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Coordinators: Ángeles Bernal Pita de VeigaMaría del Pilar García de la TorreFrancisco Ascón Belver

Edited by: Senior University-University of A CoruñaISBN: 978-84-9749-348-2

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Contents

-The Project ..................................................................

-Partners .......................................................................

-On-line tools ................................................................

-Partners´ Activities.......................................................

Senior University-University of A Coruña ...............

Hyvinkään Kansalaisopisto......................................

Kyrönmaan Opisto-Laihia........................................

Volkshochschule Weiden-Neustadt e.V./Germany.

Chemmitz University of Technology........................

Belfast Metropolitan College....................................

AICCRE Federazione Emilia-RomagnaBologna Italia............................................................

-Transnational meetings ..............................................

International meeting “Routes Towards Europe”. A Coruña 2008..........................................................

Final International meeting “Routes TowardsEurope”. Hämeenlinna 2009...................................

Coordinators´ Meeting.............................................

Links .........................................................................

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Routes Towards Europe (RTE)

The Project

The RTE Project puts together several programmesconcerned with the dynamics of active citizenship in acultural European context. The partners strongly share theview that the growing group of European senior citizenscan play an increasingly important role in society throughtheir involvement in local and regional projects.

Study groups in partner countries discuss themes of identity,explore historical routes and study English and ICT.

Participants exchange information, views and ideas onproject website.

Participants meet in national and international seminars.

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Hyvinkää KansalaisopistoHyvinkää (Finland)

Kyrönmaan OpistoLaihia (Finland)

VHS VolkshochschuleWeiden/Neustadt E.V.Folkhighschool Weiden (Deustchland)

Technische Universität ChemmitzChemmitz University ofTechnology. Department of furthereducation and vocational trainingChemmitz (Deustchland)

BIFHE. Belfast Institute for furtherand higher education - BMCBelfast (Northern Ireland - UnitedKingdom) (Until June 2008)

AICCRE Federazione Emilia – Romagna.Bologna (Emilia-Romagna - Italy)

Universidade Senior -Universidade da Coruña (UDC)A Coruña (Galicia - Spain)

Partners

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Website RTE Project

On-line tools

http://www.routestowardseurope.eu

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Moodle platformMoodle is a free and open source e-learning softwareplatform, designed to help educators create online courseswith opportunities for rich interaction. Its open sourcelicense and modular design means that people can developadditional functionality.

The word Moodle is an acronym for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment.

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BIFHE. Belfast Institute forfurther and higher education

HyvinkääKansalaisopisto

Kyrönmaan Opisto

Universidade Senior -Universidade da Coruña (UDC) AICCRE Federazione

Emilia – Romagna

VHS VolkshochschuleWeiden/Neustadt E.V.

Folkhighschool

Technische UniversitätChemmitz. Chemmitz

University of Technology.Department of further educa-tion and vocational training

Partners´ Activities

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Senior University -University of A Coruña

The aims of the course 2007-2008 1. Introduction and implementation of Moodle.

2. Design of student's blogs and incorporating them to thegeneral blog.

3. Preparation for the visit in May .Since December 2007, Creation of the program,Institutional Visits, Routes, Airport pickup, Material, Meals,Workshops Welcome, Hotels, Other.

4. Preparation of power point routes for publication: ingroups, completely original in terms of photos and text,English translation, etc.

5. Other issues (gastronomic routes, etc).

Methodology The didactic methodology has been based on teamwork, with2 hours-meetings that was been hold every fortnight. It alsohas been supplemented with lectures, conferences andpreparatory visits. It will seek to enhance the student'sknowledge and routine use of tools such as internet, email,blogs' design, web page of the Project and Moodle platform.

2007-2008

ActivitiesClasses in computing and English.

Search for information.

Fieldwork (trips and data collection).

Development of essays and preparation ofpresentations.

Publication of the essays in the Moodle platform.

Our group was formed by 48 students, into twogeographical areas (Ferrol & A Coruña). Although moststudents have already participated in another projects inprevious years, new students have been incorporated. Inaddition to the overall objective of the study of Europeanidentity through historical routes, the group has preparedthe International Meetings of A Coruña in May 2008.

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Introduction of Moodle platform and widespread useof this platform amongst the Group of students.

Strengthen the use of ICT and English to fostercommunication between students of the projectand develop the potentials of the web site:exchanges of information, opinions, ...

