INTERMUSE project started from the idea that museums represent valuable resources for intercultural education but innovative methodologies need to be developed to increase motivation for learning, particularly among upper-secondary school pupils. The aim of the project was to stimulate pupils’ active involvement in intercultural learning and their reflection on sensitive and complex issues regarding cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, as well as their willingness to learn other languages, by engaging them in the design of computer games in the framework of school-museum cooperation.

An innovative methodology was developed, according to the following steps:

• pupils, supported by teachers of various subjects and by museum specialists, designed an interactive video game based on the resources offered by a local museum
• they exchanged their games and worked on finding solutions to games produced by partners
• they interacted trough a series of videoconferences
• each class reflected on the learning outcomes associated with the whole experience.

By engaging in this process pupils were motivated to learn English (their games were developed in English), to improve their skills for using technology, to express their creativity, but also to learn and reflect about cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue. A package of DVDs produced by pupils, together with an additional DVD with resources and methodological instructions. These tools were disseminated among relevant stakeholders in the participating countries.

Project duration: 2008-2009

Partners:

Museum of Anatolian Civilisatons, Ankara, Turkey

TED Polatli, Ankara, Turkey

Youth Development Association, Ankara, Turkey

Intercultural Institute of Timisoara, Romania

Timisoara Art Museum, Romania

Nikolaus Lenau Highschool, Timisoara, Romania

Vidin History Museum, Bulgaria

The Yordan Radichkov Foreign Language High School, Bulgaria

Institut de l’Enfant-Jésus-Lycée, Nivelles, Belgium

The Community Museum in Nivelles, Belgium.