European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

118 EUROPEAN IDENTITY. INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND SOCIETYby governments as such. Teacher at pre-University levels must be awareof the fact that Primary and Secondary schools must be not onlyteaching but also research institutions. More so, research is intrinsic toeducation.Absence of research in educational institutions should be regardedas a symptom of quality loss and, for this reason, it should be regardedas a call of attention for educational administrators as well as a clearand precise sign to intervene in the right direction.However, it must be indicated that research requires time andpeace. Consequently, the concept of lesson schedule needs to berestructured and reinterpreted, allowing time for both individual andteam research applied to classroom situations.Such research projects do not only promote reflection uponpresent-day topics of common educational interest. Their developmentalso involves the work of a large number of professionals fromdifferent levels and countries who contribute to promoting the Europeandimension of education as well as intercultural enrichment,language learning, information and communication technology (ICT)use, access to lifelong learning as well as adhesion to values such astolerance, respect and solidarity, which constitute the basis of convivialcitizenship.In the new millennium, the above aspects should be consideredessential for quality education, not only as a means but also as one ofits major goals.Generally speaking, it should be underscored that priority projectsare those which contribute significantly to teacher developmentinnovation, highlighting the renewal and recovery of the teacher´s rolewhich also means recovery of his or her social and professional identity.More specifically, in order for a 21 st century teacher to efficientlymeet the challenges he is faced with whilst carrying out his duties, hemust contribute to the following goals:—To help students to rethink and restructure part of the learningacquired outside the classroom and to develop skills based on it.—To design strategies for the application of his educationalresearch projects.—To develop methods in order to adapt structures and school´sforms of organization to the needs, problems and demands oftoday´s society.—To improve the systems which facilitate and make the transitionfrom school to the labour market possible, with special emphasison career guidance and specialised counselling.