2012-13

On the fourth of October, our Slovenian partners arrived at Weeze airport for the first exchange week. Around 23.30 we gathered at our school, the Udens College, for the first encounter.

The program for the week was intensive, since participants were expected to investigate a chosen subject together with their Slovenian partner. The subject choice was free, although it had to be related to characteristics or developments in the Netherlands as well as Slovenia. The results will be presented at the web, addressed to people with a specific interest.

structure of the assignment

Students had to agree on the subject, discuss a main question, sub-questions and decide on the research.

The desired end product is a designed blog with pictures, podcast and/or short movie in which a chosen target group can find information about Slovenia / the Netherlands. Blog must be in English and designed to reach out and capture people's attention, to address tailored messages to the target group.

Possible subjects they could focus on:

world improvers (renewable energy from natural resources, making plastics from algae, …)
lovers of nature (GPS and exploring wilderness, safari in Europe, nightlife in nature, fishing for ecological balance vs fishfarming, biodiesel from funghi / algae farms / biofuel from waste, otters in NL/SI, …)
culture lovers (any research subject on architecture, painting, music or dance, art as investment, …)
(top)sports enthusiasts (comparison of popular Slovenian and Dutch sports, e.g. skiing and skating, … )
astronomers (in combination with astrology / chaos in solar system, ... )
historians (Is peace an illusion? International court, memorials and peace policy, …)
politicians (faces of democracy, freedom of opinion, independent journalism, …)
philosophers (what Slavoj Žižek and Dutch thinkers say about postmodern culture, ...)
biologists (ecosystems, environmental pollution, genetic modification, biotechnology, Q-fever, DNA Witrik cows, save the frankincense tree, food color and health effects, allergies and probiotic drinks, insect meat, ..)
archeologists (exploring traces of the Romans in Emona / Nijmegen, Slovene/Dutch prehistory, …. )
geologists (geological history below and above sea level, search for stones and fossils)
detectives (solving murder cases by investigating the origins of plant spores,…)
economics (NL: capitalist production to free market economy versus SI: planned economy -production run by the state- to …?, extracting gold from pyrite, democracy and deforestation, financial education, … )
movie lovers (research of imaging in Slovenian/Dutch movies. Compare narrative, visual language and meaning)

contact persons are teachers, specialists on the subject, and organizations
resources: the web, library, university, own research and experiences during excursion

After completion, we will publish the links (see: blogs).

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students activity

the programs activities are divers

the tasks are various

the student is mentally challenged

the assignment stimulates thinking

research moments are provided

students have access to sources (availability computers, teachers, library)

the students work together and allocate tasks

actuality of the learning content

the tasks and learning content match the living environment and interests of the students

there is opportunity for exploration, direct contact and practical experience

use of modern media contributes to a lifelike character

the assignments provide meaningful and functional applications of the subject matter

the work is interdisciplinary

extent to which students can take and develop their own initiatives

choice options are embedded in the activities

the student can (co) decide on the content of some assignments

students may partly determine how they want to work and how the results are presented

the students have opportunities for self-evaluation

the students are encouraged to solve problems themselves

there is room for students own creative interpretation

degree of alignment with the level of each student

the assignment takes differences in level between the students into account

the students can and may help each other

teachers free up time to observe

teachers make time for individual and group counseling

the results wil be evaluated and registred as individual school mark

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program of the first exchange week:

Thursday October 4 2012 – 22:30: arrival Weeze 23:30: welcome at school

Friday October 5 - project day 1
# 1: creative acquaintance activities
# 2+3: students presentations about the Netherlands
# 4-6: introduction of project goals and program. Students start with orientation on subject
# 7+8: sports activities

Saturday October 6 – 08:45 - 20:30 excursion to Amsterdam

10.30 - 12.30 Visit to the Rijksmuseum, including artwork assignment

12:30 - 13:30 Walking Tour through Amsterdam, along canals, the Begijnenhof and the Royal Palace

After lunch: free time to explore the city in smaller groups

Sunday October 7 - family day

Monday October 8 - project day 2
# 1-3 : research on sources, determine research questions / hypothesis
# 4 : planning excursion for wednesday oktober 10 / preparing visit to university, lab or site
# 5+6: discussion of plans with (subject) teachers
# 7 : introduction excursion to Den Bosch (Mideaval town, Gothic style, Jeroen Bosch)

Tuesday October 9 - project day 3
# 1+2 : regular lessons with partner
# 3+4 : project
# afternoon: excursion to Den Bosch

Wednesday October 10 - project day 4
# project excursion in groups
# 18:30 dinner with all participants

Thursday October 11 - project day 5
# 1+2 : working on the blog
# 3+4 : presentation of the first project results
# 5 : evaluation and planning follow-up: How To Continue..
# 6 : preparing for home journey
16:30 : farewell