Fourth Exchange in Spain

The fourth physical student exchange programme took place in Spain 17-21 October 2022 ith the participation of 24 guest students and 10 guest teachers. During the meeting we got acquainted with the Spanish educational system and got an insight into the daily activities of our Spanish partner school.

The main theme of the mobility in Spain was how to implement activities with cross-curricular purposes as a wealth of activities related to multiple subjects were implemented. The Spanish school has a great expertise in carrying out cross-curricular projects and during our stay we were involved in many of them. The activities focused mainly on Literature and Sciences but we also participated in Art-related tsks.

Prior tot he meeting all partners carried out a research on National Literary pieces and selected one folk or fairy tale that they presented to their peers. The presentations focused not only on the tales themselves but also on the traditional elements and typical features. Students also gave performances on the stories and also created interactive games for checking comprehension and involving their peers.  Students and teachers took part in a variety of workshops such as a physical escape room on the topic of Geography combined with elements of Maths where with the knowledge of the history of vaccines on Spanish soil given to them by their professor, they worked together to discover the clues that led to the treasure. Also a very informative and useful session on History and Social studies was organised where students took part in role play activities exploring the lives of people loving in the Victorian era. The students took on the roles of the cruellest children's ministries of the time. Divided into pairs, some represented employers and others represented exploited child labour. Together with their mentors, they shared their opinions and feelings about the privileges of today.

Participants’ digital skills were also improved as we got acquainted with some applications that can enhance skills related to Maths (MathCityMap) and students needed to complete a trail using Math skills. The MathCityMap is an app for exploring our surroundings from a mathematical point of view. The app leads the user via GPS to the mathematical tasks of a chosen math trail and automatically gives feedback on the answers of the user. This activity took place outdoors, combining Maths with Sports.

We visited the National Museum of Science and Technology (MUNCYT) where we were involved in workshops and useful information on Science was presented in an interactive way. We also paid a visit tot he Planetarium, where we were shown a film on the history of our solar system and planet.

Students and teachers participated in a series of team-building activities in order to create a strong bond among participants and students worked in international teams all through the week to ensure that new contacts are made and language skills are improved. Just like during every meeting, students carried out mini projects related to different aspects of Spanish culture. They needed to collect materials all through the week and present their findings to their peers in the form of videos that they jointly edited.

The Spanish capital city was presented in an interactive way: the participants explored the city in the form of a treasure hunt as they were given a handout with lots of information and challenges. During one such tour a focus was on public sculptures and students had an opportunity to explore the beautiful works of art that can be found in Madrid. In addition, a visit to Prado museum was also organized where we could explore the breathtaking collection with a help of a professional guide.

Several cultural-related activities were organised where we could get an insight into Spanish culture tasting authentic food and listening to authentic music.

Students and teachers participated in a series of team-building activities in order to create a strong bond among participants and students worked in international teams all through the week to ensure that new contacts are made and language skills are improved.

Just like during every meeting, students carried out mini projects related to different aspects of Spanish culture. They needed to collect materials all through the week and present their findings to their peers in the form of videos that they jointly edited.

Participants’ digital skills were also improved as we got acquainted with some applications that can enhance skills related to Maths (MathCityMap) and students needed to complete a trail using Math skills. The MathCityMap is an app for exploring our surroundings from a mathematical point of view. The app leads the user via GPS to the mathematical tasks of a chosen math trail and automatically gives feedback on the answers of the user. This activity took place outdoors, combining Maths with Sports.

During the exchange cultural trips also took place. Sightseeing to the most famous sights of Madrid was organised and students also took part in interactive tasks while exploring historical and cultural sights. Visits to interactive exhibitions took place and we got an insight into the history of Art and Science.

During the meeting students were involved in different kinds of games, both offline and online. A board game evening was organised where students played with different kinds of board games and teachers also discussed how these games could be used with an educational purpose. Also, all project activities were implemented in a playful way, for example in the form of escape rooms and treasure hunts.

The participating teachers had a project meeting to discuss and agree on issues related to project management and made preparations for the next student exchange programme. We also shared good practices related tot he activities done during the meeting.

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