THE ERASMUS PLUS PROGRAM AS A FACTOR TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN SCHOOLS: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

Content and methods of education implemented in schools are changing rapidly. One of the reasons fuelling these changes is implementation of such programs like the Lifelong Learning Program (LLP) Erasmus Plus, which motto „Learning for life” is gaining more and more followers. For the purpose of proving this theory, the researcher presents below the profiles of two primary schools (Primary School in Krosno and CEIP Villa Romana in Spain), which participate in this international cultural and educational exchange. The researcher paid special attention to the assumptions of the LLP project, tourism mobility and achievements resulting from the international cooperation between the educational institutions. To present the problem, the researcher used one of the qualitative research methods for case studies. It determined the careful analysis of the individual interviews as well as participating observation of the program coordinators and teachers’ behavior showed how much potential lies in the cooperation of teachers and pupils participating in such educational exchanges. The undertaken research (including interviews with the staff and observation of the projects management) and its analysis confirmed the hypothesis that every type of school, regardless of its location (city or countryside) can benefit from participation in an international exchange. The main limiting factor, noticeable especially in the schools located in rural areas, is the mentality and fear from participation in an international program, challenging the language skills of the staff and resulting in more administrative work. However, the success of the Erasmus Plus program is best measured by the fact that after initial participating, both village schools continued the project in the following years. Key words: case study, Erasmus Plus, international mobility, school education.