Project Diary

Project activities in August and September 2013

Teachers' meeting 

We had our first official meeting for the interested teachers on August 28, 2013. I presented the project in details and we discussed the methods of work, the activities, the tasks of each teacher, etc. There were seven teachers present (me, another Nataša, two Tanjas, Mojca, Senija and Meri) and there was also our headmistress. 

Informative meeting for the students - 1st Comenius meeting

On September 6, the first Comenius meeting was organized, at which we presented the project to all the interested students. Everyone was invited and a crowd of more than 40 students appeared at the meeting. Therefore, we decided that the students have to write a kind of application/motivation letter, on the basis of which about 20 students will be chosen. 

More than 20 applications arrived, so we chose 23 students, mostly from the 1st and 2nd grades, and some were put on the waiting list.

2nd Comenius meeting (September 24)

This was the first real working meeting. We formed four Comenius - magic groups and explained what needs to be done and the way we will work. We had a look at our (Slovene) blog and at the blogs of the partner countries. Start of the Logo competition: each group has to create at least 2 logos for the project. Deadline: October 10, 2013.

3rd Comenius meeting (September 30)

Students had been working on their blogs, FB accounts, new gmail accounts, so at the meeting we went through what had been done and what still needs to be done. A new task: introduce yourself at the blog.



Activities in October 2013

We had quite a few meetings in October as we mostly worked separately with each of the groups. Students worked on their blogs and they added their introductions to the blogs. They created various logos and then we voted for two best ones that were sent on to the international logo competition.

We chose the students who will go to the Netherlands to the first project meeting. 13 students were chosen from group 2 and group 3. They were also assigned some additionl work. Students from group 3 have to prepare presentations of Slovenia, Koper and our school, perhaps also some Slovenian songs and dances. Students from group 2 have to set up the Comenius corner in the school where all the partner schools and the project activities will be presented.

We also started work on theme one - Social Networking. We introduced the topic during English lessons and had discussions about it. A lot of students filled in the questionnaire about social networks. The Comenius students are now analysing the outcome of the survey and preparing the presentations of it to be published on their blogs. They are also expected to discuss the topic with students from the partner countries and comment on their blogs.

Students were also asked to fill in the online questionnaire about their attitude to social networks and the media at the beginning of the project.


Activities in November

Group 2 set up the Comenius corner. Then we were getting ready for the visit to the Netherlands. Group 3 prepared the presentations of our school, of Koper and Slovenia. We all practised polka dance and singing, which was supposed to be part of our presentation in Tilburg. Students also practised the Cups song.

On November 13 we had a meeting with students and parents where we presented the programme of the meeting in the Netherlands and talked about other details related to the trip. Later on we also made plans about the international food evening, about what to cook in Tilburg.

Comenius meeting in the Netherlands (Tilburg, Amsterdam) from November 26 till December 3:
12 students and three teachers took part in the project meeting and had a wonderful time.

Activities in December

When we came back from the Netherlands, students presented their experience to their classmates and prepared a photo exhibition and a PPT presentation for the School Open Day, which took place on 5 December, so there was not much time, but we managed to do it. We presented the project and the trip to the Netherlands to all the visitors of the event.

We had another meeting where we discussed what had been done and still needs to be done. They were updated about the new tasks. Some students volunteered to take part in the online magazine, others for the Comic. They are also supposed to continue work on Theme One.

Students wrote articles about their experience in the Netherlands, which will be used for the project online magazine.

A photo competition started. Students are sending their best photos.

Activities in January and February

We started work on Theme 2: Advertising. In groups students discussed various types of advertising. We also had a look at various advertisements and  analysed them. In some classes the theme of advertising was covered during regular classes (Economics, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, English) and they studied advertising and marketing strategies from various angles. In all cases we tried to point out the tricks of advertisements and how consumers are being manipulated.

Magic groups examined work of other partner countries and their blogs. In the final phase students also tried to create advertisements of their own.

Group four took part in creating on-line comics. They uploaded the best one on their blog.

We presented the project to visitors of the so-called Informative Day at our school.

First classes took part in photography course during which they learned how to make good photos and how to use various tools to improve/manipulate photos.

We started planning, organizing, arranging things for the Comenius meeting in Koper, which is to be held between 31 March and 7 April (preparing the programme, arranging accommodation, bus trips, transfers, activities, workshops and lectures at the Faculty of Media Studies, visits to the local media - TV, Radio Capris, newspaper Primorske novice, visit reception in the Town Hall of Koper, tour  of Koper, Piran, saltpans, Ljubljana, Postojna Cave, etc.)

