific software) will be constant throughout these activities. We have set the objectives according to the needs of our students bearing in mind the idea of making them fit for the future. The objective of all this is that the students develop a more balanced attitude of looking at the blessings and challenges of modern technology.

In the course of two preparatory meetings held in Timisoara in November 2014 and in Hückelhoven in December 2015 and in the light of past experiences gleaned in two previous Comenius projects shared by most partners we came to the conclusion that youngsters in all seven countries are undergoing the similar kinds of challenges in connection with modern technology. The issue we are trying to address is not a national one - it has to do with lifestyles, changes in society and economy that are of a transnational nature due to globalization. However the experiences - and also the needs - dealing with these issues are different, because national and school cultures differ. The exchange of these differences and parallels are central to our project.