The Bridge INTELLECTUAL RESULT IO 16 (8) | Page 10

Finally, the success of a given project is confirmed by the students themselves, and
how they plan to make use of the experiences gained in the project in their lifelong
learning process. Although guided by teachers and other educational personal,
international projects are learner-centred with learners working together driven by the
need to create an end-product, and what makes this so worthwhile, is the route to
achieving this end product, as Fried-Booth points out (2002:6). The product is, of
course, relevant to the goals set by outsiders (i.e,teachers, the curriculum, internatioanl
project content), but which are also defined and carried out based on the learners' own
personal criteria (Thanasoulas 2002:no pagination). Project work is a personal
experience, because as learners are researching the task at hand, subconsciously
they are constantly being influenced by their own experiences in life, […] their dreams
and fantasies, and will undoubtedly put a lot of effort into getting it right (Hutchinson
1991:11). Giving learners the opportunity to work on a task develops their confidence
and independence (Fried-Booth 2002:6), and they value it more because their free
choice and autonomy have been maximised (Good and Brophy 1994:228 in
Thanasoulas 2002:nopagination). This will gradually lead to self-motivation, which, as
Ushioda (1997:41 in ibid) claims, is a question of thinking effectively and meaningfully
about the learning experience and learning goals, as well as a question of applying
positive thought patterns and belief structures so as to optimise and sustain ones
involvement in learning. This in turn will influence their outlook in life and the way they
will handle challenges and face obstacles as they get older. According to Barnett
(2010, 2), Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at the Institute of Education at the
University of London:
“Lifelong learning’ is learning across time, and occurs, as the term implies, more or
less th