MISSION BASED PROJECTS
Mission
The Mission Based Learning (MBL) project is an innovative educational approach designed to help students acquire the skills, competencies, and mindset needed for the 21st century. Building on over a decade of educational experimentation, MBL goes beyond traditional open schooling principles by involving students in long-term, real-life missions that foster active learning and community engagement. The project will test the effectiveness of MBL in secondary schools across Europe, providing practical guidance for teachers and schools seeking to integrate mission-based approaches into their curricula and transform traditional classroom teaching.
Challenge
Europe’s education systems are increasingly recognized as being inadequate in preparing students for the challenges of the 21st century. Traditional, teacher-centered methods are no longer sufficient to equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Students today are different from previous generations—they are more tech-savvy, more socially connected, and live in a world characterized by constant change and global challenges. The project addresses the urgent need for a fundamental shift in education towards methods that engage students in real-life problem solving, innovation, and community-driven action, enabling them to develop critical skills such as agency, teamwork, and adaptability.
Methodology
The project uses a dual methodology combining an Innovation Methodology and an Implementation Methodology. The Innovation Methodology focuses on how to produce new educational practices that respond to the needs of 21st-century students, while the Implementation Methodology focuses on how to apply these methods in schools across Europe. The project employs Mission Based Learning as its central pedagogical model, which integrates elements from open schooling, entrepreneurial learning, and project-based learning. The project is designed to be co-created by students, teachers, and communities, ensuring that learning is both relevant and impactful. This student-driven approach will lead to practical outcomes that can be used by schools and educational institutions across Europe.
Outcomes
The project will produce several important outcomes that contribute to the European open schooling agenda. These include a School Guide to Mission Based Learning, which provides teachers with a framework for engaging 21st-century students in real-world challenges. The project will also produce a video message from students to educational policymakers, sharing their experiences and insights into how they learn best. Additionally, a policy paper will be developed, offering recommendations on how local policymakers can support schools in implementing mission-based learning. Finally, the project will produce a theoretical contribution to the European open schooling agenda, detailing how Mission Based Learning can transform education and help students become active change agents in their communities. Through continued partnerships and further Erasmus+ projects, the results of the project will have a lasting impact across Europe.
Project financed by: ERASMUS +
