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Environmental Sustainability Training for Children through on-

line Simulation, Exploration, and Collaboration

Comenius Project 502390-LLP-1-2009-1-GR-COMENIUS-CMP

D2.1 Explorative and Collaborative

Learning Requirements

Circulation: Public

Partners: CFL, CERETETH, UTH, ESB, BSPlan, DIMPorta, HiST

Authors: H. Tsalapatas, M. Mogli, H. Karagiannis, K. Tallvid, Z.

Protivova, E. Heidmann, S. O. Larsson

Doc. Ref. N°: D3110092010V03

Version: 03

Stage: Final

Date: 10/9/2010

ENVKIDS 502390-LLP-1-2009-1-GR-COMENIUS-CMP

1/9/2010 UR

COPYRIGHT

© Copyright 2009 - 2011 the ENVKIDS Consortium, consisting of:

The Centre for Research and Technology Thessaly (CERETETH)

The University of Thessaly (UTH)

Elementary School of Portaria (DIMPorta)

Basic School Planany (BSPlan)

Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL)

Sor Trondelag University College (HiST)

Ecole de Saint Barbe (ESB)

This document may not be copied, reproduced, or modified in whole or in part for

any purpose without written permission from the ENVKIDS consortium. In addi-

tion to such written permission to copy, reproduce, or modify this document in

whole or part, an acknowledgement of the authors of the document and all appli-

cable portions of the copyright notice must be clearly referenced.

All rights reserved.

FUNDING DISCLAIMER

This document may change without notice.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the

Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the

information contained therein.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FUNDING DISCLAIMER 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

CONTRIBUTORS 5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6

1. INTRODUCTION 8

2. ENVKIDS OBJECTIVES 10

3. THE TARGET SECTOR 13

3.1 LEARNERS 14 3.2 TEACHERS AND TEACHER TRAINERS 15 3.3 POLICY MAKERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITIES 16 3.4 THE EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE APPLICATION INDUSTRY 17 3.5 DIDACTICAL PROCESS AND CURRICULA DESIGNERS 18 3.6 THE GENERAL PUBLIC 20

4. THE STATUS QUO ON EXPLORATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING 21

4.1 IN GREECE 21 4.2 IN FRANCE 22 4.3 IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC 22 4.4 IN SWEDEN 23 4.5 IN NORWAY 25 4.6 IN EUROPE 27

5. THE STATUS QUO ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 30


6. STATUS QUO ON THE USE OF ICT AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL 44


7. STATUS QUO ON TEACHER SKILL DEVELOPMENT ON ICT 49


8. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS DEFINITIONS FOR PUPILS 54


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8.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 55 8.2 CONTENT AND FOCUS 55 8.3 TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS 57 8.4 REQUIRED DIGITAL SKILLS 58 8.5 LANGUAGE ISSUES 59 8.6 THE SOCIAL NATURE OF LEARNING 60 8.7 INTERFACE CONSIDERATIONS 61 8.8 OTHER AGE-SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS 63 7.8 PARENT CONSENT 64

9. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS DEFINITIONS FOR TEACHERS 64

9.1 UPGRADING OF DIGITAL SKILLS AND INTEGRATING ICT IN EDUCATION 65 9.2 UPGRADING OF INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGIES 66 9.3 IMPROVED JOB SATISFACTION AND CAREER PATH PLANNING 67 9.4 COLLABORATION WITH PEERS AND KNOW-HOW EXCHANGE 69

10. CONCLUSIONS 73

APPENDIX 1 THE SWEDISH NATIONAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION, SYLLABUSES

(2008) 75

HOME AND CONSUMER STUDIES 75 Aim of the subject and its role in education 75

SCIENCE STUDIES, BIOLOGY, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY 75 Common syllabus text 75 Aim of the subjects and their role in education 75

BIOLOGY 76 Aim of the subject and its role in education 76 Goals to aim for 76 Structure and nature of the subject 77

PHYSICS 78 Aim of the subject and its role in education 78 Goals to aim for 78

CHEMISTRY 79 Aim of the subject and its role in education 79 Goals to aim for 79

SOCIAL STUDIES, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, RELIGION AND CIVICS 80 Common syllabus text 80 Aim of the subjects and their role in education 80 Goals to aim for in social studies 81

GEOGRAPHY 82 Aim of the subject and its role in education 82 Goals to aim for 83 Structure and nature of the subject 83

TECHNOLOGY 85 Aim of the subject and its role in education 85

REFERENCES 87


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CONTRIBUTORS

Spyros Tsalapatas

Rene Alimisi

Olivier Heidmann

John B. Stav

Snorre Ruch

Pavla Kuncova

Maria Hatzinikolau


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EnvKids aims at the development of blended learning activities that deploy an

explorative and collaborative didactical framework towards environmental sus-

tainability training for primary education children. The project uses virtual dem-

onstrators and experiments to help children develop a critical mind on environ-

mentally responsible behaviour through age appropriate tools that focus on con-

cepts and impact while hiding underlying computational complexity. Mostly

graphical interfaces will help overcome language barriers as the proposed learning

tools will be deployed in a number of European countries including Greece, Swe-

den, the Czech Republic, Norway, and France.

This document analyses stakeholders that stand to benefit directly or indirectly

from EnvKids methodologies, tools, and activities towards a more environmen-

tally aware next generation. The groups include learners, teachers, policy makers,

teacher trainers, the educational software industry, parents, and the general public.

To ensure that EnvKids activities take into account past work in the area of pri-

mary education with a focus on the environment, the current status quo on a num-

ber of areas is analysed for participating countries: current environmental educa-

tion curricula, current practices on the use of ICT in education, and the level to

which exploration and collaboration is used in classrooms. Based on the above,

extrapolations are made on the current status quo in Europe.

As a next step, the report analyses learning requirements for groups that are the

direct targets of EnvKids, and specifically learners and teachers. A number of

factors are taken into account. For children this includes long-term educational

goals, digital literacy, typical technical infrastructure of schools, learning activity

desired content, interface considerations, language considerations, and age-

specific requirements. For teachers it includes skill development considerations,

job satisfaction, career planning, digital literacy, and methods for integrating new

activities and tools into existing educational practices.

This report will act as background for the development of the EnvKids Explor-

ative and Collaborative Didactical Framework as well as for learning tools target-


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ing children and collaboration tools targeting teachers planned in the context of

project implementation activities.


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1. INTRODUCTION

Global awareness on the need to change our everyday behaviour towards more

environmentally friendly practices has been gaining momentum over the last few

years. This is evident in formal procedures towards negotiating climate mitigation

strategy such as the UNFCCC and the much publicized recent global convention

in Copenhagen which took place in December 2010 with the participation of sci-

entists, non-governmental organizations, and government delegations; it is evident

in the industry as business initiatives are under way for offering more environ-

mentally friendly and sustainable energy production based on renewable re-

sources; it is evident on initiatives for environmental preservation, including for-

ests and biodiversity; and it is evident in governmental and international policies

on sustaining and improving quality of life indicators such as clear air and water.

