A network project A path to hope

Transcription

1 A network project A path to hope SCHOOL DATA 1. COORDINATOR SCHOOL DATA SCHOOL NAME PRIMO CIRCOLO DIDATTICO CIULLO ALCAMO STREET, CITY, DISTRICT Telephone, fax and VIA FLORIO, ALCAMO (TP) Tel Fax e.mail [email protected] Principal Prof. Vito Emilio Piccichè School Taxpayer s Code Number

2 FEATURES OF THE PROJECT 1.Title A path to hope 2. Introduction Insularity can be a unifying or splitting factor on the basis of the cultural point of view. The characteristic of islands, and especially of Sicily because of its singularity, is that they are territorial units which are clearly defined and divided by the other ones. For this reason they impose some originality in the quality of their relations with the external world. The variety and complexity of the relations that Sicily has been able to develop over the centuries have definitely mitigated, if not canceled, the level of isolation which is peculiar of an island culture even more than its geographic position. The importance and the appeal of the sea has been essential in the Sicilian historicalethnical dynamics since the Neolithic period, with the arrival of new populations coming from the Near East which also determined the pottery evolution. The technological revolution connected with the metal working made Sicily a fixed point of reference and transit for the new commercial routes that, during the third millennium B.C., moved from East and headed for the regions of Sardinia, France and the Iberian Peninsula which were rich in metals. Since the early Bronze Age the richness of the sea business relations with the Greek- Mycenaean world was evidence of a constant presence of Meso-Helladic and Proto- Mycenaean pottery. The following Hellenic influence, the Punic presence in Western Sicily 2

3 and the Roman colonization characterized the urban development, the evolution of architecture, the artistic production and the wealth of the Sicilian cities as well as the construction, during the first Imperial Age, of luxurious residences linked to the development of large landed estates that will characterize Sicilian agriculture over the centuries. But the whole cultural, political and economical structure of the island was redrawn by the Arab conquest and the Norman occupation which determined a substantial intensification of the exchanges with the Islamic Mediterranean countries, from the Iberian Peninsula to Africa and Middle East; the island was thus introduced into a wide-ranging field that incorporated the new Sicilian artistic, urban and architectonic events. Thanks to the Norman presence Sicily returns to the Christian West sphere and asserts herself, once more, as a key region in the Mediterranean trade. Or rather, the island proves to be the highest synthesis between the Islamic and the Christian world. The ancient Jewish people, especially in some Sicilian areas, and the present increase of the Orthodox population are also to be considered. The Swabian presence, Federico II s defense system, the elimination of the last areas of Islamic resistance, the re-feudalization due to the Angevin coming, the subordinate role towards Spain as far as the unity of Italy characterized the durable Sicilian political life and her territorial structure. The increase of the defenses to push back the pressure of the Turkish Navy went together with the greatest artistic maturity reached between the 17 th and 18 th century (Sciascia reminds us that poems written in the Sicilian dialect were published in Venice and Florence, and that some Sicilian baroque architects were in touch more with Paris than Rome). Today Sicily can represent the ideal meeting point, the centre of talks and hopes with the Mediterranean countries thanks to her geographical position, her contaminations, her cultural, ethnical and religious stratifications. 3

4 3.Explanatory Report and Project Aims Nursery and Primary Schools pupils are the protagonists of this project which is based on the communication between Sicily and the Mediterranean countries; thanks to the new technologies and a suitable virtual space created within the website these pupils can have a debate with their peers living in the Mediterranean basin. The very central element of the whole network project effort is to seek a dialogue for a future of peace through the children s artistic and didactic works. The communication and the planning of shared didactic actions will above all, but not only, concern the artistic area through the devising and the realization of activities in the field of figurative arts, music, cinema, comics, animation as well as any other expressive form including narration and poetry. The teaching districts and the Comprehensive Schools (only Nursery and Primary Schools) that will join the Network of Hope will have to state, by thirty days from the agreement, which project they intend to develop and their European, Asian or African partner school (that must overlook the Mediterranean). They will be given a virtual space, within the website where they will carry out their didactic-artistic activities and will have the opportunity to talk to their partner school s pupils and teachers, in a process of knowledge and discovery that will stimulate sincere bonds of friendship based on projecting and working together. The partner school will state the name of the coordinator teacher that will possibly be supported by a teacher of English. The Primo Circolo Didattico Ciullo D Alcamo, which is the network coordinator, will be in charge of the management of the virtual space, will facilitate the contacts, the exchanges and the initiatives, will supervise the relations with the National and International Foundations, Local Authorities, Administrations and Associations that intend to join the network. The agreement to the network by Local Authorities, Central and Decentralized Offices of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sicilian Region, credit institutions, private and public authorities will be necessary if, hopefully, it is possible to organize a Mediterranean Children s Meeting; this could be arranged every year, during the month of 4

