DESCRIPTION AND METHODOLOGIES
The ICT Competence Center (CCTIC Santarém), of Higher School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, held in 2016 the Course in MOOC format (Massive Open Online Course) AFIR Portugal - “Welcoming, Training and Including Refugees in Portugal”. The course had a duration of six weeks and was free of charge.
The course was directed at all educational communities in basic, secondary and higher education and it aimed at raising awareness on the issue of human rights, in particular on the issue of refugees, aiming to help each community to reflect properly on such issues and include this population.
The main goals of the MOOC were to: a) Provide information on the topic of refugees, in particular regarding the current refugee crisis in Europe; b) Provide information on international/european refugee protection policies; c) Raise awareness among the educational community regarding the current problem of refugees and the importance of its contribution to an adequate reception and integration of refugees; d) Raise awareness among the educational community about the issues of multiculturality/ interculturality and the importance of school integration; e) Critically reflect on strategies and good practices for the reception and integration of refugees; f) Disseminate successful experiences, in order to provide the educational community with practical resources (in the field of “know-how”), which favor the welcoming and integration processes; g) Develop intervention skills that favor potential lines of action within the local community; h) Disseminate actions developed within local communities.
