Exchange project ATRI (I)-SILVOLDE (NL)

Aim and Objective
The main pedagogical aim is to develop the ideas and concepts leading to an increased awarness of identity issues. The objectives of the exchange project are to provide learners with self-made skills to enable them to observe, analyse, interpret and present issues of identity.

Method
The basic pedagogical idea of this project aims to encourage the exploration of aspects of identity through the learners own eyes and own experi¬ences and to present them via various media to a wider audience. This lies within a larger framework of a process of empowerment which includes educating the public about identity in order to facilitate participation in a wider debate on European Identity and Citizenship. We want to encourage the use of observation, comparison, the recognition of similarity and difference and the development of understanding of the identities that influence people living in differing regions and parts of Europe today. We will equip learners with the skills that will help them to challenge stereotypes.

Approach
The approach is specifically concerned with enabling learners to explore, discuss and present a number of aspects of identity based on their own observations. The project recognises the importance of the built environment in exploring and expressing issues of identity and the role of museums and other cultural institutions in interpreting the value systems that inform identity.
The exercises are based on a constructivist view of education. The knowledge and skills developed will be the result of an interaction between the material and learner, but firmly based upon the learner's own observations and experiences leading to the construction of personal knowledge and development. The material defines different teaching methods to accommodate differing learning styles both on an individual and group level: presenting an educational smorgasbord of concepts and ideas for the learner to explore.
People have different ways of learning or even different types of intelligence: oral, logical, spatial, musical, kinetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic and existential (ref. Howard Gardner, http://pzweb.harvard.edu/Pis/HG.htm). Therefore although our main emphasis is on discussing identity issues we recognise the importance of and include audio, tactile and kinetic teaching and learning methods. Learners will be inspired and encouraged to develop their own learning style/styles and will acquire skills and knowledge for use well beyond the realms of the material.
As indicated above the project is also committed to inclusion. This follows from the freedom given to the learners to explore concepts based on their own observations and of drawing their own conclusions. We hope that the material is used by a wide range of institutions, rural and urban, and especially those with a high percentage of ethnic minority learners and a selection of age ranges. We want to promote a collective identity; a pluralist, multicultural identity, not one only restricted to the traditional cultures of certain groups.