CREATIVE MINDS: TOWARDS AN

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AND PROBLEM-SOLVING

COURSE INFORMATION

Today it seems clear that democracy is essential and that citizens must play an active role to build a better future. However, for teachers, sometimes this task seems a bit challenging since we don’t know very well how to transmit this responsibility to our students. The same happens with the development of creativity. Proof of the great importance creativity has in our daily lives is the fact that it is, without a doubt, number 1 of the desired competences in the professional network. In fact, it has been a desirable skill for more than six years now. Therefore, it seems obvious that teaching to be creative is a challenge of current teaching.

CREATIVE MINDS course is aimed for teachers and school staff from primary level, secondary, vocational, adult and special needs education, staff of non-government organizations, government policy makers and company staff. Participants are expected to have at least B1 level of English.

During this course, participants will acquire skills related to the development of creativity, divergent thinking for problem-solving, as well the techniques and skills necessary not only to be able to develop an active citizenship but also to promote realistic solutions to our current issues such as the environment, sustainable development, freedom or climate change.

METHODOLOGY

This course is a PRACTICAL WORKSHOP that will provide teachers and, therefore, students, with practical tools that they can apply from the very first day of the course. Participants are expected to put themselves in the students’ shoes so that they enjoy this experience in first person.

One of the main strengths of this course lies in its VERSATILITY. It is a course which values can be promoted in a transversal way, that is, from any subject and level. This happens, because learning how to be creative and how to solve problems in a dynamic way can be taught little by little, field to field. In fact, during the course participants will experience activities and collaborative tasks from different levels so that any teacher willing to start changing our reality could do it from their own level: primary, secondary or vocational school.

Finally, benefits of this course are many, but we would not like to finish without highlighting some of them:

FUN AND PRACTICAL LEARNING: We will not only enjoy the course and have a good time, but every day we will have our own ‘’exit ticket’’, that is, our activities’ backpack to be able to apply in the classroom.
REALISTIC LEARNING: Based on situations that we can find in our classrooms from primary to secondary and vocational education.
2 + 1: Throughout this course we will learn strategies for creativity and other for active citizenship, as well as the way in which both feed off and enrich each other. In this way, it is much easier to be able to get to know activities that are useful for a wide range of subjects and knowledge.
CREATING CONNECTIONS IS A MUST. One of our basic premises is that participants end the course with a colleagues’ network with whom they can collaborate in the future and make learning greater. For this reason, in the different activities and tasks we will change groups so that we all have a good time, get to know each other and we can collaborate not only during the course but also in the future.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

CREATIVE MINDS: Towards an active citizenship and problem-solving course offers a wide range of practical activities and techniques to foster these essential competences and guarantee a holistic students’ development.

In detail, the concrete goals of the course are:

- Promote creativity as an element of personal development and effective problem-solving related to both day-to-day situations and future problems.

- Develop the ability to understand elements in a new way breaking barriers between different areas. Besides, allowing participants to promote an innovative approach to different problems.

- Foster the social development through active participation to improve the life quality of all the citizens.

- Work to improve our environment and search for development and growth tools that are sustainable and respectful towards the environment.

- Acquire the necessary skills to promote creativity values and active citizenship in a transversal way throughout the different subjects and levels.

- Carry out a project directly related to the teaching area of the participants in which the values of active citizenship, democracy, creativity, problem-solving and sustainable development are promoted.

- Know and put into practice creative thinking habits as a tool to foster personal and social development.

Thanks to this course the participants will:

- Know different tools and techniques of creative thinking as an element for personal development and problem-solving.

- Know how to integrate the knowledge and tools necessary to promote active citizenship within their curriculum.

- Promote sustainable and environmental development.

- Know different techniques for the creative problem-solving that arise on a day-to-day basis but also of possible future problems.

- Delve into problems that derive from citizenship and actively participate in the improvement of their environment through a holistic and innovative approach.

By the end of the course, each participant should be able to:

- Design creative projects related to their own fields.

- Create democratic activities in order to develop this competence in a crosscurricular way from their own subject.

- Create motivating contexts and activities for activities of any kind.

- Learn different problem-solving techniques to guarantee the complete understanding of their social environment as well as their own world.

- Use ICT to keep learning in a motivating way. Also as a simple tool to help us to create and build contents in a easy way.

- Foster their English competence and get to know teachers from all around with whom they could further cooperate.

