The ARISE program,
with approval code: ERASMUS +2021-1-EL01-KA220- SCH -000032598, is an ERASMUS + program, and is part of the KA220- SCH Actions for Cooperation Partnerships focusing on school education. The coordinator and scientific director of the program for ARISE is the Hellenic Open University. The aim of the program is, on the one hand, to strengthen the integration efforts of students who have difficulties in the classroom and, on the other hand, to develop students’ active citizenship and entrepreneurial skills. The ARISE program focuses both on difficulties related to students’ academic performance and difficulties in integrating into the classroom and school life. Students can be indigenous, first, or second-generation immigrants and refugees.
The framework:
A fundamental principle of the ARISE program is that ensuring educational equity is not only a matter of social necessity, but also a way to ensure a more efficient use of resources and to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for economic development and social cohesion (Schleicher, 2018) . The ARISE project focuses on the development of citizenship and entrepreneurial skills of disadvantaged youth. “Disadvantaged youth” is used here as an umbrella term encompassing young people who have fewer opportunities than their peers and are at risk of ending up in a NEET situation. More equity in education is not only a social justice imperative, but also a way to use resources more efficiently, increase the supply of knowledge and skills that promote economic growth and strengthen social cohesion. Hanushek & Woessman (2015) have shown that the benefits to economic growth and sustainable development would be enormous if every 15-year-old student achieved at least basic level 2 on the PISA proficiency scale by 2030.
Aim and goals:
The overall aim of the ARISE project is to develop, implement and disseminate a proactive approach in secondary schools through a multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary collaboration that uses project-based learning to: 1. strengthen the capacity of education and training professionals to address the challenges of equity, diversity and inclusion in the learning environment; 2. Promote inclusion in education, empower disadvantaged and/or third-country national (TCN) learners (refugees, asylum seekers and newly arrived migrants) and help them become active, responsible and entrepreneurial citizens, thus combating early school leaving. The specific objectives of the ARISE projects are: 1. Prevent young people from ending up in a NEET situation (young people not in education, employment, and training) by promoting social, civic, communication and intercultural skills, strengthening the capacity of children and young people to be self-confident, self-organized and project competent, and better handling of diversity in the classroom for the benefit of all. 2. To promote awareness and understanding of European values and the principles of unity and diversity. Based on the above, the goal is to build a society where all students, their families and communities feel a sense of common belonging. The target groups of the project are education professionals, i.e., teachers and pedagogical staff, the educational communities working with migrant and disadvantaged children (12-18 years old), pupils, their communities and education policy makers to promote inclusive education and integration of foreigners and autochthonous citizens. The ultimate aim and common component of both goals is the development of a sense of belonging.
Implementation:
The ARISE program is based on a dynamic collaboration between student parents, teachers, social workers, NGOs, and the Hellenic Open University with the aim of developing practical tools for teachers and students (manual, pilot lessons, toolkit) that can be used in the classroom. A total of four countries are participating in the program: Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Finland. A total of 60-90 teachers and 120 students will be directly involved in the program. In addition, the effectiveness of the program is expected to reach 10,000 people through platforms, online materials, and social media dissemination.
Anticipated actions and research methodology:
ARISE will run for two years and is expected to be completed in early 2024.
The participating schools will be invited to participate and contribute to the following six actions:
Methodological approach and assessment of teachers’ and pupils’ needs practices and propositions.
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1.1. Identification of teachers who will participate in the program and overview of their own reality in terms of inclusion and civic engagement of disadvantaged students. Teachers will be asked to record, through their participation in an online survey (questionnaire), the problems they face in the classroom, the skills they think they need to develop for the successful integration of disadvantaged students and their suggestions.
1.2. Identification of the students who will participate in the research and an overview of their own reality in relation to inclusion and citizenship. The students and their families will be invited to express their needs and suggestions regarding their inclusion and integration into the national education system through interviews when the use of written language is not possible.
Handbook for educational staff and training workshop for teachers.
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This axis is divided into two actions: 2.1. Teachers and students are invited to participate in the creation of the manual by submitting and co-designing suggestions, materials and activities and evaluating the manual for its applicability and effectiveness. This manual will be translated into all four languages of the program and will contain good practices and suggestions on the theme of the program that are easily applicable and adaptable to the classroom.
2.2. Teachers are invited to attend a two-day workshop organized by the program on how to effectively engage disadvantaged students in the classroom and school life. In this workshop they will be informed about the results achieved by the pupils and parents during the previous action.
Pilot course- developing social civic communication and intercultural competences.
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During the program, the partners will create a pilot lesson focusing on both the development of citizenship and intercultural awareness in pupils and the conditions for successful intercultural dialogue in the classroom. The pilot application will be conducted by the program researchers in collaboration with the teachers at the participating schools. Teachers and students will be asked to provide feedback on the effectiveness of the course.
Toolkit– project-based learning. This axis is divided into two actions:
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4.1. Teachers involved in the program will attend a workshop on the program’s toolkit for developing students’ civic competence and will be trained on how to use the toolkit in the classroom.
4.2. When using the toolkit in class, students are asked to make decisions, gather and analyze information, argue, draw conclusions, etc. using hypothetical scenarios of real-life actions with the help of the tools provided. One of the main objectives of the toolkit is to increase students’ self-confidence and develop their entrepreneurial spirit.
Cooperation, networking with role models, pupils, communities, and peer-learning.
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The aim of the fifth action is to create networks between students, their families, local institutions and experts in order to create a supportive network for collaboration and participatory learning. These actions are organized by the program’s animators in cooperation with the representatives of the participating schools.
Ε-learning course for teachers and educational community.
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Participating teachers are invited to take part in a short-term asynchronous online course on the theme of the program. The aim is to provide them with feedback so that the course meets their needs as much as possible.
Expected results and impact:
It is expected that the derivatives of the program, which will be published in the four languages of the partners and posted on the program website, will be immediately usable and applicable to a wide range of populations with inclusion and integration problems. Key expected benefits include engaging in dialogue with students, using their experiences to develop effective tools for their inclusion, increasing self-awareness, developing critical and entrepreneurial thinking, active learning and developing ‘soft’ skills.
Ethics:
The research methodology is applied in accordance with Articles 3 and 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. At each step of the process, the anonymity of the participants is guaranteed in accordance with Greek legislation (Ν. 2472/1997, on the Protection of the Person and the Processing of Personal Data) and in accordance with EU legislation on the protection of general data (GDPR, 2016/679). In the meantime, parents and students will be asked to sign an informed