These initiatives have helped the global community awaken to the threat of cli-

mate change and consequences to our quality of life including global temperature

rising, desertification, extreme weather, floods or droughts, sea water level rising

and the potential resulting disruption to everyday life for large populations. While

we are all more sensitive than a few years ago to the destruction of our environ-

ment through common business and residential practices, a lot of individuals still

consider the issue as one of the future as opposed to today and perceive the

change of daily routines towards more environmentally compatible solutions as a

sacrifice of comfort and routine. In other words, acceptance of environmentally

friendly practices, such as renewable energy solutions, is still low facing high re-

sistance by local communities and pointing to the urgent need for environmental

education, especially targeting the next generation, as a complementary strategy to

policies and initiatives towards pollution control.

EnvKids aims to raise awareness on environmental sustainability and climate

change mitigation activities among elementary school children. The project aims

to deploy explorative pedagogy taking advantage of children’s natural curiosity to

develop critical thinking towards environmentally friendly behavior. The method-

ology used will help children understand concepts and will use mostly graphical

user interfaces that overcome language barriers and hide potential underlying


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computational complexity. A blended learning approach will combine in-class

instruction, virtual demonstrators, site visits, and on-line collaboration. The ap-

proach will enable children to come closer to peers from other countries, to devel-

op awareness on what solutions work in one place and what are preferable in an-

other based on average temperature, altitude, longitude, geographic formations,

and available energy resources, and to understand everyday challenges both local-

ly and at an international level.

EnvKids does not aim to compete with existing environmental education curricu-

la. Instead, it aims to provide value-adding methodologies and supporting on-line

explorative learning tools that complement existing practices and promote collab-

oration among European schools, enhance the learning experience, and build chil-

dren’s ICT skills.

The EnvKids methodological framework is based on an analysis of stakeholders

standing to benefit from project activities. Learning requirements in participating

countries are discussed in terms of environmental education and in terms of de-

ploying ICT as learning tool. Based on these analyses, which are performed

through direct input from the field and specifically from teachers in elementary

school education, extrapolations can be made on learning requirements at a Euro-

pean level. The results will be used for developing age-appropriate explorative

and collaborative learning methodologies to be used as the basis for the develop-

ment of proof-of-concept on-line educational activities that will be designed for

integration into existing school curricula.

The structure of the report is as follows: first, it discusses the objectives of the

EnvKids project and outputs as these are foreseen in the project proposal. Subse-

quently, it analyzes the current status quo in European schools on environmental

education, on explorative and collaborative learning approaches, on the use of ICT

in education, and on teacher-training in ICT as a learning tool. The analysis is

performed in countries represented by EnvKids school partners, and specifically

Greece, France, Sweden, Norway, and the Czech Republic. Based on the above,

the report performs a synopsis of learning requirements for direct stakeholders,

namely learners and teachers, taking into account the fact that instructor skill up-

dating to the proposed methodology and technology is significant and must not be


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overlooked. The report makes concluding remarks for use in future EnvKids and

other work.

2. ENVKIDS OBJECTIVES

EnvKids aims to enhance environmental education at the primary school level

through advanced explorative and collaborative didactical frameworks that take

advantage of information and communication technology. The project aims to

help children develop awareness on sustainable environmental practices and

experiment with emerging environmentally friendly solutions and services

that help save energy and reduce pollution. The project considers both residential

and civic activities. On another level, EnvKids aims to raise awareness on sustain-

able natural resource management including forests and water and help children

understand the direct impact of unsustainable natural resource exploitation on

various levels, ranging from biodiversity through habitat destruction to quality of

life. Three on-line virtual learning demonstrators are planned as deliverables D4.1

to D4.3 with the above mentioned themes. The demonstrators are aimed for use in

wider blended learning activities; however, their design will allow potential stand-

alone deployment.

To achieve its learning objectives the project aims to deploy virtual experimen-

tation as a method for allowing children to independently discover sustainable

solutions through demonstrators that are based on a “what if” paradigm that en-

courages an entrepreneurial spirit. Learning tools will focus on the impact of spe-

cific choices and behaviours in our everyday life at home, at work, in the cities,

and more generally towards our planet. The project proposes mostly graphical

solutions for a number of reasons: they overcome language barriers; they hide

computational complexity; most importantly, they allow children from a different

backgrounds and countries to use common tools and thus discuss findings in a

collaborative manner under a common context through teacher mediation. At the

same time these ICT-based tools help children develop digital skills that will be

useful throughout their adult lives.

EnvKids recognizes the importance of training teachers with the objective of

keeping their skills current both in terms of didactical methods and in terms of


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using ICT as an educational tool. As such, the project aims to develop good prac-

tice guidelines for the integration of the proposed methodologies and proof-of-

concept learning tools into already existing and well developed educational prac-

tices.

The project recognizes the importance of developing a school network through

which children and teachers can collaborate and exchange ideas, findings, solu-

tions, and know-how. Such a network will help children come closer to learners in

other countries thus addressing one of the specific objectives of the Comenius

programme. The EnvKids school network consists of schools that participate as

consortium partners while it aims to encourage participation of additional schools

that are not formally engaged in the consortium in countries such as Greece and

Sweden; notably, schools have already expressed interest for direct participation

in project activities and evaluation of results in the area of Argalasti, Pelion in

Greece and in the municipality of Volos, Greece.

EnvKids considers methodology and implementation of activities of equal im-

portance. As such, the project aims to develop a sound didactical framework

for explorative and collaborative learning that takes into account past work in this

area and is adapted to the challenges and opportunities facing the educational

sector in the 21st century stemming from the widespread use of technology and

the changing needs of society. For more information on EnvKids didactical meth-

odologies please refer to D3.1 EnvKids Explorative and Collaborative Didactical

Methodologies.

To ensure that the final results meet stakeholder needs, EnvKids aims at a com-

prehensive evaluation strategy that starts early on in the project implementation

period allowing input to be incorporated into project outcomes as work pro-

gresses. The EnvKids evaluation will have a wide European footprint engaging

schools in Greece, the Czech Republic, France, and Sweden to ensure that educa-

tional activities are relevant and address educational needs in the north, south,

east, and west of the continent. The evaluation activities will be planned with the

engagement of experts in primary education and will follow a qualitative ap-

proach involving observation in the context of teaching experiments and allowing


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participants to offer input through interviews. Results will be incorporated into

D5.2 The EnvKids Evaluation Report by project completion.

The project aims to reach as widely as possible the targeted stakeholder groups,

ranging from the primary education sector to the academic community through

targeted dissemination that is adapted to the needs and interests of each and

uses appropriate channels. Specifically, the project aims to use conference publi-

cations and presentations, industry presentations, professional networks, local

media, the Internet, newsletters, promotional material, exhibitions, and more for

reaching interested parties through appropriate in focus and detail material. In

addition, EnvKids aims to develop a strategy for the adoption of outcomes post

project completion by the primary education sector as well as the exploitation of

results through adaptations in additional educational subjects, such as science and

engineering education, and learning scenarios, such as lifelong career building

skills. The results will be summarized in D7.1 The EnvKids Adoption Strategy.

Implementation of the EnvKids activities requires a multidisciplinary effort. For

this reason, the consortium includes organizations that bring know how in areas

such as learning design, environmental education, on-line educational application

design and development, and blended learning facilitating on-line collaboration

services. In addition, the consortium directly involves a significant number of

schools. This complementary expertise allows for balanced partner involvement

in the EnvKids work plan implementation in terms of effort and knowledge. The

consortium allows didactical process design experts, and specifically HiST, to

lead pedagogical methodology development with the participation of all partners,

ICT teams, and specifically CERETETH and UTH, to lead educational on-line

demonstrator design and development with input on design and functionality from

the consortium, and pedagogical consulting institutions, and specifically CFL, to

coordinate evaluation to take place at various sites through local partner leader-

ship.

