Lifelong Learning Programme

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Relevant initiatives

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RELEVANT INITIATIVES FORM

Title of Initiative / Project
Solar car project
Name of Organiser
The Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
Start and ending date of the Initiative
2012-2014
Web site
http://www.solar-car-project.eu/
Level
European
Was the initiative carried out in the framework of a funded project?
Yes
Funding Programme
Comenius Multilateral Partnership
Title of the project
Solar car project
Promoter
The Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
Project number
2012-1-FI1-COM06-09518
Type of deliverables
Teaching Methodology
Thematic area
Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Science , Other
Language of the deliverable
Other EU, English
Target Group
Teachers, Students
Description of the initiative
Project Partners: Porvoo Vocational College - Amisto, Gewerblice Schule Leutkirch, Grimsby Institute Four VET organizations within the EU caried out a Comenius project in the fields of electricity and metalwork and machinery starting 2012. The main objective of the project is to break down the barriers between different subjects and to encourage the students to use core skills and vocational skills together in practical work i.e. use theoretical skills in practice. The concrete end product of the project is a solar powered vehicle. The planning, construction and documentation of the process of building the vehicle is carried out by students of the participant organizations In order to accomplish the aforementioned, the students must be able to use various skills simultaneously. Related theory is first studied by the students and after that implemented in the planning and construction of the vehicle. The core skills that the students use in the project are: environmental science, language and communication skills including English, ICT and social media skills, physics, mathematics and chemistry. These are incorporated into the building process and used together with vocational skills such as electric work, machining, welding and CAD drawing. The main purpose of the project is to increase study motivation by putting theoretical core skills into use together with vocational subjects i.e. to break down the artificial boundaries between subjects and increase integration. The main operating language of the project is English and all the documentation and instructions are made in English. Therefore, an important language learning function exists in the project. As a result, new innovative pedagogical approaches was found.
More Information
Project homepage is under reconstruction. However, there is created machine with solar panels.Teachers useful as consumable practical work and to familiarize students with alternative forms of energy.
Teachers’ Opinion
The solar car project provides an opportunity for interesting group assignments and helps students to understand importance of theoretical subjects and how they can materialize it. Students acquire teamwork skills, learn how to split responsibilities, strengthen creative thinking and can come up with unorthodox solutions for complex problems.
Students’ Opinion
It helps to understand how different scientific fields are related. Materializing theoretical knowledge into something useful is a great motivation.

Comments on this Relevant initiatives

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Date: 2015.02.27

Posted by Veronica Del Bene (Italy)

This project fascinates me due to its ultimate goal that is the construction of a concrete product, specifically a solar powered vehicle.
I believe that if scientific subjects, especially maths, were taught using learning units dedicated both to the planning and construction of concrete end products, they would be much more attractive and motivating for students. The great advantage of this type of learning environment is that students can use core skills and vocational skills together in practical work.
Unfortunately, the project website http://www.solar-car-project.eu is temporarily under construction so it was not possible to obtain more detailed information about the teaching units used in the operative phases of the work done by the students involved in the project.

Date: 2015.02.22

Posted by Massimo Amato (Italy)

A possible solar car is a kind of future green vehicle that has to substitute our non ecological car.
The students have an idea of this but I think that a not expensive real model in movement is the best via to understand the importance of green vehicle.
Three years ago I built a zero emission vehicle with my student, a tricycle two-seater pedal assisted, with Lion battery to help the cyclists. It was a nice experience.

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News

Dissemination Seminar in Florence

31 October 2015 The seminar has been held in ITIS “A. Meucci” one of the schools involved within Goerudio project activities. Its main aim was to promote the results of the project toward a broad sample of stakeholders even overcrossing the number of people directly involved in the production of project outcomes. This purpose has been totally achieved especially thanks to the participation of students and teachers coming from different schools or from other classes instead of those ones directly involved within the project activities.