Students started preparing a booklet about the meeting in Slovenia and about all the participants, which is to be published before the meeting and will be given to all the paticipants.

Students also started preparing presentations of Slovenia (a quiz, dances,...)

Activities in March and April

Students created advertisements during project days and uploaded them on their blogs. First class students visited Postojna Cave and created advertisements about the cave. Second class students visited Novo Mesto and the pharmaceutical company Krka and they created advertisements about an imaginary drug. They also critically analysed existing advertisements for drugs.

Intense preparations for the project meeting in Koper took place. We also had a meeting with parents, we prepared gifts, published the booklet, ...

31 March - 7 April: Second Comenius Project Meeting in Slovenia - Koper. Exhausting, but great fun:) More or less everything went according to the plans. Workshops at the Faculty of the Media Studies were very interesting, especially the one about guerilla marketing. Among other things, we also visited various local media. We gave a short interview at Radio Capris and recorded  a jingle, plus we took part in a TV show Dobro jutro, which was broadcast nationwide on SLO 1. Students were creative and each country wrote a Comenius song and then we had a Song Competition, but we also had other competitions (quizzes, sports, etc.) and did a lot of things and learned a lot.

 Activities in May and June

We prepared a presentation of the Comenius meeting in Slovenia for other students and teachers in the school library, plus some students presented it to their classmates.

Students finished work on Theme Two. They were supposed to comment work of other groups, which didn't really happen, so this has to be improved in the next school year.

Students also answered questions of Greek students - they asked Slovene students about their free time.

Teachers planned work on Theme Three, which will be covered in September.

Teachers analysed work of other partner countries and wrote comments and evaluation of their work. Slovenia had to evaluate the work of Greek students.

July - holidays:)

Activities in August 2014

Teachers' meeting before the new school year, task distribution, planning.

Activities in September and October 2014

We had meetings with students, started work on theme 3 - SHOPPING. Students got the instructions about how to cover the topic, do hypothetical shopping and how to present it on their blogs. We also covered the topic during English classes. The students researched various tricks that shopping centres use to make people buy more, wrote essays, ... They also produced videos about their shopping trips. 

The Comenius Corner was updated and renovated.

Activities in November and December

We continued work on Theme 3, had a look at the work of students from other partner countries. Students are now supposed to write comments.

We prepared a presentation of our project and presented it to the visitors of the School Open Day on 5th December. 

We prepared Exchange boxes and sent them to our partners. We also had a meeting when we opened the exchange boxes we received from our partners.

Plans for the trip to Greece started.

One class had a workshop on EU and its projects held by a Spanish journalist currently working at PINA Koper.

January and February 2015

We started work on Theme 4: Sensationalism in the media. Two groups started preparing their presentation of the theme for the meeting in Greece.

Informative days at our school (13th and 14th February): Students prepared a small photo exhibition in one of the classroom, where they also presented our project and the results to the visitors of the event. They also updated and rearranged the Comenius corner.

We also started work on Theme 5: Mockumentary (collecting ideas, planning, script writing...)

18th February: Meeting with parents and students going to Greece.

March 2015

Getting ready for Greece: work on Theme 4 (preparing presentations, discussions, rehearsing, etc.) and work on Theme 5 (finishing the script, filming, editing, subtitles, etc.)

Work on Theme 4 with other groups

Visit to the Časopisna hiša Delo in Ljubljana (field trip for the 1st year students)

Meeting in Greece from 22nd to 29th March

April and May 2015

Preparing presentations for the students and teachers (videos, Prezi presentations, etc.)

Evaluation of the project meeting in Greece

Presentations for other students and teachers of the school in the school library (23rd April): Students presented the project's results, experience gained during the visit to Thessaloniki and Athens, Greek history, workshops that took place durng our visit to Thessaloniki, etc.

Updating blogs (posting the project's results)

Updating the informaton on the Comenius corner

Preparing articles for the Magic bulletin

Preparing for the final meeting in Norway

Project's meeting in Bergen, Norway: 22nd - 28th May, 2015 (Evaluation of the work and results)

June and July 2015

Updating the blogs;

Evaluation of the project:

- recording students' and teachers' statements about the project;

- interviews and questionnaires about the project;

- analyses of the results of the interviews and questionnaires.

Teachers evaluated work of the students from other partner countries and published their analyses on the teachers' blog. Slovenia had to assess the work of Norwegian students.

Lecture on radio marketing in the school library (19th June).