For a complementary discussion of EnvKids objectives and how these relate to the

Comenius and Lifelong Learning Programme objectives please refer to D5.1: The

EnvKids Validation Strategy.


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3. THE TARGET SECTOR

EnvKids targets primary school education aiming to introduce explorative meth-

odologies supported by virtual experimentation towards the enhancement of envi-

ronmental education. A wide audience stands to gain from project activities and

outcomes, reaching well beyond the classroom. First, primary school learners

and teachers stand to benefit directly from learning activities and good instruc-

tional practice guidelines; second, a number of other groups will benefit from En-

vKids outputs: policy makers and administrative authorities on primary educa-

tion, the educational software application industry, didactical process and

curricula designers, and the general public are among those. Figure 1 shows a

graphical representation of EnvKids stakeholder groups.

Figure 1. EnvKids Stakeholder Map.

The EnvKids explorative methodologies and technology will be validated in the

context of the project on primary environmental education. However, the ap-

proach is generic and applicable to wider learning scenarios. As a result, in the

long term additional groups may stand to gain from the adaptation of EnvKids

methodologies to their individualized needs, including the secondary, higher, pro-

fessional, and vocational education sectors.


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The following sections discuss the characteristics, needs, and desires of direct and

indirect EnvKids stakeholders.

3.1 Learners

In the case of individuals, both needs and desires must be considered and analyzed

to ensure that a proposed approach meets the interests of a particular group. The

following discussion presents the interests of learners in primary education:

Enhanced learning processes aiming at an education that takes into ac-

count the emerging needs of society, engages children, and prepares them

to be active adults both professionally and civically

Educational tools that follow current software industry trends. As

children already have significant exposure to commercial and open-source

software packages, learning tool design must take into account graphical

presentations and functionality commonly seen in popular packages in or-

der to meet children’s expectations and capture children’s interest and

imagination

Encouragement aiming at long-term learner engagement with learn-

ing activities and tools: children must receive quick and positive feedback

on early success with learning activities aiming to promote further en-

gagement and participation in the educational process

Development of critical minds: learning activities for the targeted age

group must ideally introduce a balanced combination of teacher direction

and independent exploration to foster the development of basic analytical

thinking skills that will be beneficial throughout children’s academic and

professional paths

Introduction of digital skills into educational processes: children today

can be described as digitally literate as a result of their daily exposure to

digital technology, on-line services, games, gadgets, and more. This expo-

sure calls for greater integration of ICT into education to ensure that the

instructional process is relevant to today’s needs and skills. Failing to inte-

grate ICT into education may result in the disengagement of learners from


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a learning process that fails to follow digital trends commonly expected in

life outside of the classroom

Interaction with learners located in other countries to get exposure on

their needs, interests, desires, and daily life. Children eagerness on cultural

interaction at a European level is very evident in early EnvKids project ac-

tivities in which children demonstrate great excitement about the prospect

of working with peers abroad

3.2 Teachers and Teacher Trainers

Interests, needs, and desires of teachers and teacher trainers can be summarized as

follows:

Constant enhancement of their teaching skills through guidelines on

the deployment of new didactical methodologies including explorative

and collaborative learning that make education more flexible and bring it

closer to the emerging needs of an evolving society and job market

Upgrading of their digital skills, which is also one of the objectives of

the Comenius programme. It is characteristic that teachers for the most

part do not use technology in the classroom. This is particularly evident

among teachers older in age, whose training as students naturally did not

include new technologies

Guidelines on how ICT can be integrated into teaching practices. In

characteristic discussions with teachers some noted the fact that they are

unable to use digital tools, as for example digital blackboards, due to infra-

structure limitations such as low network bandwidth and due to lack of

technical expertise. Others noted that laptops that have been newly intro-

duced to 13 year old learners through government subsidies are not used as

teachers have not received guidelines on how to integrate computer activi-

ties into their teaching practices. In the worst case the existence of laptops

in the classroom may cause disruption in the learning process as students

turn them on when they shouldn’t and stop paying attention to teacher in-

struction. This and other feedback points to the need of introducing well-


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rounded learning activities and good practices that facilitate the integration

ICT into instruction

Satisfaction from their professional careers. This includes not only

compensation, with which EnvKids is not involved, but also well defined

career paths and evolution of skills and methods in a manner that is not

only beneficial to learners but also promotes teachers’ interests, enhances

their skills, and introduces a positive teaching environment through emerg-

ing learning approaches and technology

3.3 Policy Makers and Administrative Authorities

Administrative authorities are interested to meet the needs of the primary school

sector including teachers, learners, and indirectly parents. On-going objectives of

this group include:

Improving the instructional processes so that education becomes more

effective for children aged 6-12 by empowering them with skills that will

help them face the future with success

Making better use of school facilities. It is characteristic that while a lot

of schools may have access to computers, laboratories, and potentially

more advanced equipment such as interactive electronic boards this tech-

nology is for the most part not used due to lack of know-how and effective

technical support. As such, policy makers are interested in methodologies

and programs that will help integrate technology into teaching practices

increasing return on investment and making education multi-faceted

bringing it closer to children’s needs

Increased job satisfaction for teachers through enhanced career oppor-

tunities as discussed in the previous section

Reducing learner drop-out rates which can be achieved through better

and more personalized teacher-learner and learner-learner communication

and engagement in the context of enhanced class collaboration

Containment of educational costs which can partly be achieved with the

support of technology that enables access to educational material through


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widely used and inexpensive services such as the Internet and open appli-

cations

Compliance with European directives on education. National level

policies and related educational programs must take into account European

directives and initiatives such as the Lisbon strategy, the Bologna process,

and 2020 educational objectives promoting competitiveness, bringing edu-

cation closer to industry needs, ensuring that the skills developed in school

are applicable in the job market, promoting sustainable growth, and put-

ting an emphasis on social cohesion

3.4 The Educational Software Application Industry

Educational software application industry needs revolve around a good under-

standing of customer requirements and desires aiming at better product position-

ing and improved profitability. It is expected that most vendors require this infor-

mation towards the development of complementary off-the-shelf educational

tools, as opposed to complete learning activities such as the ones introduced by

EnvKids, for use in the classroom or at home. As such, vendors are indirect stake-

holders of EnvKids activities, but stand to gain from project outcomes.

Specifically, information of interest to vendors includes:

Documentation of typical primary school technical capabilities for the

deployment of software packages and services. This information is neces-

sary for the development of tools that the customer base will be able to

execute at school through typically available equipment

Documentation of primary school curricula requirements in terms of

environmental education as well as education on digital skills aiming at

developing software applications that can be used as complementary edu-

cational tools

Analysis of competitive products such as similar educational software

packages and services as well as open source


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Analysis of children’s interests in terms of software application func-

tionality, themes, and focus aiming at adapting educational packages with

the objective of making them more attractive to end users

Analysis of the buying power of schools aiming at the competitive pric-

ing of educational software tools for use in the classroom

Analysis of the buying power of parents aiming at the competitive pric-

ing of tools for home use

Summarizing the above, it may be stated that the industry could benefit from an

analysis of the status quo of primary school education in the area of environmental

sciences and ICT which is planned in the context of the EnvKids project work

plan.

