
Intercultural Dialogue to Develop a European Identity among European Member States (IDEAS) is a collaborative project under Grundtvig Lifelong Learning Programme, Learning Partnerships 2009-2011. The partner countries involved in the project are: Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ireland, Poland, and Spain (lead partner).

Project overview
IDEAS will operate a practice exchange over a two year period with six international exchange partners; all of whom are engaged in delivering language learning programmes to adult students in their own institutions. KADE will collaborate with Unique Voice, a language institute in Kerry, to design teaching tools and learning resources which will support the blending of intercultural training with learning English as a second language.
These tools and resources will be designed for compatibility with e-learning. Unique Voice staff and students will access the value and effectiveness of the learning tools/activities and provide feedback for KADE about ideas for their further development and modification. KADE will then disseminate this learning to the six international exchange partners involved in the Grundvig project.
KADE will also invite the international partner institutions to pilot the teaching and learning materials with adult learners at their own institutions. Communication and feedback with our international partners will be through a project Moodle platform.
Project partners
KADE - Tralee, Ireland
Channel Crossings - Prague, Czech Republic
Kainuun ammattiopisto Aikuiskoulutuspalvelut Edukai - Kajaan.Kainuu, Finland
The Finnish Adult Education Centre of City of Helsinki - Helsinki, Finland
Atelier des Cultures - Saint-Gaudens, France
Podkarpackie Towarzystwo Edukacji Alternatywnej WSZECHNICA - Podkarpackie, Poland
Escuela Oficial de Idiomas de San Javier - San Javier, Spain
The outcomes of the practice exchange have been:
· Teaching resources and learning activities to support intercultural education and promote development education in the context of language learning
· Series of workshops to pilot these materials with staff and learners at Unique Voice
· Modifying the activities in response to the feedback received from both the staff at Unique Voice and project partners
· Sharing ideas and good practice identified by KADE and Unique Voice concerning the blending of intercultural awareness training with English language learning
· Promoting development education concepts, methodologies and actions through the exchange of ideas and resources
· Developing a short training session for our project partners which will be delivered during one of our exchange visits
· Advice to partners on how development education can support adult learners to develop the skills and knowledge to communicate with others and understand alternative perspectives and points of view, critically reflect on information and opinions and challenge inequality and social injustice at local and global level
Conclusion
For more information on this project, please contact Mary McGillicuddy coordinator@kade.ie