DAILY PROGRAMME

The manager of the company usually welcomes participants on Sunday afternoon and gives them all the information about courses and Erasmus week. The main training activities, instruction and practices will take place from Monday to Friday. Moreover, participants will be able to explain their own school and Erasmus project to the rest of participants in the beginning of the week and, after that, work all together to set up future eTwinnings or even Job Shadowing. On another note, participants will be involved in cultural activities held by the company during afternoon time. Finally, there will be a course’ roundup and a final evaluation on Friday or Saturday morning, depending on the participants' departure time, and the delivery of the certificates of attendance.

DAY 1. SUNDAY. WELCOMING

- Meeting and greeting with the manager of the company, trainers and locals.

- Individual orientation and information about the venue and the country.

- Round up presentation and networking between all participants.

- Guided visit and cultural inputs to discover the city.

DAY 2. MONDAY
- School presentations. Networking.
- What is creativity and why is it essential for problem solving? Creativity into practice. Let's change the focus.
- Active citizenship from an eclectic point of view. Steps to foster citizenship in our students. Citizenship from a practical view.

DAY 3. TUESDAY
- School presentations. Networking.
- Creativity and citizenship: an inseparable couple.
- Active citizenship in our lives. How to make active citizenship. Fostering critical thinking.

DAY 4. WEDNESDAY
- Creative thinking and lineal thinking. How to question our environment to develop our critical skills.
- Creative challenges to any field. Primary, secondary and vocational learning.
- Practical workshop: start your project about citizenship and creativity. Part 01

DAY 5. THURSDAY
- Ethics in democracy (climate change, demographic challenges...). 6 Thinking Hats Theory. - Tools to foster creativity in different fields.
- 7 habits to foster a creative mind.
- Practical workshop: start your project about citizenship and creativity. Part 02

DAY 6. FRIDAY
- Creative challenges to any field. Primary, secondary and vocational learning. - Literacy, creativity and democracy. Practical workshop.
- European goals. How can we foster real changes in our daily lives?

- Course evaluation.

- Releasing official course certifications.

DAY 7 – SATURDAY. CONCLUSION.

- Free cultural activity visiting the best Museum in the city, to increase networking between participants and deepen the local culture.

- Course evaluation.

- Releasing official course certifications.

- Participants departure.

CREATIVE MINDS sessions:

Creative minds and active citizenship course will attend editions during 2024 and 2025 in the following dates

2024:

SPAIN – ALICANTE:

From Sunday 11th February to Saturday 17th.
From Sunday 24th March to Saturday 30th.
From Sunday 31st March to Saturday 6th April.
From Sunday 21st April to Saturday 27th.
From Sunday 28th April to Saturday 4th May.
From Sunday 26th May to Saturday 1st June.
From Sunday 2nd June to Saturday 8th.
From Sunday 23rd June to Saturday 29th.
From Sunday 30th June to Saturday 6th July.
From Sunday 7th July to Saturday 13th.
From Sunday 14th July to Saturday 20th.
From Sunday 21st July to Saturday 27th.
From Sunday 11th August to Saturday 17th.
From Sunday 18th August to Saturday 24th.
From Sunday 25th August to Saturday 31st.
From Sunday 6th October to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th October to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th October to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 27th October to Saturday 2nd November.
From Sunday 3rd November to Saturday 9th.
From Sunday 24th November to Saturday 30th.

ICELAND – REYKJAVÍK:

From Sunday 18th February to Saturday 24th.
From Sunday 24th March to Saturday 30th. CONFIRMED!
From Sunday 31st March to Saturday 6th.
From Sunday 14th July to Saturday 20th.
From Sunday 21st July to Saturday 27th.
From Sunday 11th August to Saturday 17th.
From Sunday 18th August to Saturday 24th. CONFIRMED!
From Sunday 25th August to Saturday 31st.
From Sunday 13th October to Saturday 19th.

ITALY – FIRENZE:

From Sunday 31st March to Saturday 6th April.
From Sunday 21st April to Saturday 27th.
From Sunday 7th July to Saturday 13th.
From Sunday 14th July to Saturday 20th.
From Sunday 18th August to Saturday 24th.
From Sunday 6th October to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th October to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th October to Saturday 26th.

SPAIN – TENERIFE:

From Sunday 31st March to Saturday 6th April.
From Sunday 11th August to Saturday 17th.
From Sunday 13th October to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th October to Saturday 26th.