3.5 Didactical Process and Curricula Designers

Curricula designers aim at the development of educational programs for covering

needs of specific target sectors, ranging from primary school to professional edu-

cation. Curriculum design is typically the focus of designated organizations that

are related to authorities and policy makers in education or related to professional

organizations. The former is the case in public education at the primary, secon-

dary, and tertiary level. The latter is the case in professional and vocational life-

long skill development possibly leading to certification.

Curriculum design in many countries aims at the development of standards to en-

sure that individuals at a certain educational level all have the same skills and ca-

pabilities by the completion of an educational cycle. Limitations and special con-

ditions must also be considered for an effective curriculum design, for example

ability to travel, language issues especially in areas with large numbers of immi-

grants, cultural background, dropout rates, and more.

Curriculum design is an important and wide subject, the complete coverage of

which is not in the scope of EnvKids. Following is a general discussion of cur-

riculum designer needs focusing on educational programs targeting children aged

6-12 from the perspective of developing didactical methodologies and learning

tools that could enhance current school prorgams:


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Exploration of novel, emerging didactical methodologies that are not

incorporated into current, typical school curricula in primary education.

An overview of the current status quo in environmental and ICT education

and an analysis of emerging explorative and collaborative learning meth-

ods, as for example experiments-based learning, half-baked games, games-

based learning, and good practice guidelines for integrating them into

existing teaching practices would be beneficial

Analysis of changes in access to technology could provide insight on

how children today interact with new equipment and gadgets. The fast

pace in which technology advances resulting into new, affordable equip-

ment and gadgets that are widely available to children today must be taken

into account to ensure that education is relevant, close to children’s needs,

and keeps up with industry developments

Analysis of gaps in environmental and ICT education through a review

of school activities foreseen by existing, formal curricula in a number of

European countries can provide a new perspective on complementary tools

and learning design that could enhance existing practices by taking advan-

tage of emerging technology and trends in didactical frameworks

Analysis of the evolving needs of children in terms of educational ac-

tivity focus. While children aged 6-12 are still young to consider profes-

sional needs, there is no doubt that society has changed in many ways over

the last decades requiring that new skills be added into educational pro-

grams, including ICT. Those skills will be required not only through

school but throughout their adult life. The fact that children today are digi-

tally literate must also be taken into account. For example, if children have

full access to mobile phones, the internet, and software tools in their out of

the classroom life and these services and technology are not available in

school education, it should be expected that children may lose interest in

learning activities that are rooted in past practices that do not take advan-

tage of technology. Some have described this condition as “walking into a

desert” when children are required to leave outside of the classroom this

technology that they have access to, for example, during recess. School ac-


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tivities must incorporate new technology as a day to day tool in order to

keep up with societal evolution and progress

3.6 The General Public

Environmental education aims at raising awareness and promoting responsible

citizenship with the objective that each individual makes a small step towards

more environmentally sustainable conduct at home, in professional, and in civic

life. Under this perspective, related educational programs must target the general

population to be effective. At the same time, it is obvious that the most important

group to educate is the next generation. This is the rationale behind EnvKids’

choice to focus on primary school children.

The general public stands to gain from an environmentally aware and savvy

young population, who will in the future become aware and responsible adults. As

such, the general population stands to gain indirectly from EnvKids activities that

aims to enhance primary education curricula through complementary learning

tools that help children develop critical minds and an objective outlook towards

energy saving, pollution control, and natural resource management. At the same

time children will grasp implications of environmental management on quality of

life, habitat preservation for endangered animals, changes to landscape from cor-

rosion and desertification, climate change, global temperature, and other factors

that affect us.

The following sections provide an overview of the current status quo in explor-

ative and collaborative learning approaches at the primary education level, pri-

mary environmental education practices, the deployment of ICT in educational

settings, and teacher training programs on the deployment of ICT. The informa-

tion is developed with input from the field, i.e. from teachers themselves provid-

ing input on the situation in their respective countries and schools. Based on the

information provided, the sections conclude with a general extrapolation on the

current situation in Europe. While this extrapolation is only based on collected

data, the fact that the EnvKids schools represent countries in northern, southern,

western, and eastern Europe provides rich evidence on the opportunities and chal-

lenges that schools are faced with today. This information is necessary towards

the development of a didactical framework that exploits current strengths of edu-


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cational systems and takes them a step further; in addition, documenting teacher

skills is important towards developing a strategy on the adoption and implementa-

tion of the proposed methodologies in the classroom.

4. THE STATUS QUO ON EXPLORATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE

LEARNING

This section provides a discussion of how explorative and collaborative learning

is currently practiced in European schools. The practices are presented below in

countries represented by EnvKids school partners.

4.1 In Greece

While the formal national curriculum for primary education does not include spe-

cific recommendations or directions on the deployment of explorative and col-

laborative learning, this method is widely used in all subjects. The use of explor-

ative and collaborative learning is wider in the case with experimental schools

such as the Elementary School of Portaria. Examples of use of explorative and

collaborative learning include:

Children working in small groups on common projects, aiming at the

development of commonly owned outcomes. This method has the advan-

tage of allowing children to help and learn from each other in less formal

settings than traditional class instruction in which children are passive re-

cipients of lectures

Physical setting of the class space in small round tables to further en-

courage work in groups where all children are equals

Assignment of projects with specific topics, including environmental edu-

cation, the implementation of which may span several weeks or an entire

semester. In these projects children are encouraged to discover informa-

tion, develop presentations and posters, and demonstrate the results to their

fellow learners

Children using the school library in groups for collaborative research

on assigned projects. This activity does not only include printed material

but may also include computers and Internet research


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The above activities encourage freedom and individuality in learning under

teacher supervision and could be enriched through the proposed virtual experi-

mentation activities proposed by EnvKids.

4.2 In France

Explorative and collaborative learning is used in the context of classroom ac-

tivities on a regular basis. With regards to environmental education explorative

learning is integrated into the high level objective presented in the formal national

curriculum for primary education which states that children must become respon-

sible towards the environment and towards the living world. In this context, ex-

plorative learning is manifested through the reinforcement of knowledge using

impromptu games upon completion of a lecture under the coordination of the

teacher.

Furthermore, gaming fosters collaboration in the form of class conversations

about various options and solutions and initiates discussions on good and bad

practices observed.

This method encourages children to use their own daily life experiences, mak-

ing them feel involved in the learning process.

4.3 In the Czech Republic

Explorative learning is used in selected phases of the lessons, and specifically

when pupils are introduced to new topics and when they deduct rules and patterns.

The method sometimes serves as a tool to motivate and engage. Often it is used in

an impromptu manner by asking the pupils to apply acquired theoretical pieces of

knowledge to a practical situation.

The frequency with which the method is used depends on the subject being taught.

Explorative learning is mostly applied in Mathematics, History, Geography, and

Biology. In these subjects, the method is used at least once a week.

The teacher mentions the usage of explorative and co-operative methods mainly

with talented pupils and during group activities. Explorative methods are included

in learning sessions under the umbrella of “activity centres” which are spread over

the entire week, regularly, once or twice a month. In exceptional situations the

teacher may assign long-term explorative tasks as homework. Children realize an


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experiment at home; they observe it and record the results in the context of several

days. At the end of this longer period of study they present their findings at

school.

Collaborative learning is used very often. Some second grade teachers state that

up to one half of the time of their teaching during the lesson may be focused on

co-operation. Teachers use this method for projects preparation, for role-playing,

for presentations, for games that help enhance the classroom atmosphere, and for

games that help to solve problems and to apply knowledge. Teachers are aware of

the fact that it is necessary for children to acquire collaborative skills. The fact

that children are taught to use this method at the primary grade is very positively

perceived by learners and teachers.

The amount of pupils that are not able to work in this manner is minimal. For this

group it is more suitable to apply an individual learning approach and engage

them in alternate ways during team-work sessions. This phenomenon is common

at the beginning of the teenage period at the ages of 12 and 13. During this period

the teachers may need to fight with the pupil’s aversion to everything.

Specifically, for the primary grade involving children up to 9 years of age it can

be stated that pupils have become acquainted with collaborative learning since the

very beginning of their school attendance. Their tables are set according to

groups. This classroom setting creates “small centres”. During small centre ac-

tivities pupils are encouraged to help each other and learn from each other. Before

changing the classroom setting the teacher discusses the new organization with the

pupils aiming to bring focus on the new grouping and its objectives. The grouping

of children may change from day to day. An important part of this co-operation is

the presentation of results. This method is included into all subjects at the primary

stage. The teachers discuss the advantages of co-operation with children and they

teach children how to collaborate effectively.

4.4 In Sweden

The Swedish school system dictates that activities must be characterized by an

open, democratic approach in which the learning process is at the centre. In this

context explorative and collaborative learning is applied through the encourage-


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ment of learners to develop individual thinking through exploration and to

integrate knowledge developed in wider subjects through individual and

group work in a collaborative manner.

More specifically, learning gives students the opportunity to be involved in the

design of both activity forms and content. Activities strive to encourage chil-

dren to:

Develop the ability to express their thoughts and opinions and have the

opportunity to influence their situation

Develop the ability to take responsibility for their actions

Develop the ability to understand and to act according to democratic prin-

ciples through participation in various forms of collaboration and deci-

sion making

A critical thinking approach is central in planning and implementation of learn-

ing activities. This presents learning opportunities to develop the ability to

evaluate information and assess the implications of different choices and strate-

gies. The school must strive to increase each student's ability to independently

formulate positions based on both empirical knowledge and critical analysis of

rational and ethical considerations.

The school system promotes the development of collaborative learning at an

interdisciplinary level. In this context learning on sustainable development and

wider subjects is linked to the same perspective that helps learners and teachers to

relate new knowledge to what was previously learned and link knowledge and

perspectives from different subjects. Interdisciplinary collaboration is an impor-

tant element of the learning process.

The school system further promotes diversity of teaching methods and encour-

ages teachers to take into consideration learning styles. To enable continuous im-

provement of organizational and pedagogical approaches, these should be evalu-

ated by measurement of the impact of selected content, teaching methods, and

organizational forms as well as the learner's development.


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4.5 In Norway

In the Norwegian school system the majority of teachers and students enjoy the

school. They develop a strong sense of self-confidence. However, at the same

time international surveys and national tests have shown that students in Norway

possess weaker subject-matter knowledge than could be desired. One of the obsta-

cles is that there is little systematic update of learning and school development

goals.

About 610-630.000 students attend public primary and lower secondary schools in

each school year. In addition about 10.000 students are enrolled in private primary

and lower secondary schools. This is the highest number of students at the pri-

mary level that Norway has ever dealt with.

Norway spends approximately 6.5 percent of the gross domestic product on edu-

cation, compared to 5.9 percent as the average in the OECD countries. Primary

and lower secondary schools are administered by the municipalities, while upper

secondary education is administrated centrally by the government.

The National Curriculum provides legislation and regulations, and forms a bind-

ing framework. Within this framework the municipal and county authorities, each

individual school, and teachers may influence the implementation of education in

the classroom. Each school has a head teacher as well as various committees,

councils and boards. Children enroll in school at the age of 6. They stay in the

compulsory primary and lower secondary schooling system for 10 years. The edu-

cation is divided in two main stages:

Primary school (grades 1–7)

Lower secondary school (grades 8–10).

The population in Norway is scattered, whereby many of the primary and lower

secondary schools are small. Approximately 35 percent of schools have less than

100 students, and only nine per cent of the students attend these schools. On the

other hand, 53 percent of all students attend schools with more than 300 pupils.

This constitutes 26 per cent of all schools.


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A major reform of school education under the title “The Knowledge Promotion”

took place in 2006. As a result of these reform, many aspects of education were

updated, and specifically:

The Core Curriculum

The Quality Framework

The subject curricula

The distribution of teaching hours per subject

Individual assessment

In addition, the reform defined desired basic learner competencies to be developed

as a result of school activities, and specifically:

Being able to express oneself orally

Being able to express oneself in writing

Being able to read

Being able to do numeracy and arithmetic

Using information and communication technology and digital tools

The Norwegian Core Curriculum for primary education includes the following

subjects:

Norwegian

Mathematics

Social Science

Christianity, Religion and Ethics Education (CREE)

Arts and Crafts

Natural Sciences

English

Foreign Languages/ Language In-depth Studies

Food and Health

Music

Physical Education

Student Council Work


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Optional Programme Subject

The Core Curriculum does not define specific teaching methodologies to be ap-

plied in the classroom. However, explorative and collaborative learning is inte-

grated into all subjects in various forms.

Examples of the deployment of explorative and collaborative learning in the class

include projects with a typical duration of 2-3 weeks. Children work jointly on

topics introduced by the teacher and then make class presentations.

Story telling approaches are also used. In this context children look at a specific

topic from different angles in different courses. For example, environmental

issues may be addressed from a sociological, historical, or science point of view.

Another form of collaboration is quick competitions. The competitions typically

that take place upon completion of a learning topic and last about 20 minutes.

Children are encouraged to exchange knowledge and information on what they

have learned.

Another innovative form of collaboration is developing school plays. Children

practice over several months and give a performance at the end of a semester. In

the fall semester this activity may last from September to December, while in the

spring semester from February to June.

4.6 In Europe

It becomes apparent from the above analysis that explorative and collaborative

learning is gradually making its way into European schools. The methodology

complements traditional and well tested instructional practices that have been in

place for years and even decades. These older practices often involve traditional

teacher lecturing from the top of a classroom that is organized with learners typi-

cally sitting two at a time in desks organized in rows. This traditional methodol-

ogy makes a very clear statement that the teacher is directing class activities and

imposes authority.

Several schools in participating countries such as Greece, the Czech Republic, and

Scandinavia have already implemented classes that are organized around group

work. This is reflected in class organization, where the desk setup is changed into

circles and small groups. While this setting does not span the entire curriculum, it


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is implemented in an adequate number of classes and reinforces the importance of

collaboration. The reorganization of the class fosters a spirit of collaboration

while. The setup is less formal encouraging children to start conversations and

learn from each other.

Collaboration is further encouraged through the assignment of group projects that

pupils develop of larger periods and present to their classes either at the end of the

school year or at specific days and celebrations, such as Earth Day, knowledge

building competitions, and school plays.

