The Digital Drive

Summary

The “Digital Drive” project improved students’ digital and vocational competences through mobility, internships and modern tools. It facilitated curricular innovation, introduced cloud-based working and digital marketing, increased engagement and school visibility, and had a strongly positive impact on education quality and employability. 

"Participation in "The Digital Drive" improved my digital and project management skills, adaptability, and confidence in using English. It also gave me the chance to meet new people, gain work experience, and recognise the opportunities I have as an EU citizen.” 

Topic(s) addressed

• Digital technology 
• Citizenship 

Target group(s)  

• 28 students 14-18
• 2 VET teachers 

Methodologies used

Two extracurricular activities were integrated into the project: “Digitim”, a group of students promoting the school on social media, and a student marketing team trained to present the school and the project to primary schools. Inclusion was ensured through quotas for students facing barriers. Cultural preparation for the mobility to Sweden included a visit to the Embassy of Sweden in Zagreb, and the mobility destinations were used as opportunities to explore citizenship, EU identity and related challenges (students visited relevant sites and wrote essays). The project and lessons learned were presented to local political and educational authorities.

Innovation environment

The project created an innovation-friendly learning environment by embedding digital, experiential, and collaborative approaches into the organisation. The school acted as an enabler of innovation by integrating mobility outcomes into curricula, including introducing digital tools (e.g. cloud-based working) and new teaching methods. A positive organisational climate was built through inclusive participation (with disadvantaged learners accounting for 30% of participants), strong student engagement, and recognition of achievements. Sustainability was ensured through digitalisation (paperless processes) and green travel practices. A whole-organisation approach connected teaching, extracurricular activities and promotional activities. Finally, cross-sectoral cooperation with companies, intermediary organisations, and schools enabled authentic learning and knowledge transfer. 

Teachers’ role

Teachers played a central role as drivers of innovation by actively integrating mobility outcomes into teaching and adopting new practices such as the use of digital tools, cloud-based learning, and project-based activities.  

They acted as innovators by redesigning curricula and implementing extracurricular initiatives (e.g. Digitim). Teachers also fostered wellbeing through strong mentoring, continuous support during mobilities, and inclusive approaches adapted to learners with fewer opportunities, building their confidence and engagement. Their competences were strengthened through job shadowing, cooperation with international partners, and the use of digital and marketing tools thereby enhancing their professional skills. Finally, cooperation and peer learning were fostered through teamwork, internal knowledge-sharing, joint curriculum development, and dissemination activities, enabling continuous improvement and innovation across the institution. 

Impact and output

Innovative teaching and learning processes had a strong impact on all target groups.  

Students improved their vocational, digital, and transversal skills through workplace experience and project-based learning, as demonstrated by SELFIE results, while teachers enhanced their professional competences.  

Inclusion was ensured by allocating 30% of places to participants with fewer opportunities and adapting activities, mentoring, and tasks to their needs, enabling equal participation and positive learning outcomes.  

The project also generated spill-over effects:  students who did not participate in mobility activities benefited from new teaching practices, digitalisation and shared knowledge ; teachers exchanged practices internally; and parents, schools, and the wider community were engaged through presentations and media coverage.

Learn more about the project