Cultural Vehicles in Education - assisting the needs of vulnerable social groups

Youth Centre BABILONAS, Lithuania, Vilnius

Pilot workshops II 2008 - VII 2008

Course programme

Human and European.  Meaning and Expression

1. Reflections of European architecture in Vilnius - Capital of European Culture 2009.

- learning about and discussing architectural styles in Europe (Andrius,
- Making drawings or assemblages in a given or chosen style...
- City bound. Tasks related to architectural objects.

2. Touching, body language in different cultures. Meaning, tradition, prejudices, change.

- Discussing different ways of expression in different traditions.
- Watching a selected peace of movie without sound. Trying to figure out the contents of dialogue.
- learning and parcticing dances of different nations. Discussing the character of gender relationship reflected in folk dances.

3. Ornaments, masks, carnavals. Lithuanian heritage. European tradition and world events.

- learning about and discussing reiteration of ornamentical symbols in different cultures. The alternation. Specifics of the composition, rythmics and colouring. Uncoding of the meanings.
- learning about and discussing carnaval traditions
- making masks papier machee and other techniques

4. Easter period and its meaning in the past and today.

- Lithuanian tradition in comparison with other European cultures
- Effective Learning Strategies. "Mind map" method for exploring the facts customs and specifics of Easter celebrations in Lithuania and other countries.
- Specific of Vilnius Palm. "Reviving" of the lost tradition of paper palms by creating own palm examples.
- Understanding the Biblical meaning of the Palm Sunday. (Bibliodrama method)

5. Visual art in Europe. Visual thinking strategies.

Facilitated group discussions on carefully selected art images

6. Social advertisement

- Watching and discussing the world famous examples of social advertising.
- Discovering the signs and the impact of their meanings.
- Discussing social environment and personal engagement.

7. Culture as an Iceberg. Art as a Chance in the Perspective of Intercultural Misunderstanding

- Social profit of social diversity in intercultural cooperation and collaboration
- Telling stories in intercultural dialogue
- exploration of intercultural understanding and misunderstanding by the means of philosophical, critical and creative thinking and so called method of Moral Imagination.
- Intercultural learning. Learning about and discussing differences.
- Getting acquainted with youth subcultures. Trying grafitti techniques, robot dancing.

8. Woman in European history.

- Learning and discussing Jean d'Arc, Bobolina, Emilia Plater figures and historical background.
- Acting out etudes/scenes based on books, poems and plays.
- Discussing femininity in differrent cultures and epoques.

9. The concept of HOME in different cultures. Reflection of personality in creating the own interior.

- get accuainted with traditional interiours of differnet continents.
- reflecting upon the interaction of rational and creative aspects in setting up the living environement
- practicing decoration of youth center Babilonas interior, creating several patches on the walls of studio.

10. Nature and Ecology

- Learning about birdwatching in British tradition and in other countries as a hobby and recreation possibility.
- Exploring and discussing birds' image in art (visual art, choreography), it's symbolic meaning.
- Dance therapy, using bird image.
- Creating the bird picture as a reflection of own personality.
- Individual creativity increasing exercises creating works of art using wastes.
- Verbal expression of ecology perception in the West European culture.