Whole-School Guidebook
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Education Mobility Programme for Transition Year Students - PILOT Whole-School Guidebook © National Centre for Guidance in Education 2018 What is Euroguidance? Euroguidance promotes mobility in education, helping Guidance counsellors and individuals to understand the opportunities available to European citizens throughout Europe. Euroguidance Ireland, hosted by the National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE), is part of the European network of national resource and information centres for guidance. NCGE is an agency of the Department of Education and Skills, with responsibility to develop and support quality guidance provision in the education sector as part of lifelong learning in accordance with national and international best practice. Euroguidance Ireland is one of 64 Euroguidance centres across Europe promoting mobility guidance. For more see - www.ncge.ie www.euroguidance.ie and www.euroguidance.eu www.euroguidance.ie/schools/euro-quest This Whole-School Guide was developed for Guidance Counsellors, Transition Year Coordinators and teachers to accompany the online Euro-Quest programme, resources and Student Workbook. It can also be found online at www.euroguidance.ie/schools/euro-quest/resources This pilot programme provides support for Guidance Counsellors and Transition Year Coordinators who are delivering the course. Feedback on the online content, the Student Workbook and Guidebook will be sought through online surveys before and after this course. 2 Contents 1. Introduction to Euro-Quest 4 2. How to use Euro-Quest 9 3. Module 1 – An Overview of Europe 13 4. Module 2 – Why Study in Europe? 31 5. Module 3 – Living in Europe 45 6. Module 4 – Where would you like to go? 65 7. Further Resources 86 This is an interactive PDF You can type directly into the document or you can print it and complete the relevant ‘reflection exercises’ offline. Experience, travel - these are as education in themselves. Euripides 3 1. Introduction to Euro-Quest 4 Euro-Quest - A guide to studying in Europe | Introduction to Euro-Quest INTRODUCTION This Transition Year Euro-Quest pilot programme is designed to motivate and encourage Irish students to consider education and training opportunities across the EU. It gives students an opportunity to explore studying in Europe for a semester, an academic year, or for an entire degree or for apprenticeship training. This guidebook is prepared for Guidance Counsellors and a team of teachers in other subjects to collaborate to deliver this course together, or it may be delivered by the Guidance Counsellor with contributions from the other subject teachers. Some Interesting Facts • The European Commission set a target of 20% of graduates from Higher Education institutions in Europe to have experience of studying or training abroad by 2020. (Bologna Process, 2009) • Currently, only approximately 6% of Irish students enrol in Higher Education abroad (HEA Eurostudent VI Survey, 2017). This needs to change. This Euro-Quest programme hopes to introduce the idea of studying or training abroad to Transition Years when they are preparing for senior cycle study and making subject choices for Leaving Certificate. Euro-Quest aims to increase the number of Irish students who choose to study or do apprenticeship training in Europe to reach and exceed the desired European target of 20%. The Irish Department of Education and Skills set the following targets in 2017: • to increase the number of participants in Erasmus+ by at least 50% • to establish greater links between post primary schools and Higher Education language schools to support language learning, cultural awareness and to raise cultural awareness of career opportunities for studying abroad • to increase the proportion of the Higher Education cohort studying a foreign language, in any capacity as part of their course to 20% (Language Connect 2017-2026, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education) Students who spend time abroad are more adaptable and flexible, able to adjust quickly to different work environments and are often more employable at higher rates of pay. By exploring this programme, Transition Year students may research their options and discover the benefits of educational mobility. 5 Euro-Quest - A guide to studying in Europe | Introduction to Euro-Quest In summary, the desired outcome is to increase the number of Irish students who will consider: • part of their degree or apprenticeship abroad • all of their degree or apprenticeship abroad • post-graduate study abroad • a study trip abroad while in school or college • a traineeship abroad • doing an internship or working abroad Any of the above would be beneficial to students and some students may do more than one. Educational mobility is increasing across Europe and Ireland needs to be part of this. Many Irish students do not realise that there are many scholarships available in European universities and colleges to facilitate educational mobility and that student grants in Ireland are transferrable to other European universities