5 May, in Alcamo (TP) in order to organize a meeting occasion for the children that will have realized the most significant didactic and artistic projects from one shore to the other one of the mare nostrum. The reinforcing of friendship, developed during the on-line activities, could thus become factual in real meetings that can strengthen the bonds and can be a tangible element for a future of peace and dialogue among the people, the cultures and the religions that live on the Mediterranean shores. Coordinator of the Network project: Prof. Vito Emilio Piccichè, Principal of the Primo Circolo Ciullo di Alcamo. 4. Dialogue and hope-based planning skill Now more than ever we perceive the need not to be stuck in the present, in today s meanness which is organized in order to satisfy the temporary needs not only excluding the future but even denying, in fact, the existence of near worlds with which it is absolutely necessary to debate and communicate. In this perspective, Hope can be the driving force of realistic and workable didactic actions which are the result of free, practical and responsible choices. If we put the perspective of future, which is mainly represented by children and young people, together with a planning skill based on the most sincere present existences, we can start to build the future on the basis of an attitude of listening and dialogue with our neighbours who, in fact, are already part of our life. Developing joint educational projects which allow our children to work having a didactic, human and social objective means giving some near but impervious worlds the opportunity to know each other. The easiest and most direct instruments to keep children living in different latitudes in touch with each other are the various linguistic forms such as art, music, theatre, cinema etc.; everything will be made extremely easier thanks to a correct use of information and communication technologies (ICT) which reduce space and time without trying to consider them non-existent. 5

6 The more deep-routed and widespread the planning skill that brings people closer through their children, the greater the hope to have an action of knowledge and culture able to help the dialogue and prevent a clash between fundamentalism and extremism. Even the diplomatic corps, provided that their intervention is necessary, could realize that the seeds planted by children of partner schools which work jointly on creative projects can be their special and unexpected allies. Starting from single experiences already thinking to an increasingly widespread dissemination of dialogue and hope could determine a virtuous inclination towards the common good which art, in its longing for beauty, can properly strive for. 5. Project aims and objectives It is an unquestionable fact that the ICT use can increase the quality of the educational process as well as the teaching effectiveness with positive impacts in terms of learning and interpersonal communication methods. The artistic language, which is immediate in itself, can be accelerated within a planning logic thanks to a correct use of ICT which can be directed to the dialogue and the comparison with the neighbours, this being the essential element of the whole network project. After having been approved by the collective bodies of the partner schools (ex art. 7 DPR n. 275/1999) and included in each school P.O.F., this project starts a 5-year path of educational-cultural interaction among the countries that overlook the Mediterranean basin with the long-run aim of bringing people nearer, through their children, and enhancing relations based on reciprocal respect, dialogue and solidarity in order to prevent extremism, fundamentalism and xenophobia. 6

7 Key Objectives 1) to give teachers the opportunity to further their didactic activity and implement their socialization through the use of ICT 2) to foster the ICT use in order to plan and realize the joint didactic actions 3) to give teachers the opportunity to cooperate with teachers belonging to different schools and countries 4) help pupils realize that ICT are an instrument to get more knowledge, to improve the students and teachers interpersonal relationships as well as their human, professional and didactic solidarity 5) to stimulate the promotion of artworks that can reflect the individual sensitivity as a fundamental contribution to the production of a common artistic and didactic outcome. Cross-cultural objectives - to discuss the importance of relationships as a crucial element for the success and the quality of a cooperative didactic product. - to enhance the sense of reciprocal belonging as a pre-requisite for really friendly relations which are at the basis of the success of a didactic initiative - to further a greater sensitivity towards the theme of communication - to facilitate friendship among children as a driving force for the development of friendly relations among families, peoples, institutions of the partner countries. - to improve the team work skills - to improve the problem solving skills - to further the children and teachers creativeness and inventiveness - to experience the enthusiasm for changes and the joy of friendship 7

8 6. The platform and the micro-networks system The project requires a basic knowledge of information technology (I.T.) and, above all, of the most used programs in teaching; everyone will have the opportunity to use the platform whose realization will be gradually and specially arranged within the website After finding the partner school, it will be possible to plan and register the project in the platform; it must be submitted to the coordinator school (Primo Circolo Ciullo di Alcamo) by eight days from the registration, together with the school data form. Every micro-network will have its own area within the platform, its own homepage, username and password; each school must identify a coordinator teacher who will be responsible and administrator of the on-going activities throughout the span of the project. Within the micro-network area pupils will be able to use a reserved space to communicate, share ideas and interact; a place for teachers to work jointly on a subject area as well as a forum and a chat room will be available for both teachers and parents to communicate with the partners. Every user will receive a username, choose a password and create a personal profile. Micro-networks can involve a maximum of four schools (at least a Sicilian one and at least one from a Mediterranean country). The platform will include a FAQ area to help partner schools to get information or solve problems. Moreover, it will be possible to contact the school ([email protected]) to receive assistance. 8

