EXCHANGE OF GROUPS OF STUDENTS AT THE TECHNOLOGICAL HIGH SCHOOL "MIHAI EMINESCU" DUMBRĂVENI

Between 04-08 April 2022, the Technological High School "Mihai Eminescu" Dumbrăveni hosted the sixth exchange of short-term groups of students within the European project "Schools Unided by Science"("Science from the past and today seen through the eyes of children"), attended by pupils and teachers from the other five partner schools: Spain (Sagunt), Italy (La Piazza de Armerina); Lithuania(Kaunas), Bulgaria(Vrasta) and Turkey(Hatay).

This transnational learning/teaching/training activity aimed both at raising students' awareness of the proposed topic and at sharing folk traditions and customs, both objectives being put into practice through numerous interactive and team activities, which promoted communication, empathy and multiculturalism.

A first activity organized during the exchange visit was the welcome show, held in the hall of the Cultural Center "Academician Eugen Simion" Dumbrăveni, which included various artistic moments performed by the students of the school. The students and foreign teachers also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the Romanian education system by visiting the school and attending classes (of French language, history and tailoring workshop), to carry out an exchange of good practices in important areas within the project, as well as to interact and socialize through fun activities.

Another activity carried out during this meeting was the one organized at the Fortress of Suceava, where the pupils of the partner schools, besides the historical explanations offered, were involved in a practical activity of making a model of the fortress. Also, in the laboratories of the school took place a series of experimental activities. The students were divided into three transnational teams. By rotation they realized in the biology laboratory Photosynthesis, in the chemistry laboratory they experimented with saline solutions, and in the physics laboratory they made wind turbines and machines based on solar panels in the framework of the activity Renewable Energy Systems. In parallel with the physical activity, there was also an online activity, where students from Spain and Italy presented an experiment conducted in their school's laboratories.

The range of activities proposed by our school continued with an egg decoration workshop at the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Dumbrăveni, where transnational teams discovered the ancient craft specific to our country in the celebration of Easter. In addition to this activity, a mural painting workshop was carried out inside the Technological High School "Mihai Eminescu", and the students from Spain and Italy in online format had to make a painting with spring landscapes or a handmade product specific to Easter.

The program of this exchange of groups of students also included visits to cultural and tourist attractions in the city of Suceava (History Museum, St. John's Monastery, Ethnographic Museum "Princely Inn", Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory), as well as in the Bucovina region (the salt mine and Catholic church in Cacica, the black ceramic center at Marginea, Voronet monastery, Palma which are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List). During these educational visits, students and teachers got acquainted with the customs and traditions of Bukovina, the culture and history of the region, as well as folk crafts, traditional cuisine and lifestyle.

As a result of this exchange visit, the students acquired, among other things, the following competences: developing experimental, interpersonal skills and communication skills in English, developing an attitude of understanding and respect for diversity, discovering the similarities and connections between the traditions and customs of the partner countries, as well as understanding the importance of preserving and valuing the authentic cultural heritage.

For the teachers involved, this physical mobility represented an exchange of best practices in the field of innovative educational methods, which can be used to raise pupils' awareness of important social and cultural issues, such as discrimination and racism, and at the same time to promote the development of their critical thinking and transversal skills.

This transnational learning / teaching / training activity, hosted by the Technological High School "Mihai Eminescu" Dumbrăveni, was a real success in the strategic partnership "Schools Unided by Science", due to the exchange of good practices and information about national traditions and features, fruitful work in national and transnational teams that has led to mutual trust and respect, unforgettable memories of activities and visits, as well as sincere friendships between students and teachers from all partner countries.

Coordinating teacher Bardan Simona