An open school imports external ideas that challenge internal views and beliefs and schools use these insights to innovate education. It will provide innovative ways to explore the world: not simply to automate processes but to inspire, to engage, and to connect
The Open Schools for Open Societies project stimulates an open school approach at primary and secondary schools. An open school imports external ideas that challenge internal views and beliefs and schools use these insights to innovate education. It will provide innovative ways to explore the world: not simply to automate processes but to inspire, to engage, and to connect. It will also support the development of innovative and creative projects and other educational activities. An open school is a more engaging environment for learning and makes a vital contribution to the community: student projects meet real needs in the community outside school and draw upon local expertise and experience. And finally: learning in and together with the real world creates more meaning and more motivation for learners.
The Open Schools for Open Societies project is aiming to support 1000 European schools to implement open school approach by:
- Setting out the open school values and principles for action around curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.
- Offering guidelines and advice on issues such as staff development, redesigning time, and partnerships with relevant organizations (local industries, businesses, research organizations, parents and policy makers).
- Suggesting a range of possible implementation models from small-scale prototypes through to setting up an “open school within a school” or even designing a new school.
The first round of implementations is scheduled for school year 2017-2018. Schools that will participate in this round, will act as HUBs for the schools participating in the second round of this project. This means that growing support networks arise between schools.
If a school wants to be an open school, it is necessary to become more innovative. An innovation model has been developed and this model enables schools to get ready to implement the open school approach.
Becoming an open school Hub cannot be an isolated project. It demands a root-and-branch rethink in every aspect of the way the school is organized: it is structure, culture, the use of space, place and time.
The Open Schools for Open Societies project will promote real life projects based upon the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) principles:
- Stimulating learners engagement
- Unlocking their full potential
- Sharing results and providing access to scientific achievements
- Designing innovative actions for all learners
For the first phase, it is necessary that a school is already innovative or wants to be innovative. These schools will implement one or two projects that stimulates an open school approach. After a year these schools will share their experiences and implement ‘open school’ projects at other schools.
For further information about the open school model, please visit the open school model page.
A Transfer Office is a physical space in the centre of the school where daily…