Collaboration and exploration further takes place by introducing class activities

that go beyond the confines of the traditional classroom. These activities may take

place in the school library where children have the opportunity to explore com-

plementary to the classroom reference material which may be either printed in

books and magazines or on-line. In these cases children may also have access to

library computers. Other activities take place outdoors, showing that blended

learning that involves activities out of the classroom is to a certain degree imple-

mented through site visits and other projects.

Figure 2. Classroom Organization is Small Groups and Roundtables at the

Elementary School of Portaria.


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However, it should be noted that the above activities are not available in all Euro-

pean schools. For example, the Elementary School of Portaria is an experimental

all day school. Few such schools exist in Greece and they represent the minority

in primary education. Most schools will still apply the more traditional lecture-

based delivery.

On the other hand, the analysis of the current status quo has shown that in most

cases ICT use is limited to Internet research. As such, European schools stand to

gain from the proposed EnvKids explorative and collaborative methodologies that

deploy virtual experimentation in a number of ways:

They will have the opportunity to enrich current collaborative and ex-

plorative practices with new approaches that introduce virtual experi-

mentation

They will be able to extend collaboration practices by bringing children

from different schools, countries, and backgrounds closer as they all

apply the same learning tools and present their findings

Figure 3. Explorative and Collaborative Learning Taking Place in the School

Library at the Elementary School of Portaria.


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In cases where explorative learning is not deployed, schools will have at

their disposal good practice guidelines on how to introduce EnvKids

methodologies and technology into their existing academic practices

5. THE STATUS QUO ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

This section discusses current activities on environmental education, to be used as

a benchmark for the development of on-line available learning tools that are com-

plementary to existing practices and can be applied in a blended learning scenario

that deploy in-class instruction, site visits, and on-line exploration and collabora-

tion. The activities discussed in the following sections are based on formal na-

tional curricula in participating countries. In some cases they also include addi-

tional activities developed by the schools as part of a foreseen looser weekly bi-

hourly learning session.

5.1 In Greece

Environmental education in Greece started in the early 90s as a pilot programme.

However, no specific hours or funds were allocated at the time for environmental

education. Teaching was mainly based on the goodwill and effort of the teachers

themselves. In 2002, the Ministry of Education used European funds for early

teacher training to develop an environmental education programme.

A formal national curriculum introduced in 2003 foresees the following for envi-

ronmental education: the aim of environmental education activities in Greece is

for students to realize the need for the protection of the environment, to transfer

this message to other people that they come into contact with, and to take part in

activities that promote team spirit and cooperation for the accomplishment of the

common goal of environmental sustainability. School activities must develop

skills, principles, and attitudes that allow children to observe, describe, to inter-

pret, and to foresee in some degree the relationship between the natural and hu-

man generated environment in which human activity is developed in space and in

time. Activities must develop consciousness on the need for and benefits of sus-

tainable development. This process aims at the development well rounded a global

perception for life which constitutes mainly the development of links and causal-

ity between objects. Learners are seen as researchers in this process. Indicative


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themes include: my neighbourhood, the natural environment (plants and animals),

and the human generated environment.

With regards to the Elementary School of Portaria, the school is particularly active

in the area of environmental education. Being an experimental school that enjoys

a Free Zone based on national recommendations, the school introduces Environ-

mental Education as a separate subject. In addition, there is an Environmental

Team in the school. Finally, environmental education is included in the curricula

of other subjects, such as geography, mathematics, history, science, etc.

A wide list of activities takes place in each school year. Following are typical ac-

tivities that have already been implemented in the school:

Learning about forests: teaching involves cooperative, cross-curricula,

and exploratory learning with students looking for material on the Internet

and in various printed material. In addition, several activities centred on

the forest and its protection were realized, including:

o Visit to a forest

o Construction of handcrafts through recyclable materials

o Reading literary texts related to the forest

o Songs of the forest and nature

o Creative writing workshop and writing of stories with an ecologi-

cal message

o Games centred on the forest and nature

o Dramatization and role-playing based on the characters from books

that pupils read about the forest

o Learning about the traditional herbs of the local mountain of Pilion

o Planting of trees

o Recycling paper

Ecological learning: teaching in this situation involves cooperative, cross-

curricula and exploratory learning similar to the forest activities discussed

above. The issue is exploitation of natural resources and what can be done


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to save energy, save water from being wasted, using alternative sources of

energy, and encouraging recycling. The following activities took place:

o Research on various sources of energy and wind power in particu-

lar; ways to save power and reduce water being wasted in the

school

o Internet searches on environmental issues

o Activities about water: water supply management, ways of saving

water, local customs centred around water

o Hiking trips to Alikopetra close to the top of the local mountain of

Pelion and visit to lake Karla, which is an important wetland in the

area of Magnesia

o Theatrical production of a play about the Mediterranean Sea

Literature and the environment: throughout the school year students

come into contact with literary texts focusing on environmental themes.

At the end of the school year an event called “Literature and the Environ-

ment” is organized. Students from other schools in the area participate, to-

gether with representatives from the Prefecture of Magnesia and the Mu-

nicipality of Portaria. Writers of children’s books on environmental issues

give talks to the students

Behaviour for the summer months: consequences of human activity dur-

ing the summer and their impact on the environment are discussed. Some

practical solutions to save energy in the students’ everyday life are sug-

gested together with ways to help raise awareness about environmental is-

sues

Participation in national networks on environmental education: the

school participates in the following national networks related to environ-

mental education:

o The Olive Tree

o Geological-Mythological and Geological Paths

o Traditional Stone Bridges of Greece


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o The Forest

o Industrial Heritage

o Sound and Nature

o Traditional Houses

o The River

o Mediterranean Sea- Greece- the Olive Tree

o Lake Karla: a Lake is Born

o Water: Element and Spirit

Educational programs organized by the school:

o The Olive Tree: Daughter of the Sun. Presentations are organized,

as well as hosting other schools so that they could take part in the

activities

o Nature Paths

o Production of Energy in Pelion. Use of water in the past as an in-

exhaustible form of energy. Environmental dimensions of the use

of water. Use of water in the production of electricity and in proc-

essing different materials

o Water- Source of Life. Visits in different sources of water in the

area, importance of water in people’s everyday life in the past, visit

to a water-powered olive mill

o Endangered Species. The brown bear and the monachus-monachus

seal

o Wetlands of Our Area

o The Lake Karla, located in the area of Magnesia

o Herbs and Aromatic Plants of Pelion. Information on herbs and

medicinal plants used in the area, stories and proverbs connected to

their use


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o The Deciduous Forest of Pelion. Information on the vegetation, the

production of coal from wood and the dangers that threaten the for-

est

5.2 In France

In France environmental education for children aged 9-11 is part of the Experi-

mental Sciences and Technology section of the formal curriculum. This part of

primary education aims to help children understand and describe the real world,

including natural and manmade, to act on it, and to master the changes induced by

human activity. Their study helps students to grasp the distinction between facts

and testable hypotheses on the one hand and opinions and beliefs on the other.

Observation, questioning, experimentation, and practical arguments are essential

to achieve these goals and therefore the knowledge and skills are acquired through

a process of investigation developing the curiosity, the creativity, critical thinking

and interest in the scientific and technical progress.

