Europe @t School
Internet Award Scheme
Intention
The Europe at School - Internet Award Scheme aims at establishing a net of school
partnerships to work on themes of common European interest, making use of the
Internet.
It is based upon the existing network Europe at School and it promotes cooperation,
intercultural learning and the critical use of the new information and communication
technologies.
Theme
A European Guidebook to Democracy
2005 has been declared the year of "Education for Democratic Citizenship" by the
Council of Europe (www.coe.int/edc). On this occasion we would like to invite you to go
on an expedition in search of democracy. The projects of the Europe @t School – Inter-
net Award Scheme 2004/05 are to be combined to create a virtual guidebook showing
various aspects of democracy and citizenship, based on your findings and experiences.
You and your project partners are wanted as authors to contribute a chapter to this
book!
The “European guidebook to democracy” will explore the following issues:
Most Europeans live in democratic societies, but what does that mean for you in your
everyday life, especially at school?
¾ What have you learned about democracy and citizenship? What possibilities are open
to you for getting to know about your rights and responsibilities?
¾ Do you feel capable of expressing your own opinions? Do you have any influence on
decisions that concern you? What would be helpful in order to strengthen the position of young people?
¾ How are differences, for example regarding culture, religion, ethnic background and
the like being treated in your environment? How are conflicts solved at your school?
Can you see any possibilities for better ways of dealing with them?
¾ In what ways do the media influence your point of view? How could you use the new
media to get more involved in democratic processes?
Europe @t School – Internet Award Scheme 2004/05
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These and other questions could be dealt with in your chapter of the guidebook. As a
virtual book, it will be of a very special nature: The contents will consist of your joint
projects.
The “European guidebook to democracy” will be made up of three sections:
1. Conceptual exploration of democracy and citizenship (historical background, comparison of political systems, European identity and democratic values, ...)
2. "Good practice": Examples of democratic ways and means leading to active participation e.g. in class, in groups, in social associations of any kind, ...
3. Works of fiction such as dramas, narratives and stories, poems, cartoons, ...
Your chapter i.e. your joint project should therefore fit into one of these three sections.
Task
The task is the production of a website, treating (one or several) chosen aspects of the
given theme "A European Guidebook to Democracy" in one of the three named sections.
This website should be the result of the joint work of a European project group, consisting of working teams in three partner schools in three countries. The project result
is to be presented in the Internet.
The winners of the previous rounds of the Europe @t School - Internet Award Scheme
will give you examples of "Best Practice".
Conditions of Participation
The Internet Award Scheme is open to schools in the countries involved in Europe at
School. The participants are classes or teams (no individuals, please!), working together
on the project either as a curricular or as an extra-curricular activity. Schools of all
types are welcome (no universities, please!). The minimum age of the pupils involved is
9 years. The school team needs one unique email address for the communication.
European Project Group
The entries to the Internet Award Scheme are websites produced by European project
groups. Each European project group is made up of three school teams from three different European countries. After three partners have established a European project
group, they are required to carry out the following tasks:
¾ To choose one or several specific aspect(s) of the theme "A European Guidebook to
Democracy" which they wish to treat in their joint project.
¾ To agree on the working forms and methods they will use (field study, interview /
questionnaire, visit of relevant institutions or initiatives, research, ... )
¾ To find a suitable presentation for the joint web-site (diary, report, interactive
game, comic strip, data-base of relevant addresses, collection of links, scenario, ...)
¾ To organise the joint work (distributing tasks among the partners, integrating contributions into the common result, ...)
¾ To ensure smooth communication (see "Project Etiquette")
Europe at School, Coordinating Unit, Bonn/Germany; Tel. +49-228-7290040; [email protected]
Europe @t School – Internet Award Scheme 2004/05
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Finding Partners
In order to facilitate the finding of partners, Europe at School provides a data base
containing information on school co-ordinates and further details relevant for the
seeking of partners. All school teams who wish to participate are asked to register in
our data base between 1 October and 30 November on www.internet-award-scheme.org.
Each registered team will receive a confirmation of their registration from Europe at
School, including a registration number and password. After that the following steps
should be taken:
¾ To access the online database, and to check if the team's data are complete and
correct, by using the "Update" page.
¾ Those who bring along partners should make sure that their partners register, too,
and they should inform Europe at School about the partnership.
¾ Those in search of partners should visit the "Search" page, where they will get a list
of other registered teams who are also looking for partners.
¾ To select candidates from the list, to contact them and to ask them if they are willing to cooperate.
¾ When a partner has been found, to update the team's record, indicating who is the
partner.
¾ As soon as an agreement between three teams has been reached, Europe at School
should be informed about the partnership. The three teams now constitute a European project group.
Project Etiquette
One of the most important aspects of the Internet Award Scheme is clear and reliable
communication. Please respect the following recommendations:
¾ Your communication partners should not have to guess who you are!
Please give your name, your school name and town in every message.
¾ Messages addressed to you should not disappear in virtual Nirwana!
Please communicate immediately any change relating to your co-ordinates (especially your email address for the contact)!
¾ Your partners should not have to knock on your door in vain!
Please inform your partners on the times when you can be contacted most easily
(computer access) and also times when you cannot be reached (holidays).
¾ Communication is two-sided!
Please answer any message that you get, even if your reply is very short and/or
negative.
Ranking and Jury
At the end of the working phase the European project groups will present their project
websites in the Internet. The web-sites should meet the following conditions:
¾ The Internet presentation is the product of a European project group, the cooperation within the group is visible.
Europe at School, Coordinating Unit, Bonn/Germany; Tel. +49-228-7290040; [email protected]
Europe @t School – Internet Award Scheme 2004/05
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¾ The project websites deal with one or several chosen aspects of the theme "A European Guidebook to Democracy".
¾ The main lines of the project results are described by a summary in English. The
standard of English itself, however, is not a decisive criterion.
¾ The sources used are named/documented; quotations are marked and correct.
¾ There is one starting page for the project (one URL).
The entries to the Europe @t School- Internet Award Scheme will be ranked in a two-
step procedure. In a first round, the participating school teams will select their favourite presentations within special ranking circles. The highest-ranked project results from
each ranking circle will be passed on to a jury of experts who will select the winners.
Criteria
The project web-sites will be assessed according to the following criteria:
C1
European dimension of the work, regarding cooperation
The actual transnational (European) cooperation of the groups of pupils involved
in the project is one important aspect of the work's European dimension.
C2
European dimension of the work, regarding contents
The participants, by working on the theme, should get in touch with questions
relating to the process of European integration. In this sense it should be visible
from the project that 'Europe' was the object of reflection.
C3
exploration of the theme
C5
web-design
C4
clarity of the message
C6
originality / creativity
Awards
The winning teams will receive money awards. In addition, each school team will obtain
a certificate confirming their successful participation.
Time Schedule
Event
Registration of interested school teams in the Europe @t
School database
Partner seeking
From
Until
1 Oct 2004
30 Nov 2004
15 Oct 2004 30 Nov 2004
Establishing of European project groups (consisting of 3 school
15 Dec 2004
teams each)
Working phase
Dec 2004
Presenting the joint website in the Internet
Selection of the winners
Preselection by ranking among the participants
Final selection by a jury of experts
Apr 2005
30 Apr 2005
1 May 2005
25 May 2005
End of May 2005
Announcement of the winning projects
June 2005
Awarding of the prizes
End of June 2005
Europe at School, Coordinating Unit, Bonn/Germany; Tel. +49-228-7290040; [email protected]