Advances in educational effectiveness research reveal that the influences on student achievement are multilevel and that relevant variables for predicting student’s outcomes are located at individual student level, the level of classroom teaching, the level of school organisation and the contextual level (Isac and Van der Werf 2008). Additionally educational theory (Stoer and Magalhães 2004; Bert et al. 2005) claim that if we want to ensure that students receive the best possible (citizenship and civic) education, efforts have to be made in cooperation between school, parents and local environment. Local networking therefore encourages new and open forms of identity construction, knowledge building and sociability coming from non-formal contexts (Araújo et al. 2011). Local networking also emphasizes the complex context that involves perspectives, strategies and policies framed by the knowledge society and globalization challenges (Stoer and Magalhaes 2004). Rural communities while widely diverse in their demography, economy and geography share similarities in that by definition are in a place located away from a city and smaller in size. This distance and size brings with it benefits and challenges in terms of sustainability and wellbeing. With the distance and size come an increased likelihood of isolation and less access to choice of resources. Many of these places are in a constant state of dealing with challenging circumstances due to globalisation, including fewer access and opportunities in education (Shucksmith 2000; Roberts 2005; Monk 2007). To balance these challenges, there is usually a greater sense of social belonging and level of importance placed on the interplay between community building and sustaining relationships. Public and social reputation is valued and establishing strong networks through social capital often required (Falk and Kilpatrick 2000).

In the poster we present the case study of teaching and learning European Union (EU) related topics in Slovenian rural areas. On the one hand the importance of student knowledge and positive attitudes towards the EU are widely recognized in educational as well in political science in terms of bringing EU closer to its citizens and therefore reducing its democratic deficit. On the other hand formal Slovenian curricula do not place great emphasis on EU related topic in primary schools. Additionally, an analysis (Lajh and Štremfel 2012) reveals that students in Slovenian rural areas have fewer opportunities to take part in extra curricula activities and other events in local area about the EU topics as their counterparts in urban areas. In the poster we therefore hypothesize and explain how local networking can be important in improving student knowledge and positive attitudes towards the EU in Slovenian rural areas. We assume that building positive relationship between all stakeholders, improving collegiality, collaboration and communication and their shared vision can trigger their sustainable cooperation and formation of partnership in providing quality (citizenship and civic) education and therefore developing responsible EU citizens.

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