Teach the European Union Through Collaborative and Student-Centered Learning

Description

Following indications by the European Union, schools and teachers are expected to integrate content related to the European Union (e.g., cultural symbols, history, institutions, values, current events, and global issues) into their lessons.

However, teachers might lack the necessary skills and resources to create effective lesson plans and engaging activities that align with EU-related topics.

The course will help schoolteachers (from either primary or secondary schools) introducing EU-related topics in their lessons in an engaging and meaningful way by clarifying the fundamentals of collaborative and student-centered learning.

During the course, participants will learn how to structure engaging lesson plans based on the 4Cs to develop critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity skills.

They will also learn how to design effective task-(TBL) and project-based learning (PBL) activities that allow students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world situations. Moreover, participants will focus on how to create appealing warm-ups to effectively enhancing student motivation.

For every methodology, the instructor will always provide practical examples and case studies about how to incorporate the specific learning strategies into learning activities focused on EU-related content.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to create engaging and meaningful lessons that incorporate EU-related topics while also developing their students’ 21st-century skills. They will be better equipped to engage and motivate their students while teaching EU-related topics with collaborative and student-centered methodologies, ultimately contributing to a more informed and active citizenry.

Learning Outcomes

The course will help the participants to:   

• Understand the principles of student-centered learning;
• Apply the principles of student-centered learning in designing engaging lesson plans and activities;
• Create effective activities that foster the 4Cs (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity).
• Design and implement TBL and PBL activities focused on EU topics;
• Create warm-up activities that enhance students’ motivation and engagement
• Promoting skills related to EU democratic culture.
• Incorporate archival research and primary sources into classroom instruction for learning about the history of the European Union.

Tentative schedule

1	• Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities. • Icebreaker activities. • Presentations of the participants’ schools.  EU education: an introduction • Educating to the EU • What is EU-related content? • Why teaching EU-related subjects? • Shared discussion of participants’ needs.
2	The 4Cs and the student-centered learning • Collaborative and Student-Centered Learning; • The 4 Cs; • How to structure engaging lessons; • Choosing the right EU topics to develop activities based on the 4Cs.
3	Teaching the EU through TBL and PBL • TBL and PBL: definitions and differences; • How to design effective TBL and PBL activities; • Examples and activities based on EU Topics.
4	Creating Appealing Warm up Activities to Potentialize Student Motivation Introduction • Motivation: What is it and how to keep it up; • Developing skills on EU Democratic Culture through Warm up Activities.
5	Summing up Active and Collaborative Learning Strategies • Active and Collaborative Learning Strategies; • Additional learning Strategies to teach EU related topics; • Case study: Workshops at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU).