In Czech Republic, our Eco-School ZŠ PŘEROV, TRÁVNÍK participates in the project ‘It’s Time To Care! (ITTC)’, along with schools from Germany, Malta, Portugal, Finland and Latvia. Students participating in the project work together on the themes of water, energy, sustainable living, climate change, consumption and biodiversity, using the gained knowledge, skills, competences and data to engage in environmental learning and teaching.
In preparation for every project meeting, schools analyse the topics they are working with, look for information, process data, evaluate them, try to find a solution to a problem and prepare presentation about it. Schools organise webinars to tackle the issues and tasks, discuss the matters and look for possible suggestions, meet specialists, have educational outings and take part in seminars and lectures focused on the respective topic. During the work on the tasks, all partners use research education methods based on STEAM principles as well as ICT and modern measurement systems. Then each partner makes their own experiments based on the respective topic, makes lesson plans and shoots a short video!
Schools create a bank of e-Methodologies, e-Manuals and e-Videos where those interested can find inspiration for their teaching. The project partner schools cooperate with school communities, local/regional entrepreneurs, companies, town representatives, students - future teachers and experts who are asked to comment work and give their advice.
Even though we have been working intensively and with enthusiasm the projects and have been trying to involve and convince as many people as we could, we feel it is still not enough. Many people agree with the ideas but on the other hand they do not want to respect rules and thus limit themselves.
Each of us can improve living conditions of all people. The SDGs lead us to be responsible people living on the Earth and show consideration for other people and ecosystems and support climate-change measures on which our future lives depend. That is why it is so important that people all over the world know these goals, understand them and engage in achieving of them. The most important thing is not to be afraid to take the first step!Dagmar Bouchalová
The themes
The aim of ITTC is to give support to students’ education in science and technology, become aware about responsibility of everybody for environmental protection and to enable cooperation among European Eco-Schools. The Seven-Step methodology of the Eco-Schools programme is used and ITTC follows principles of the European 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): more cooperation, thinking more about other people and respecting the environment. The key challenges the project focuses on are:
Water - Availability of drinking water, its quantity and quality, life in water
Energy - Approach to affordably priced, secure, sustainable and modern power sources
Sustainable towns – availability of quality and safe living and of essential services
Sustainable society – responsible consumption and production, industry, innovation and infrastructure
Climate changes – struggle with climate changes
Sustainable use of land, life on land, land management and biodiversity decrease.
Outputs
More than 1,500 students from partner schools have taken part in the first year of cooperation!
Designed the project website, school websites, their space on the eTwinning platform, and school info-corners for the public
Designed and had six ITTC banners and six photo-banners made
Organised meetings with experts and specialists from other educational levels, secondary and university students, local/regional companies, town representatives and asked them for cooperation. At least one expert from each partner school has taken part in respective topics discussions
Presented three topic methodologies, manuals, video shootings from three topics covered, i.e. sustainable water, sustainable energy and sustainable town
Organised project meetings so far, in the Czech Republic, Latvia and Bulgaria
Organised seminars and educational lectures for teachers and students
Organised partner webinars and a videoconference via eTwinning
Carried out 4 evaluative questionnaires (entry and after each meeting) as instruments for assessing the work done
Organised open-days, project days and Eco-conferences
Outcomes
Students and teachers have chance under the ITTC umbrella to improve their working skills through experiments, measurements and data evaluation. They can improve their communication skills while working on topics within their own school and later while working on topics with their foreign friends as well as their problem-solving skills when looking for suggestions and ideas to find out answers and solutions for their partners´ tasks and collaborative learning. They both can improve their language learning strategies and increase their awareness of sustainable development and form habits and influence others, as well. Students during the meetings stay at host families so they have a great chance to get to know their culture, history and family lives as well as improve their language skills.
Teachers can improve their knowledge on covered areas, develop and improve their professional skills and qualifications with the aim to increase the effectiveness of teaching and school development in teaching Science, Maths, ICT or languages. They have chance to meet students – future teachers from foreign countries as well and share their experience.
Both students and teachers are involved in STEAM concept while working on project tasks which encourages teaching of Science and Technology, supports research-teaching style, verifies students’ pre-concepts while using modern measurement systems. Another aspect of the ITTC project is providing a wide variety of activities with the aim to increase students’ motivation in studying natural science and technical branches together with using of modern technologies in accordance with natural resources prevention and sustainable development of society of the 21st century.
Story provided by Eva Vincenová