Discussion of the issue of European identity.

Exploration of historic routes.

Objectives

2007-2008

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MethodologyOur methodology was based on team activities, withfortnightly 2-hour meetings, plus small-group work. This wassupplemented by attendance to master classes andconferences. The aim was to enhance the knowledge anduse of ICT tools, such as internet, email, blog design, theProject's website, and the Moodle platform amongst students.

The following objectives were set for the 2008-2009academic year:

Discussion of the issue of European Identity and thetheme "United in our differences".

Preparation for the Routes Towards Europe meeting inFinland in May 2009.

Enhancement of the use of ICT (information andcommunication technology) tools and the Englishlanguage.

2008-2009

ICT and English support classes (English café wasimplemented one out of every two classes).

Literature searches (web- and paper-based).Conduct of interviews on European identity.

Seminars on European identity.

Assignments, reports and preparation of an expo for theFinland meet.

Publications on the Moodle distance learning platform,using English and ITC.

Work lunches every two months (December to March).

Activities

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October 2008 to January 2009:

Discussion of the issue of European Identity and thetheme "United in our differences".

Objective: to develop an understanding of EuropeanIdentity through an anthropological research project onthe different partners in the Project. This study focusedon the following issues: historical evolution, territory,population, political structures, government.

A seminar on the European Union was conducted inJanuary.

A workshop on the different entities making up theEuropean Union.

Interviews on European Identity.

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Preparation for the Routes Towards Europe meet inFinland in May 2009.

Objective: to develop an understanding of EuropeanIdentity through a research project on Galicia. This studyfocused on providing a fresh image of Galicia avoidingstereotypes.

February to May 2009:

http://www.udc.es/senior

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http://senior.udc.googlepages.com/home

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Hyvinkään Kansalaisopisto

2007-2008

A study group of 13 seniors (8 women, 5 men) had sixmeetings in the autumn term, and eight meetings in thespring term.

ActivitiesEuropean identity: Discussing stereotypes. Increasingknowledge about partner countries: Every member of thegroup chose a topic and made a presentation for the group.The presentations dealt with the following topics: food,housing, culture and religion, means of livelihood and nature.

Preparing for the international seminar in Spain: Articles onGalicia and Santiago de Compostela were read anddiscussed in the group.

Language skills: The seniors and members of staff studiedelementary Spanish.

ICT skills: Project website and Moodle-platform were in use.

Routes: The group explored many Finnish-European routes,e.g. The Oxen Road of Häme, Via Karelia, Routes by air,railways.

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2008-2009

Exploring The King's Road and preparing a presentationfor the international seminar.

Organizing the final RTE international seminar in May2009 in Hämeenlinna.

Objectives

MobilitiesThree members of staff participated in the coordinatorsmeeting in Munich, Germany in November 2007.Nine learners and three members of staff took part in theinternational meeting in A Coruña, Spain in May 2008.

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ActivitiesA study group "RTE- Historical Routes as Paths toEuropean Identity" of 15 seniors (8 women, 7 men) mettwice a month (six meetings in the autumn term, and tenmeetings in the spring term).The theme for the last project year was The King's Road.The road was divided into parts that were explored by thegroup members- alone or in pairs. The group membersmade field trips and invited an expert on the King's Roadto give a lecture and prepared a presentation for the finalinternational seminar.Two bazaars/jumble sales were organized in order to raisefunds for the final seminar.

Preparations for the final international seminar inHämeenlinna 21-23/5/2009.

ICT: Project website and Moodle platform were in use. Thegroup had ICT-classes once a month.

MobilitiesTwo members of staff participated in the coordinators'meeting in Scandiano, Italy in October 2008.

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http://www.hyvinkaankansalaisopisto.net/hankkeet.htm#ROUTES_

http://www.hyvinkaankansalaisopisto.net/

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In our RTE- group (Suomalaisilta juurilta Eurooppaan inFinnish) - there are twelve members, 10 women and 2men. The youngest participant is 62 and the oldest 87years old. The group is very active and motivated. Themembers have plenty of experience and knowledge: fourretired teachers, a journalist, an agronomist, a couple ofhousewives, a day care worker, a principal, a contactperson and a library worker (still in the working life).

During this term the main interest area in our work hasbeen the identity issues both the Finnish and Europeanidentity. What is essential of the Finnish identity is itsauna, Kalevala, the status of a Finnish woman and ifthere are shared features with the European identity. Weare searching answers from the history and the present,we are making questions and we are "walking" alongdifferent routes mental and/or physical routes.

We believe that researching of the identity issues andcultural matters together with our European partners isinteresting and rewarding. Shared experiences andwestern values help to understand each other better,seniors are willing to exchange ideas and opinions, and tostrengthen their knowledge of English (and maybe otherlanguages as well) and ICT.

Kyrönmaan Opisto- Laihia

2007-2008

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THE GROUP (10 women and 2 men) had 16 meetings,wrote 12 articles on the web-site and discussed them veryactively. THE GROUP had studied IT-skills by doing RTEand other websites, E-mail and word processing. In January2008 we (11 members) saw Aida-opera in the city of Vaasa.THE GROUP has translated and learned internationalsongs and studied Spanish words and culture.

Three hours at a time every second week during thisacademic year we will discuss and "research" forinstance commercial, school, religious, postal and tourismroutes, and organise language (English and/or Spanish)and ICT-courses. We are going to publish articles,writings, researches and photos on the Moodle, in leafletsand may be in a CD. In May we are participating in thesenior seminar in La Coruña. Lectures and visits to themuseums, theatres etc. are part of our working.

2007-2008

2008-2009

This year, the group was totally involved in the preparation oftheir last presentation in this RTE-project in the InternationalMeeting in Hämeenlinna, that took place in May, 2009. Thegroup decided to make a photopresentation from Kyrönmaa.

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The group took part in digicamera course, where theylearned to use their camera. After taking the photos theystarted to select the good sample of photos to the finalpresentation. The seniors learned to take photos bythemselves with digicamera and how to move photos tothe memorystick in computer and how to send photos viae-mail. The whole group worked eagerly.

Some members of the group decided to take part in Italianand Spanish language courses which were arranged inour institute. Some members of the group were veryproductive and active in writing articles, which theyprepared at home and during the meetings these werepresented. The presentations have dealt with the followingtopics: tourism in Lapland, Stundars Open Air Museum,Sininen tie-Blue Highway in Finland, History of Kyrönmaa,How I became a farmers wife. Some of these articles wereon the web-site and the group discussed them veryactively. THE GROUP had studied IT-skills by doing RTEand other websites, E-mail and word processing.

Information about RTE-activities have been published also inour course-program every year. The prochure has beendelivered to 10.000 households all over the Kyronmaa area.

http://www.kyronmaanopisto.fi/

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2007-2009

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Project group meetings twice a month (every 2 weeks,when possible).

Discussions and exchange of general information about"St. James" and the "St. James Way" (Camino deSantiago de Compostela) and historical background.

Research on the subject for learning and for thepresentation:

Volkshochschule Weiden-Neustadt e.V. / Germany

2007-2008

Participation in staff meeting in October 2007 atMunich/Germany and international seminar in May 2008at La Coruña and Ferrol/Spain.

Subject for this year: "St. James' Way in our region".

Collecting regional maps of the "Camino" and flyerson the subject.

Reading of books and do internet research.

Contacting local guides and hiking clubs/associations(direct exchange with people in charge of the route asit is today).

3 excursions on the regional "Camino" (in January,March and April).

Visit of lecture about "Camino de Santiago” inFebruary at Weiden

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Participated in exhibition during the "Bavarian-BohemianCultural Days" that took place at Weiden and otherlocations in the region. Exhibition about "Bridges andRoutes", held at the Maria-Seltmann-House where thegroup usually meets. The writing and the painting group ofthe house were the main exhibitors. We made aPowerPoint presentation about the RTE project (with allthe information from 2006 - 2009) that was shownconstantly for 3 weeks on a visual display terminal.

Making of the PPT-presentation about “St. James Wayin our region” for seminar in La Coruña.

Visit MOODLE platform during group meetings andmaintain own blog with information about project workand activities.

CD Rom with presentation “St. James way in ourregion” and pictures of the meeting.

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Visit of the exhibition "Bridges and Routes" (Bavarian-Bohemian Cultural Days).

Exchange of information about current work of thegroups.

Making of a song list for seminar in Spain.

Small slide show by one of our group members.

March, 28th meeting with the group from Chemnitz:

Participation in staff meeting in October 2008 atScandiano / Italy and international seminar in May 2009at Hämeenlinna / Finland.

Subject for this year: "European Identity".

