Abstract:

21st century Education and Knowledge Society give great importance to the acquisition and further development of skills so that young people will be able to communicate, build relationships, improve job prospects, and achieve not only economic survival but also personal fulfillment, social inclusion and active citizenship (Block & Cameron, 2002, Trilling & Fadel, 2009). Thus, education globally takes the form of "training" in 21st century skills incorporated in the curriculum with innovative approaches implemented on teaching and learning in order to establish a creative and open educational environment of collaborative knowledge construction, able to respond to students’ diverse needs and abilities. In the context of diversified learning, the project is introduced as a compulsory ‘subject’ in Greece, with the aim to enhance collaborative and experiential learning, initiate students into research, promote communication and intercultural approach, and help students build skills.

Within this context, the paper examines 2nd Model Experimental School of Thessaloniki students’ views on project implementation and contribution to skill development at the beginning and end of project implementation as a compulsory subject in the 1st and 2nd year of Senior High School in Greece. The survey was conducted in the school year 2012-2013 by means of a questionnaire based on literature and the principles of the Curriculum, and tested for its reliability. The statistical analysis results reveal that project implementation does not always correspond to students’ expectations or contribute to language and communicative skills development in the English language, which means that it probably needs redefinition of goals and better planning.

Keywords:

Project implementation, skill development, communication, Curriculum.