Comenius Regio Project

1. Comenius Regio Project EUR-EMSET: Excellence in mathematics and the natural sciences, environmental education and technology: a European approach to enquiry-based learning

2. Both partner Local Authorities have identified: • a need to improve the quality of education in mathematics and the natural sciences – and • to increase the take-up of these subjects in upper secondary and higher education. • The project aims to achieve stimulating teaching and learning in science, maths and environmental education, through developing a joint framework for supporting…

3. - student involvement in learning – taking into account their preferred modes of learning - development of key competences – in particular in numeracy, science and technology, ICT and learning to learn - cross-curricular collaboration; shared learning activities between schools in the European partner countries – in particular through imaginative uses of ICT for shared investigation and communication;

4. - joint projects with relevant community groups outside formal education - joint methodological development involving Local Authority advisers and consultants, Higher Education establishments, teachers and support staff, community actors – and students as co-constructors of learning.

5. The main focus will be on: • developing collaborative, competence-focused approaches to teaching and learning in the natural sciences • raising the motivation of students in lower secondary education • increasing the proportion of students opting to study the natural sciences in upper secondary and higher education • providing alternative ways of learning relevant to disaffected learners and those at risk of school failure.

6. Work Programme - Gloucestershire • A Joint Project Management Group (JPMG) will be established, including the Project Co-ordinator (Martina Pilling – City of Västerås), the GCC Project Manager (Mary Wormington - GCC), the Project Consultants (Penny Krucker and Martin Whittle), a representative of each partner organisation, and a teacher from each of the participating schools. • Meets at trans-national project meetings • Oct 3-7 2009 in Västerås • Feb 6-10 2010 in Gloucester(now to be negotiated!)

7. Next steps… • Setting up of Project Steering Groups (PSG) in SE and UK of partner representatives, with teachers of Ma,Sc,Envir,Tech – together with students from partner schools. Meet once per term and report to JPMG • Setting up of WIKI - Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) within the project - Trevor Davies - University of Reading • System set up. All partners to log onto system. Trevor Davies to attend January meeting to fully explain procedures/potential

8. Project partners (Västerås) • Västerås Stad – Conny Ström • proAros – Martina Pilling, Helena Lilja, Askövikens Naturskola – Christer Svensk, Bodil Lövgren • ABB – Lena Eliasson (Personnel Manager) • Mälardalens Högskola – Margareta Enghag • Västmanlands Kommuner och Landsting – Ove Svenson • Mediecenter Mälardalen AB – Mats Persson Holm • Vafabmiljö – Britt-Inger Olsson • Lindboskolan – Christer Hansson (Headteacher), Kajsa Källberg, Christer Andersson • St Ilianskolan – Peter Johansson and Eva Johansson (Headteachers), Martina Kulläng, Alexandra D • Rönnbyskolan – Anneli Alesson (Headteacher), Carina Björklund, Maria Larsson

9. Project partners (Gloucestershire) • Gloucestershire International Education Office - Mary Wormington (European Information Manager) • Science Manager, GCC- Alex Fleming • Maths Manager, GCC - Steve Lomax • University of Gloucestershire – Jane Moore • Gloucestershire First - Sue Stoner • The Wilderness Centre – Sally Morley • Forest Education Business Partnership - Andy Robertson • STEMworks – Ed White • Real Ideas Organisation - Richard Martin • Wyedean School - Elaine Turner - Head of Maths • Cirencester Deer Park School - Gail Stevens, Head of Maths • Bussage C of E Primary School – Greg Bastow • Project Consultants - Penny Krucker, Martin Whittle