2008-2009

Project group meetings twice a month (every 2 weeks,when possible).

Discussions and exchange of general information andopinions about "European Identity.

Research on the subject for learning and for thepresentation:

Reading of articles and internet research.

Visit of lecture/dicussions about European topics atWeiden (July)

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http://www.vhs-weiden.dehttp://www.rteweiden.blogspot.com/

Meeting with Chemnitz group (April 2009).

Gather information from group members aboutexperiences and opinions concerning the project.

Make presentation for seminar in Finland.

Visit MOODLE platform during some group meetingsand maintain own blog with information about projectwork and activities.

CD Rom with presentation about European Identity,experiences of the group members and pictures of theseminar in Finland.

Every group member made interview with at least 10persons about "European Identity" in order to gatherinformation for the presentation for seminar in Finland.

Establish contact with group of immigrants that meetsonce a week at VHS. For discussion and interviewmeeting with the group in October 2008.

Weekly English language course.

Learning about new communication and informationtechnologies (ICT) in regular courses.

Fieldwork about the topic " The Old Saltroad" including:researchs in museums, archives and libraries +analysisand documentation of the research results.

Establishing contacts to local institutions like theFörderverein Castle of Schlettau e.V.

Publishing discussions on the project intern learningplatform "moodle".

Hosting seniors from the "University of the 3rd Age"from Liberec and Plzen/ Czech Republic andparticipating in a return visit.

Work meeting with project group of Weiden in Weidenas well as in Chemnitz.

Chemmitz University of TechnologyDepartment of further educationand vocational trainingChemmitz (Deustchland)

2007-2008

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Preparation of a powerpoint presentation for the 2ndTransnational Meeting La Coruna/ Ferrol/ Spain "TheSeniors from Chemnitz on the traces of the medievalSalt Road".

Regular publishing of press releases about projectactivities.

1st presentation about the project at the British-German Society e.V. "Chemnitz seniors in Europeanprojects".

Presentation at University of the 3rd Age inFrankfurt/Main about EU projects of Seniors ofChemnitz.

Creating of a flyer.

Weekly English language course with content aboutEuropean institutions as well as european identity.

Learning about new communication and informationtechnologies (ICT) in regular courses.

Publishing discussions on the project intern learningplatform "moodle" while using learnt new languageskills.

Creating an own project webpage www.tu-chemnitz.de/seniorenkolleg/rte.

Discussion about European Identity with severalguests.

2008-2009

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Excursions to historical places (salt museum inHalle/Saale, Prague, Chomutov...).

Preparation of a powerpoint presentation for the 3ndTransnational Meeting in Hämeenlinna/ Finland.

Project presentation at TU Chemnitz at an internationalSeniors conference.

2nd presentation about the project at the British-German Society e.V. "Chemnitz seniors on the tracesof the old Saltroad".

Written documentation of the excursions and activitiesdone by the project group in 2008 and publishing onthe own webpage.

Creation of a flyer.

Realisation of an excursion and a hiking trip along thesalt road with participants of the Senior´s College ofthe TU Chemnitz.

Work meeting with project group of Weiden in Weiden.

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http://www.tu-chemnitz.de/seniorenkolleg/rte/

http://www.tu-chemnitz.de/

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Belfast Metropolitan CollegeBIFHE. Belfast Institute forfurther and higher education

RTE (Routes Towards Europe) is a European ActionProgramme tailored towards the Older European Learner.This college, in cooperation with partners in Finland,Germany, Italy, and Spain, is currently engaged in rolling outthis initiative. Belfast Metropolitan College's contribution isthe Mature Learning Programme- European Culture Option(MLP-ECO).

2007-2008

Project Description

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Objectives

To examine influences relating to perceptions andattitudes.

To examine how identity is composed of variouscomponents.

To share practices that counteract social exclusion.

To develop an enriched learning environment.

To make citizens aware of changes occurring atEuropean level.

To develop an understanding of inter and intra culturalissues.

To create an inventory of good practice.

To further the concept of a European Identity.

AimsThe overall aim is to examine the contributions ofEuropeans to the composite culture of Europe throughIdeas and Action, Identity and Active Citizenship.

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General objectives

Inviting the participants to reflect about the meaning ofNational identity and about the knowldege of thespecific territory in the Emilia Romagna Region.

Sensitizing the participants on the different aspects ofthe European culture, rich of similarities but alsodifferences among the different National identities.