Familiar with a sensitive approach to nature, students learn to be responsible to-

wards the environment, and world health. They understand that sustainable devel-

opment meets the needs of present and future. In connection with the teachings of

humanistic culture and civics they learn to act in this regard.

The student work is subject to various recorded messages; for example, in a note-

book of observations or a notebook of experiences.

Formal material is foreseen for:

Water resources and specifically the current state and changes, the path

of water in nature, and maintaining its quality

Air quality and pollution

Waste and specifically reducing waste, reusing, and recycling

Energy and specifically simple examples of energy sources including fos-

sil and renewable, energy requirements, consumption, and the need to save

it


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The national Czech curriculum for primary education includes a programme

called EVVO: Environmental Education and Enlightenment, issued by the Minis-

try of the education, youth and sports, No 16745/2008-22.

EVVO is meant as versatile development of key competences in the reciprocal

relationship context between the human being and his/her environment.

It is considered as motivation and exposure to opportunities for acquiring knowl-

edge, skills, attitudes, and habits for protecting and improving the environment. It

aims to create values compatible with sustainable development and sensible be-

haviour. It promotes creative thinking for the benefit of the environment, for a

sustainable way of life, and for sustainable conduct patterns of individuals,

groups, and society. The program is coherent with strategies on a healthy way of

life.

The basic framework for EVVO can be found in the strategic document “The

State Programme of Environmental Education and Enlightenment in the CR”,

which was accepted by government resolution No. 1048/2000. The program is

fulfilled in a three-year action plan.

The reference documents of EVVO in schools are:

The school curriculum

The EVVO school programme

EVVO is based on the following government resolutions and strategy:

The state EVVO programme 2000 and the EVVO action plans

The national education development programme, called the “White Book”

The environmental state policy for the period 2004-2010

The strategy for sustainable development of the CR, 2004

The educational strategy for sustainable development of the CR for the pe-

riod 2008-2015

The national development plan for the period 2007-2013 and the related

operational programmes


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The Environment and Education for Competition programmes

EVVO is related to the following strategies in the area of problem solving, com-

municative, social, and personal competences:

To use actively cooperative and communicative competences as tools for

environmental problem solving

To look for various possibilities of environmental problems solving

The ability to critically evaluate and assess information related to the envi-

ronment

Within the area of the working competences for secondary level (ages 10-15),

EVVO is related to the following strategies:

To acquire the practical skills for behaving in and working with nature and

to apply them in everyday life

To apply the principles of sustainable development in social and profes-

sional behaviour; to work with natural sources; to be responsible with

waste

Within the civil competences area EVVO is related to the following strategies:

To develop through individual experience the natural and cultural values

on a person’s surroundings, to understand the cause and consequences of

damaging the environment, and to understand the uniqueness of each re-

gion and its needs

To think about the consequences, to be aware of the dependence of human

societal development on nature and environmental conditions, to under-

stand biosphere patterns, to grasp the need for economical, social, and eco-

logical cohesion of the world, to understand environmental problems from

a local and a global point of view and analyse their causes

To understand the need for developing a relationship between human be-

ings and nature and to learn from past and present environmental problems


1/9/2010 UR 37

To behave responsibly towards nature end the environment in everyday

life and participate actively and responsibly in the protection of the envi-

ronment

To display humility and respect towards life in all its forms and to value

all species

To appreciate the value and beauty of nature and the landscape, to perceive

and to be able to evaluate varying attitudes on the position of human be-

ings in the wider context of our environment and on human being behav-

iour towards nature

In the context of the EVVO programme, the Basic School of Planany integrates a

number of environmental education activities into the yearly school programme,

adapted to each class level. Environmental awareness learning is integrated into

several subjects. An indicative list of high level environmental education topics is

presented below:

Recycling and the concept of the 3R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle)

Recycling of school paper

Bi-annual recycling aiming at reuse of old clothes which are delivered to

organisations in need

Support of state foundations, such as the Help the Children Foundation

Health relationship of pupils with meals in the school canteen. The motto

is: take only the amount of food that you are able to eat

Growing plants and flowers in the classrooms

Celebrating Earth Day; celebrations take place on April 22

Following are examples of focus tasks through which the above topics are inte-

grated into learning activities in various subjects:

In home study:

o The place where we live: landscape and its changes, protected ar-

eas, environment


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o Our country: natural resources, the environmental situation

In basic education on our surroundings:

o Life in nature

o People and technology

o The human being and his/her health

In the Czech language:

o Environmental literature

o Essays and questionnaires on the environment

In foreign languages:

o Communicating with the world

o Global environment

o Global environmental problems

o Climate

In history:

o The position of human beings in their world

o Important moments in human history from the development point

of the view

o Global problems

In civics:

o Non-governmental ecological organizations

In family education:

o Household maintenance in the context of sustainable development

o Healthy lifestyle

In geography:

o Ecological footprint of individuals

In chemistry:


1/9/2010 UR 39

o Chemical load assessing

o Carbon emissions

o Recycling, raw material use, 3R principle

o Biological food

o Visits to power stations, incineration sites, and chemical factories

In global education:

o Ecological print

o Globalization

In arts:

o Use of natural materials

o Competitions with environmental topics

In physical education:

o Active movement in nature

o Principles of behaviour in unfamiliar surroundings, such as moun-

tains, forests, and rivers

Finally, children work on an environmental project in spring time of each school

year, present the results during Earth Day, and participate in competitions organ-

ized by the Eco grammar school in Podebrady, one of the bigger nearby cities.

During the last school year children planted over 700 trees. The topic in the previ-

ous year (2009) was “water”.

5.4 In Sweden

The educational system in Sweden is based on a nine year primary school, or

”Grundskola”, with mandatory attendance. This is followed by an elective three

year secondary school, or "Gymnasieskola", which is divided in two instances

where you either prepare for higher education or receive vocational education.

The preparatory instance allows for specialization in either natural sciences or

social sciences.


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In compulsory education, which is the target of the EnvKids project, an introduc-

tory text to the syllabus covers the aim of each subject and its role in education,

and makes clear how the subject contributes to fulfilling the goals of the curricu-

lum as well as the reasons for studying the subject in order to fulfill different so-

cietal and civic needs. Goals to aim for express the direction the subject should

take in terms of developing learners’ knowledge. The goals clarify the quality of

knowledge, which is essential in the subject. These goals are the main basis for

instructional process planning and do not set any limits to the learners’ acquisition

of knowledge.

The description of the structure and nature of a subject deals with the core of the

subject and specific aspects, as well as essential perspectives, which can provide

the basis for teaching. Since subjects vary, they are described in different ways.

Goals to attain define the minimum knowledge to be gained by all pupils in the

fifth and ninth year of school. The goals thus set out a basic level of knowledge

required in the subject from both these time perspectives. Goals to attain in the

ninth year of school are the basis for assessing whether a pupil should receive the

"Pass" grade. The majority of pupils will advance further and should, of course,

also advance further in their learning. The syllabuses are designed to make clear

what all pupils should learn; at the same time they provide wide scope for teachers

and pupils to choose their own materials and working methods. The syllabuses do

not lay down ways of working, organization, or methods.

On the other hand, they lay down the qualitative knowledge which teaching

should develop and thus provide a framework within which the choice of materi-

als and methods are to be locally determined. At each school and in each class

the teacher must interpret the national syllabuses and together with the pupils plan

and evaluate teaching on the basis of the learners’ preconditions, experiences,

interests, and needs.

