Climate Change Challenge

<< Background >>The project was created to raise awareness about climate change and related environmental issues. Its aim is to guide and encourage school communities to take active steps in the fight against climate change. In our partner schools, climate change education was limited to reflecting on the effects of climate change. Our curriculums neglected the concept of 'change' and focused solely on scientific knowledge, which was only provided in science and geography classes as part of the school curriculum, with limited content. As a result, insufficient attention was given to the need for adaptation and mitigation for climate change. Therefore, we decided to focus on climate change. This is a socio-scientific issue that requires more than just teaching content; it demands active project-based learning. ICT training was provided to help our partner schools become proficient in using web2 tools for digital lesson transformation. Reducing rates of early school leaving and absenteeism was a priority target in the education policies of all partner schools. Our project aimed to contribute to achieving this target by involving students with low school motivation and fewer opportunities.<< Objectives >>- Creating a module on climate change education that incorporates innovative approaches and multidisciplinary activities- Proposing an EU network that emphasises actions to mitigate climate change by reducing human behaviour that negatively affects climate conditions and ecosystems at regional, national, and international levels -Developing ICT skills of teachers and students and making them become more competent at using web2 tools-Supplying appropriate teaching program for schools to cultivate environmental values and knowledge among young people,and to encourage them to take action against climate change and to make beneficial lifestyle changes - Contributing to decreasing early school leaving and absenteeism by engaging students at risk in environmetal based school activities- Contributing to reduce the rates of early school leaving and absenteeism at partner schools by engaging students who are indifferent to school in school related activities-Developing teachers' capacity to guide students in taking responsibility for environmental issues and using innovative approaches to help them find solutions for climate change by utilizing their skills in problem-solving, communication, critical thinking, collaboration.<< Implementation >>A module on climate change education was developed, focusing on topics such as water scarcity, floods, drought, deforestation, renewable energy sources, recycling, and global warming. The module was piloted in partner schools with students in Erasmus project groups. Feedback from teachers, students, school board members, and the results of the activities were used to update and improve the module. An ICT training programme was organised for teachers to create all project outcomes using web2 tools. The training was provided by ICT expert. A climate change club was established in each partner school, where students carried out collaborative activities and joint campaigns. Six LTTAs were organized, during which students engaged in brainstorming activities, prepared presentations, and met with activists who are well-known for their actions in the field of the environment. They also visited civic and formal organizations and created posters with catchy slogans and phrases. Each partner school contacted youth centres or organisations in their regions to get help from them in raising awareness and fighting against climate change. They organized workshops and activities for students in LTTAs. Host schools organised events and invited civic or formal organisations in the field of education, parents, students and school communities. Both host and guest students took part in those events. Erasmus corners were established and updated monthly at partner schools. Students wrote essays about the activists they selected as role models, which were compiled into an e-book. Additionally, students created an e-magazine that featured news and activities from local and LTTA projects during the project years. As a subproject, we carried out an eTwinning project and shared our results, outcomes, and activities through the eTwinning project journal and pages. A planned webinar with the participation of 250 members from various school communities to provide information about our project results could not be realised due to technical issues with the eTwinning platform. Our climate change education module was introduced to inspire more people. We created a website with multiple language options and social media accounts for our project on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Two informative meetings were organized at each partner school. The first meeting introduced our project, while the second shared its results and outcomes. School communities from inside and outside of partner schools, parents, civic and formal organizations in the field of education, press and media were invited to the meetings.In each country, students participated in a project logo competition, resulting in a collection of logo entries. The final project logo was chosen through student voting. This process allowed students to harness their creativity in designing the logo, providing a platform for their imaginative growth.A preliminary survey was conducted at the beginning of the project to assess students' awareness levels regarding creativity and identify their needs. A subsequent survey was administered after the project to evaluate its outcomes and measure the extent of students' progress. The survey results were evaluated to quantify the project's success.<< Results >>The following are our concrete outputs and results:Climate Change Education Module: All partners prepared a draft climate change education module before the transnational project meeting. This draft module was negotiated in the TPM. The format and structure of the module was agreed by all partners. During the LTTAs, the units included in the module were implemented as pilot implementation at partner schools. It was updated according to the feedback received from teachers, students and school board members during the project. Finally, the final version of the module was produced.The project website: It was created by the Italian partner. The project results and outputs have been published on the website. All partners provided input during the project.ICT Training Program: An ICT training was organised to make the teachers more competent in using the web2 tools that we had planned to use to create and share our project results. An ICT expert, contacted by the Portuguese partner before TPM, provided the training. The key persons from each partner participated in the training.E-magazine: Project E-magazine: An e-magazine was produced covering the project news and activities in both local and LTTAs and the results achieved during the project years. At the end of the project it was published on the project dissemination tools.eTwinning project: It was created as a sub-project. All partner schools carried it out together according to the plan designed to achieve our project goals. The pupils who didn't take part in the transnational project meetings were involved in the activities carried out as part of the eTwinning project.Climate Change Erasmus+ Corners: Each partner created an Erasmus+ corner in their school to share news and activities both locally and in the LTTAs as part of the dissemination programme. It was updated once a month during the project period.Climate Change Event: A clothes exchange event was organised in each partner school. The event was announced through a poster made by the students who participated in the last mobility in Turkey. Students donated clothes that they did not need or did not wear. All the donated clothes were collected and distributed at the event. Students who needed the clothes received them for free. In this way, the students were made aware of recycling and solidarity.Project logo: It was produced by students. It was used in all project documents and events, giving the project a wider visibility.Six LTTAs: They were organised under the titles: Fighting Climate Change, Water Scarcity, Recycling, Deforestation, Renewable Energy Sources, Global Warming. Students, under the guidance of their teachers, prepared presentations on the concept of each LTTA prior to the mobility. Experts contacted by the leading organisations before the LTTAs provided training and information to the whole group on the topics of the LTTAs. Mixed groups of students were formed. They brainstormed about the information they received and defined their action plans to tackle climate change. They also created posters with catchy slogans about the topics of the LTTAs.Climate Change Student Club: In order to ensure sustainability and to inspire more people to work with civil and formal organisations after the project is completed, a Climate Change Club was established in each partner school. The climate change education module addressing climate change with a multidisciplinary approach was created in the scope of our project. The module will be used in the extra-curriculum program at partner schools via Climate Change Student Clubs.E-book: The students searched for activists who had made a name for themselves nationally and internationally through their activities on climate change. They identified these activists as their role models. We asked them to write essays and create presentations about them. All the essays and presentations are compiled in the e-book.