Inviting to a peaceful and productive coexistence withinthe European Community.

Deepening the concept of multiethicity.

Deepening the concept of tolerance and learning practise it.

2007-2008

AICCRE Federazione Emilia-RomagnaBologna Italia

Specific objectivesTo be able to communicate elementary contents using theEnglish language for short text and oral communication.

To acquire specific competences useful to communi catewith informatic means (communication through e-mail,videowriting, surfing the net, presentation tools).

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Researches, escursion, guided visits to the places andthe institutions related to the road studied.

Evaluation of the results, collection of documental andphotographical data.

Production of CD to communicate the researches done.

Project content During the first year the Senior group of Scandiano withreference to the theme "Routes Towards Europe" has beeninvolved in the research about a very important street whichruns in the near territory of Parma: the Francigena street,which connected Canterbury with Rome and which permittedto the pilgrims to fulfill a pilgrimage towards the Holy City.The final project of the research has been an hypertext onCd Rom with the title "Francigena Road".In the present year the Grundtvig group of Scandiano wasinvolved in a short street which connects S.Polo d'Enzatown with the cliff of Canossa in the territory of Reggio. Thisway was covered in the far 1092 by the imperor Enrico IVof Franconia to reach the Matildic castle and besiege it,trying to capture Matilde of Canossa and to end what iscalled "struggle for the investitures". Things went differently.It has been Enrico who was put to flight.The final product ofthe research of the seniors was a presentation on Cd Romwith the title "German Road".

Project stages

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Communication to the European partners through the Moodleplatform ( English and ICT) of the status of the researches.

Participation to the discussions with the Europeanpartners about the International themes with referenceto the European identity, to its contents and his borders.

Realization of a blog open to all the participants and theEuropean partners as a work diary and tool of animmediate communication.

This year the topic the group decided to widen is the "AemiliaRoad", in particular the stretch from Piacenza to Rubiera.The didactic program followed by our group (17 students+2 teachers+ 1 coordinator) included:

IT lessons, aimed to enabling the students tocommunicate via e-mail, use word-processingprogrammes and presentation tools, and read and posttheir messages on the RTE blog.

English classes, through which the students reached the"Survival English" level to communicate in everyday's life,as well as while travelling. They improved their listening andspeaking skills and as well as their reading comprehensionof text from books, CDs, newspapar and the web.

Photography lessons (history, framing techniques,workshops: realization of a pin-hole camera anddark-room printing, etc…), that enabled the seniors totake their own photos and report directly andpersonally their experience.

2008-2009

Besides these activities, several trips to places of greathistoric and cultural relevance, related to the selectedtopic, has been organized and carried out. Moreover, themeetings with foreign partners enhanced both enthusiasmand self-confidence among the seniors, and renforced thesense of European citizenship.

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http://www.rteitalia.blogspot.com/

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As stated above, the work and the achievements of theSeniors have been put into a concrete form through therealization of the CD-ROM "Aemilia Road" in Italian andEnglish, which was given as a gift to each participant on theoccasion of the seminar in Hameenlinna, and which is nowavailable at the Public Library. Furthermore, the"visibility"of the project has been and will be ensured by theparticipation of the Seniors' group to other internationalinitiatives, where they can illustrate what they have doneand also interact with foreign visitors in English. In additionto this, the project has always been promoted in the pressreview released by the Municipality of Scandiano, and inseveral articles issued in the Town's magazine. Last but notleast, in order to guarantee a broad dissemination, CDsand brochures of the project are usually given as a gift toforeign delegations.

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INTERNATIONAL MEETING “ROUTES TOWARDSEUROPE” A CORUÑA 2008. 7th-11th May

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FINAL INTERNATIONAL MEETING“ROUTES TOWARDS EUROPE”HÄMEENLINNA 2009. 20th-24th MayWednesday 20.5. Arrival

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Coordinators´ Meeting “Routes toward Europe”MÜNICH 2007. 1st-4th November

Coordinators´ Meeting “Routes toward Europe”SCANDIANO 2008. 29th September-5th October

Coordinators´ Meeting Two coordinators meetings took place in the periodbetween the International Meetings. The objectivewas to evaluate and follow the correct implementationof the project.

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http://www.udc.es/senior/http://senior.udc.googlepages.com/http://www.routestowardseurope.eu/

http://www.oapee.es/http://www.hyvaope.net/moodle/