9 7. Organization and description of the action The project is addressed to all Didactic Districts and Comprehensive Schools and involves nursery and primary schools pupils. Each school which agrees to the network will have to develop and fulfil the projects in teamwork with a partner school from a Mediterranean country; the Sicilian school will have the possibility to choose the partner school after the agreement. The school collective bodies have to pass the partnership resolution; copy of this document together with the micro-network project and the foreign partner school agreement declaration must be sent to the Primo Circolo Didattico Ciullo Via Florio 3 Alcamo (TP), as coordinator school, by eight days from the micro-network establishment. A micro-network will be formed by a minimum of two schools (at least a foreign one) and a maximum of four schools (at least a foreign and a Sicilian one). Each micro-network will have to indicate the coordinator school which must absolutely be a Sicilian one. The micro-networks system, systematically included within the wider A path to hope network, is a guarantee for the efficiency and effectiveness of the project, in full consideration of the aims and the cross-cultural and key objectives of the network project; that means taking into consideration the values of knowledge, exchange, solidarity and friendship which are at the basis of A path to Hope, that strives for a future of peace and dialogue among children and, therefore, the peoples of the world. All Sicilian schools can agree to the network but it is hoped for all the Sicilian provinces to be represented. Furthermore, in each micro-network, which is the very heart of the initiative, the foreign schools must be from the same country so that the friendship bonds with a Mediterranean population can be intensified. In the future, of course, the Sicilian schools which are part of the micro-network will have the possibility to change partner school and country. The micro-network project must define the duration, the actions, the use of the platform within the website the number of the children who are involved in the single partner school, the coordinator teacher who will be responsible and manager of the activities. 9

10 Each school will afford on its own any expense which will be necessary for the realization of the project. As concerns general expenses, which include the platform realization and management, assistance and publicity, each school will make a single payment of 250 euro to the Primo Circolo Didattico Ciullo di Alcamo on signing the agreement to the network. The payment of the above mentioned amount will be made only by bank transfer using the IBAN current account at our school bank. Afterwards, these sums will be registered on account books under the specific entry P.A. project referring to a specific financial year of the Primo Circolo Didattico Ciullo di Alcamo. This sum cannot be given back even if the agreement to the network is canceled. This is due to the need of making the project work. The 250 euro single payment will be made, in the following years, by the 15 th of September, as above indicated and will not be given back for any reason. This school will give allpurpose receipt if requested. In order to guarantee full transparency of accounting operations, a biannual table will be published both in the school notice board and in the website it will contain all the takings and payments relating to the project. All payments must be made to the following EU-IBAN code: IT 62 S On the bank account made out to Direzione Didattica statale Primo Circolo Ciullo Alcamo (TP) At Banca di Credito Cooperativo Don Rizzo di Alcamo Agenzia di Città Viale Europa, Alcamo (TP). 10

11 8. Evaluation criteria Each step of the micro network projects will be monitored through an activity of observation and registration making use of: - logbook edited by the manager of the micro network who will express, through notes and comments, his personal viewpoints, observations and evaluations. - logbook edited by the coordinator teacher of each partner school, with notes and comments which express personal viewpoints, observations and evaluation as concerns the project strength and weakness, its progress, the results, with a special attention to the quality and the relations concerning the school, the teachers and the pupils. - Middle-term assessment report about each school s pupils edited by the teachers who are involved in the micro network project. A copy of the logbooks and the evaluation reports must be sent, by the end of February every year, or on completion of 50% of the activities, to the coordinator school so that this can compile - The network Logbook - The network pupils overall middle-term evaluation report The main objective of this monitoring is to keep control on the on-going educational activity in order to adjust and modify, if necessary, one s own aims and avoid inefficiency towards the planned objectives The items to be monitored are: - The level of involvement - Time observance - The virtual space effectiveness - The quality of the relationships ( among teachers, among pupils, between teachers and pupils, among the partner schools) which have been developed within the virtual space and, hopefully, fulfilled in exchanges and didactic visits. - Learning results - Clearness and timeliness of decisions 11

12 At the end of the micro network project there will be a theoretical-practical final test that will be done by all the involved pupils in order to evaluate the learning levels on the basis of the following criteria: - Level of awareness and quality of the relationships established - Awareness of the sympathetic learning, friendship and respect of different cultures - Technical operating skills - Knowledge of the operating procedures relating to the activities The micro network coordinator teacher will be in charge of writing the Project Final Evaluation Report and a Project Final Report The concise forms and the final reports must be sent to the coordinator school by the 15 th June for the compilation, edited by each single micro network coordinator, of the : - Network projects global evaluation report - Network final report. 9.Project dissemination Leaflets, posters, brochures, . TV shots, radio TV newspapers and magazines ads, school website. Alcamo, NETWORK PROJECT MANAGER S SIGNATURE Prof. Vito Emilio Piccichè 12