IRELAND – DUBLIN:

From Sunday 14th July to Saturday 20th.
From Sunday 21st July to Saturday 27th.
From Sunday 11th August to Saturday 17th.
From Sunday 18th August to Saturday 24th.
From Sunday 6th October to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th October to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th October to Saturday 26th.

SPAIN – MÁLAGA:

From Sunday 14th July to Saturday 20th.
From Sunday 21st July to Saturday 27th.
From Sunday 18th August to Saturday 24th.
From Sunday 25th August to Saturday 31st.
From Sunday 6th October to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th October to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th October to Saturday 26th.

2025:

SPAIN – ALICANTE:

From Sunday 19th January to Saturday 25th.
From Sunday 23rd February to Saturday 1st March.
From Sunday 2nd March to Saturday 8th.
From Sunday 6th April to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th April to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th April to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 27th April to Saturday 3rd May.
From Sunday 25th May to Saturday 31st.
From Sunday 1st June to Saturday 7th.
From Sunday 22nd June to Saturday 28th.
From Sunday 29th June to Saturday 5th July.
From Sunday 6th July to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th July to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th July to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 10th August to Saturday 16th.
From Sunday 17th August to Saturday 23rd.
From Sunday 24th August to Saturday 30th.
From Sunday 5th October to Saturday 11th.
From Sunday 12th October to Saturday 18th.
From Sunday 19th October to Saturday 25th.
From Sunday 26th October to Saturday 1st November.
From Sunday 2nd November to Saturday 8th.
From Sunday 23rd November to Saturday 29th.
From Sunday 30th November to Saturday 6th December

ICELAND – REYKJAVÍK:

From Sunday 23rd February to Saturday 1st March.
From Sunday 2nd March to Saturday 8th.
From Sunday 13th April to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th April to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 27th April to Saturday 3rd May.
From Sunday 22nd June to Saturday 28th.
From Sunday 29th June to Saturday 5th July.
From Sunday 6th July to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th July to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th July to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 10th August to Saturday 16th.
From Sunday 17th August to Saturday 23rd.
From Sunday 24th August to Saturday 30th.
From Sunday 5th October to Saturday 11th.
From Sunday 12th October to Saturday 18th.
From Sunday 19th October to Saturday 25th.
From Sunday 26th October to Saturday 1st November.
From Sunday 2nd November to Saturday 8th.

SPAIN – TENERIFE:

From Sunday 23rd February to Saturday 1st March.
From Sunday 20th April to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 20th July to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 10th August to Saturday 16th.
From Sunday 17th August to Saturday 23rd.
From Sunday 24th August to Saturday 30th.
From Sunday 12th October to Saturday 18th.
From Sunday 19th October to Saturday 25th.
From Sunday 26th October to Saturday 1st November.

SPAIN – MALAGA:

From Sunday 13th April to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th April to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 6th July to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th July to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th July to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 10th August to Saturday 16th.
From Sunday 17th August to Saturday 23rd.
From Sunday 24th August to Saturday 30th.
From Sunday 5th October to Saturday 11th.
From Sunday 12th October to Saturday 18th.
From Sunday 19th October to Saturday 25th.
From Sunday 26th October to Saturday 1st November.

ITALY – FIRENZE:

From Sunday 13th April to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th April to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 22nd June to Saturday 28th.
From Sunday 6th July to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th July to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 10th August to Saturday 16th.
From Sunday 17th August to Saturday 23rd.
From Sunday 5th October to Saturday 11th.
From Sunday 12th October to Saturday 18th.
From Sunday 19th October to Saturday 25th.
From Sunday 26th October to Saturday 1st November.

IRELAND– DUBLIN:

From Sunday 13th April to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 6th July to Saturday 12th.
From Sunday 13th July to Saturday 19th.
From Sunday 20th July to Saturday 26th.
From Sunday 10th August to Saturday 16th.
From Sunday 17th August to Saturday 23rd.
From Sunday 5th October to Saturday 11th.
From Sunday 12th October to Saturday 18th.
From Sunday 19th October to Saturday 25th.

COST AND ERASMUS + FUNDING

The cost of the seven day course is 560€ and includes course fees, free cultural activities in the city during the week and certification of attendance. Organizational costs can be charged if registration comes from an intermediate company. The company offers an Optional cultural package to deepen the relationship between all participants.

The training course is tailored to be fully funded by Erasmus + to teachers, trainers, headmasters and any other staff of education organizations.

REGISTRATION FORM