for short or long periods and that there are additional financial supports available for those who meet the criteria. This also applies to apprenticeships. University credits are also transferrable between European institutions, so students can return to Ireland to receive their final qualification. Euro-Quest invites students to journey through the four modules, follow links to research courses and training in Europe and gain more knowledge to assist them to make more informed career decisions and course choices in the future. Guidance Counsellors who are interested in using this Euro-Quest programme may also be interested in participating in the online Continued Professional Development (CPD) module facilitated by the NCGE, Mobility Guidance Counselling (MGC). This Euro-Quest Transition Year course was developed in response to feedback from Guidance Counsellors who have completed the MGC course to date. As this is a pilot project, NCGE will require permission from parents and students to participate in this course and for students to complete survey forms. The Consent Form is downloadable on the Euroguidance website at: www.euroguidance.ie/schools/euro-quest/resources There are two surveys for students, one pre-course and one post-course for them to complete online at: www. euroguidance.ie/schools/euro-quest. When they have made their CAO choices in January 2021, we will contact them with a third survey to see if Euro-Quest has influenced their choices. Combined checklist for use by the ‘Euro-Quest Leader’ As per the ‘School Participation Agreement’ NCGE/Euroguidance Ireland suggests that the school agrees which staff member will take responsibility for the organising and co-ordination of this pilot at school level. That person could be named internally as the 'Euro-Quest Leader' and could be either the Guidance Counsellor or Transition Year Coordinator. It is this person that we refer to as the ‘Euro-Quest Leader’ in the following sections. 6 Euro-Quest - A guide to studying in Europe | Introduction to Euro-Quest Checklist 1 - Students Student programme link: www.euroguidance.ie/schools/euro-quest Before students begin the programme: 1. 'Student - Parent/Guardian Consent' forms must be signed by student’s parents/guardians and given to Euro- Quest Leader (i.e. Guidance Counsellor or TY Coordinator). 2. Students complete and submit the online ‘Pre-course survey’ via the link on the student Euro-Quest programme page. This can be printed (prior to submission only) for the purpose of sharing amongst a group and / or with the Guidance Counsellor/coordinating teacher Completing the programme: 3. Students download the ‘Student Workbook’ - this comes in two types - the school can choose which is most appropriate for use by students. One is a PDF standard printable workbook with lines to complete answers by hand. The other is an interactive PDF with the option for students to type in their answers directly into the PDF. It is important if using this interactive version, that before starting, students download, rename and save this PDF. Students then must ensure that they continually save it as they progress to ensure that none of their work is lost. 4. Students complete the 4 online modules (this can be done in class, in school or at home). It is a free online programme with no password required, however, students do need to use the student programme link provided above as the pilot programme is not currently directly accessible from the front page of the Euroguidance Ireland website. 5. After the students have completed the programme, (i.e. finished Module 4) they then click on the ‘Post-course survey’ link to give their feedback on the structure and content of this course – it should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. On completion of this; students are eligible to receive their certificates. 6. NCGE will contact the students two years after they have completed the course - Spring 2021 - and request that they complete a final 6th year survey (to see if Euro-Quest has influenced their choices or applications to colleges,apprenticeships etc.). The Consent Forms signed by their parents/guardians for the students to participate in the pilot permits this. 7 Euro-Quest - A guide to studying in Europe | Introduction to Euro-Quest Checklist 2 - Guidance Counsellor / TY Coordinator Teacher resources link: www.euroguidance.ie/schools/euro-quest/resources Before delivering the programme: 1. In conjunction with the school principal, complete the ‘School Participation Agreement’ and return it to NCGE/Euroguidance Ireland in the SAE provided. 2. Complete details on your delivery plan/student numbers via the 'Euro-Quest participation information' online form. This is accessible through the ‘resources’ link above. 3. Distribute and collect the 'Student and Parent / Guardian Consent' forms. These are to be collated in the school and returned to NCGE/Euroguidance Ireland in a manner that to be advised. A PDF version of this form, for additional printing, is available through the ‘resources’ link above. 4. Plan classroom use (use of facilities; IT room or classroom or both).