DEAN PROJECT Madrid, 7 May 2010

DEAN PROJECT. WHY I GOT INVOLVED? The innovation of the subject interests me. It was a challenge and could be a rich learning experience for myself. Regarding Students: They could learn best by solving new problems. It gives them an opportunity to have extra curricular experiences. Cooperative learning helps students to contribute to the group success. It rises their self-esteem because they face difficulties that can cope with.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GROUP INVOLVED They are nine students, from 16 to 18, with learning difficulties. They are following a two-years educational programme called Diversificación. Characteristics of the programme: The curriculum is reduced and integrated. Coursework assignements are between 30% and 40% of the marks. The class group are no more than 15.

HOW I ORGANIZED THE PROJECT At school: I presented DEAN project to be approved by the Headmistress Then I contacted the teachers of English, Technology and the responsible for ICT classroom to ask for collaboration. After, I asked the school to provide three students with a computer. I spread DEAN project in the school.

How I organize the Project with students I offered it to the group who I am the class teacher. We decide they will work on it two hours a week. We selected the books to be digitized: Books from the school library Youth literature

The parents in the Project They were informed when we set off the Project. I send them the students marks at the end of the term.

ORGANIZING THE COMPUTER CLASSROOM Instalation of the software. Give out the material: The books to be digitized and a pendrive. Provide with an address and connection to the list of DEAN project. Decide on the format of students report at the end of each session. Decide on the marks students can get in English, Technology, Spanish Language and Attitude.

IMPACT OF DEAN PROJECT ON THE CURRICULUM In English Language: They verify the importance of learning this language: by preparing the meeting in Greece and visiting the country four of them. They improve the language skills: understanding explainations and writing reports. English language became more interesting because they work with a goal.

Spanish language They also improved the skills of their mother tongue: They have to take care over the spelling of the texts they produce. They have to devote more time to reading. They have to be more careful with language when they give explanations to their classmates.

TECHNOLOGY The impact on Technology is obvious. They learned how to digitize using a camera or a scanner. Edition techniques. Organization of the books collection in a digital library. Management and implementation of the lists and blogs with the participation of IES Suanzes in Madrid. Writing reports and sending to the list. Using the videocall to communicate with other associated nodes (Greece and Turkey)

SO WE HAVE Nine students, aged 16 to 18, from a group of Diversificación Working two hours a week on an European Project. Digitizing nine books in the computer classroom and organising them in a digital library. Learning everything by doing it. Using cooperative learning methodology. Beeing evaluated in English Language, Spanish, Technology and Attitude.

CONCLUSION Beeing in DEAN project has been a very positive experience. For the school: Taking part in an European Project gives it prestige and opens to other countries. Some of the teachers were interested on what students were doing and ask about digital libraries For students: Their image within the school has improved Hard work but rewarding For myself: Taking part in DEAN Project had been a very interesting learning and teaching experience. Appreciate meeting the colleagues from Greece and Turkey and visiting Livadia and Izmir.