Play, Learn, Act, Ensure Sustainable Development Goals

<< Background >>The project aimed to develop innovative educational tools for teachers to teach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using game-based learning (GBL) for primary school pupils. This would complement existing educational resources for learning about the SDGs.Drawing on the consortium's experience, the objectives were aligned with EU Commission initiatives, in particular the Education for Climate Coalition. The project emphasised the importance of sustainable education, with the intention of equipping students with skills to cope with social and environmental changes.By addressing inclusion and diversity, the educational resources promoted awareness of the SDGs and highlighted the challenges faced by those with fewer opportunities. By prioritising school education and key competencies, the consortium developed two outputs: a set of board games and an educational KIT,<< Objectives >>The project successfully developed four board games targeting specific SDGs, with an emphasis on non-formal educational methods and gamification. Since 2015, the SDGs have become global priorities. The project recognises the crucial role of schools and households in supporting these goals, aiming to create inclusive, just and peaceful societies by 2030. With a focus on environmental education, sustainability, health and well-being, the project aimed to raise awareness among younger generations and their role in shaping the future.The project objectives included:-Providing qualitative and inclusive educational tools to teachers and educators on how to raise awareness and work on the SDGs with students.-To raise awareness among primary school students about the SDGs and encourage positive attitudes and behaviours in line with these goals.-To promote green attitudes, behaviours and lifestyles among teachers and students.-To improve teachers' skills and competences in terms of creative content delivery by providing them with the necessary knowledge, tools and skills.<< Implementation >>The planned project activities have formed a chain culminating in the achievement of the objectives. A1 to A11, all activities related to the management and implementation of the project.A1 - oversee project coordinationA3 - managing daily tasksA4 - facilitating communicationThese activities have been crucial for the collaboration of the partners and the organisation of tasks within the set deadline.A2 - develop a Quality Management PlanA11 - quality and impact evaluationThese have been two mandatory activities for the success and measurement of the project.A5 - involved compiling and providing documents for interim and final NA reports was a standard activity that ensured the necessary documentation for project development reports.A6 to A9 - covering promotion, website creation, newsletters and board game tournaments - aimed to improve the visibility of the project and create an online community interested in game-based learning, gamification, storytelling and the SDGs.A10 - involved updating the COVID-19 protocol for face-to-face meetings, ensuring a safe environment in the midst of the current pandemic.Outcomes were at the heart of the project, generating both tangible and intangible results. These were the instruments with which we aimed to impact our direct and indirect target group by strengthening the profiles of the teaching professions and motivating, engaging and sensitising students on environmental and climate objectives.The activities of both Outcomes could be divided into three main stages:Creation of Results: This stage started from the preparatory phase of the project by conducting a research on the needs of the target group. This was followed by the creation of the content and graphic design of the board game (PR1) and the educational KIT (PR2) during the activities PR1/A1, PR1/A2, PR1/A3, PR1/A4, PR1/A5, PR2/A1, PR2/A2. These activities were necessary to create qualitative and educational content for the game, as well as an attractive design for both the set of board games and the Educational KIT. Translation into the language of each partner was also carried out to ensure that students learn through fun and entertaining methodologies based on games, gamification and storytelling.Pilot Phase: of both Outcomes in which teachers and educators implemented the games with their primary school students during the PR1/A7 and PR2/A3 activities. This phase was essential to ensure the creation of outcomes tailored to the needs of the target groups and with appropriate qualitative parameters. Parameters to be measured during the pilot test in schools were also established in order to have a structured methodology to measure the impact on both TGs.The Final Design of the PRs was made after analysing the impact and considering the feedback provided by both target groups, ensuring a customised educational tool, tested and validated by the beneficiaries and users themselves. This ensured the sustainability of the Outcomes, as teachers would continue to use them in their work with students on the topic of the SDGs, with the aim of creating future generations of global and sustainable citizens. This phase was carried out during activities PR1/A8, PR1/A9, PR1/A7, PR2/A4.<< Results >>After having selected the priorities and set the objectives, our team has created the Gantt chart in order to plan the specific activities and tasks to achieve sustainable and impactful TANGIBLE and INTANGIBLE results.TANGIBLE OUTCOMES: Through our project 2 PRs have been created in the form of educational resources (a set of board games - PR1 and an Educational KIT - PR2), fostering the acquisition of knowledge, attitudes and skills in primary school students. These resources support the creation of a future generation of sustainable citizens and serve as teaching materials for teachers and parents.These results have been tested and validated by school education professionals as well as directly by the beneficiaries (primary school teachers and pupils), ensuring the creation of useful educational resources adapted to real needs and parameters.PR1: Set of board games for each SDG areaPR2: Educational kit on how to work on the SDGs with students using alternative methodologies.Both PRs are tangible results created taking into account the needs of the target groups, as well as their feedback, in the pilot phase, when an impact analysis has been carried out, before finalising the project results. By following this structured process, we have ensured the real usefulness and efficiency of the results.The process consists of these main steps:- Researching the needs of the WGs- Creation of the content and graphic design of the board game set (PR1)/educational kit (PR2).- Configuration of the parameters to be measured.- Implementation/Testing of the prototype of the board game set as well as the lesson plans of the Educational KIT.- Impact analysis and feedback.- Review and final design.The 1st PR is a set of board games, created as an educational resource to help primary school teachers provide their students with fun and motivating activities to teach them about the importance of the SDGs and raise awareness about the social, economic and environmental differences in the world. world.The game is print and play and was created using memory mechanics. It addresses 4 different themes related to the SDGs Good health and well-being (SDG 3), Quality education (SDG 4), Affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), Climate action (SDG 13).These games aim to encourage young learners to become sustainable citizens by acquiring the necessary skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving and knowledge of relevant content, such as environmental and climate change education, consumption and sustainable lifestyles.This PR was created with a hands-on, game-based learning methodology, ensuring that students acquire new knowledge and skills that will shape their future behaviour and attitude towards a sustainable lifestyle.PR2 was an educational kit on how to work on the SDGs with students using alternative methodologies. The education kit consisted of several elements:- An explanation of the importance of using the GBL methodology in schools.- The description, rules and elements of the 4 board games.- The lesson plans to be implemented in 3 different phases of the game: before starting to play, during the game and after having played. Three lesson plans were developed for each board game for a total of 12.The methodology is aimed at teachers, as a guide to work on the SDGs and the games in an interactive and practical way with students.The other INTANGIBLE RESULTS are represented by all the online materials used in the promotion process: - The website and all content published on it (A7) - Photos and videos taken during the focus group pilot phase (PR1/A2) (PR1/A6 , PR2/A2), TPM, ME - Newsletters (A8) - Articles published in online newspapers (A6) - Publications on social networks (A6).As INTANGIBLE OUTCOMES: Better prepared teachers (direct TG) in terms of knowledge and skills on SDGs, enhanced by innovative and creative educational resources. This was and will also be reflected in the motivation and engagement of their students (indirect TG) to learn and actively participate in the lessons, but also to educate themselves to become green citizens by having the right behaviours and attitudes towards achieving the SDGs. To ensure and monitor the intangible results translated into impact on direct and indirect WGs, we will conduct an impact analysis during and after the pilot phases to have clear evidence of positive changes.All results produced are available and can be downloaded free of charge online.