Common to all subjects in the compulsory school is that they should impart pleas-

ure in being creative and a desire to continue learning. In their education learners

should develop the ability to draw conclusions and generalize, as well as explain

and be able to provide the reasons for their thinking and their conclusions. Based


1/9/2010 UR 41

on their experiences and questions pupils can develop good judgment and get a

feeling of what is important.

With regards to sustainable development: this is a theme that is evident through

the entire curriculum. The school encourages each student to develop their ability

to recognize and express ethical standpoints based on knowledge and personal

experiences. The school strives to ensure that each student can empathize with and

understand other people's situation and develop a willingness to deal with their

best interests at heart and show respect for the care of the neighbourhood envi-

ronment and in a broader perspective.

The mission to educate for sustainable development has been formulated in inter-

national agreements and national policy documents. The essence is that students

are learning to develop a knowledge-based approach on the important ethical

questions concerning the relationship between humans and the human relationship

with nature. From that knowledge they must both be able to participate in democ-

ratic processes and make informed choices. This means that their ability to con-

tribute to sustainable development will become a reality in practice.

It is not sufficient to impart knowledge in the teaching of basic democratic values.

Teaching takes place in democratic forms of work and prepares students to ac-

tively participate in community life. Through that teaching will develop their abil-

ity to take personal responsibility on environmental issues.

Following are examples of environmental education activities in Swedish schools:

Water Quality of the Baltic Sea. Bio indicators are used to study water

quality. Additional information can be obtained in Paper Working for bet-

ter water quality in the Baltic Sea

Rivers. Water quality in rivers is studied using bio indicators and chemical

methods. These studies are followed up by studies of the causes of envi-

ronmental problems and discussion of solutions. The program is multidis-

ciplinary and is part of the science and social studies program

Air Quality. Air quality is studied by means of bio indicators conifers and

lichens


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Penology. Climate change is studied by noting the time of spring's arrival.

Flowers and birds are also studied

Bird Ecology. Number of nesting seabirds in spring and winter are studied

and the numbers of dead individuals washed ashore are counted. Birds

around the bird feeder are studied during the winter

Coast Watch. A 500m long stretch of coastline or rivers are examined. It

is a simple program and all ages can participate. No special equipment is

needed

Environmental History. The program focuses on environmental history

based on contemporary environmental problems - not studying the past as

decoupled from the present. The program has a future perspective; it does

goes beyond the context of contemporary understanding aiming to develop

preparedness for the future

5.5 In Norway

Environmental education does not constitute a separate subject in the Norwegian

primary education curriculum. Rather, the subject is integrated into a number of

other courses. Examples of environmental education activities include:

In science education:

Examples of topics addressed renewable energy production for reducing

pollution, the function of energy efficient devices, and the carbon cycle

In social sciences:

Behavioural aspects are addressed, including individual behaviour and so-

cietal behaviour. Activities aim to introduce a sense of responsibility to-

wards environmental sustainability and help children understand that in-

dividual and group perceptions, attitudes, and activities affect the envi-

ronment

Environmental education was more prevalent in primary education 5-10 years

ago, before the curriculum change in 2006.


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5.6 In Europe

The above presentation of environmental education can lead to some general ob-

servations about trends on related curricula and learning activities. It becomes

apparent that environmental education is present is some form in all participating

countries. In some countries, such as Sweden and the Czech Republic, it is more

prevalent, while in others, such as Norway, less so. Formal national level curricula

provide general directions on the objectives of environmental education, which

can be summarized as respect for and responsibility towards our natural environ-

ment and living world. In most cases there is no dedicated environmental educa-

tion course; rather environmental awareness education is integrated in a variety of

courses and covers wide themes including environmental history, emissions and

air quality as part of chemistry, natural environment as part of geography, respon-

sible behaviour as part of civic education, biodiversity as part of natural science

education, etc.

On the other hand, schools naturally introduce a local focus on environmental

education. This is evident through a focus on local species of animals and plants,

local natural treasures such as forests, lakes, rivers, and other formations, and lo-

cal environmental challenges such as preserving coasts, forests, local animal spe-

cies, and more. These activities are reinforced through site visits. This approach

makes sense as it ties an abstract concept such as preserving the environment to

the children’s real surroundings and establishes a connection between environ-

mental challenges and children’s daily activities and quality of life.

Environmental education is a subject in which class and student projects can be

easily introduced. Most schools have reported that they implement at least one

environmental project during each school year with a subject selected by the

teacher. The subject typically varies from one year to another. Children present

their findings to their class either at the end of the school year, at celebrations

such as Earth Day, or at events organized in cooperation with other schools in

their area.

On the other hand, children are encouraged to be environmentally responsible

through good practices such as recycling and cleaning the school yard and are

encouraged to continue these practices at home throughout their day.


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The above demonstrate that environmental education is already present in Euro-

pean primary education. However, while general objectives for environmental

education are evident in curricula class delivery guidelines and well defined learn-

ing activities are scarce leaving related initiatives to the teacher. EnvKids does not

aim to replace existing learning practices. Rather, it aims to develop learning tools

and activities that will enhance school learning and reinforce the concepts being

taught today.

6. STATUS QUO ON THE USE OF ICT AS AN EDUCATIONAL

TOOL

This section includes a discussion on the current status of ICT as an educational

tool in primary education in countries represented in EnvKids. The discussion

revolves around various uses of ICT. This includes dedicated formal ICT courses

foreseen by national curricula, their objectives, and their content; the use of ICT in

other subjects as a tool for developing projects and presentations; and the deploy-

ment of ICT based on existing technical infrastructure in schools1.

6.1 In Greece

Computer education is included in primary education in Greek schools but in gen-

eral it is not an obligatory subject. Typically, only learners that are enrolled in all-

day schools receive computer education at the primary level. It should be noted

that all-day schools are the minority of schools in Greece. Learners enrolled in the

typical 08:00 – 13:00 schools, which constitute the overwhelming majority of

Greek schools, are not exposed to computer courses at the primary level.

At the Elementary School of Portaria, which is an experimental all day school, the

subject is obligatory in the 1st grade. In addition, the school has a computer lab

which includes a digital whiteboard. Lab activities include the development of

videos, a school newspaper, and a school blog.

1 The latter subjects is only touched upon in this report as detailed analysis is presented in D5.1

The EnvKids Evaluation Strategy, which presents the validation sites and their characteristics.


1/9/2010 UR 45

6.2 In France

10 year olds must obtain a certificate in computer science at the end of the school

year. To obtain the certificate a student must be able to:

Identify the function of various components of the computing environment

Demonstrate critical approach to information and its treatment

Participate in collaborative work by knowing the issues and respecting the

rules

Create, produce, and edit digital document

Arrange in a single document for different media (text, image or sound)

from a library or on its own composition

Identify and sort information in a document

Send and receive a message or comment

Explore different communication situations in direct mode or deferred

To achieve this work, students at Saint Barbe use the school computer lab,

which includes 8 computers connected to the internet. A regular classroom al-

so has one computer available for students. Most students also have a comput-

er at home, typically purchased by their parents.

In addition to the above skills that are directly related to the foreseen ICT

course, throughout the year students use ICT in various other courses to do re-

search for projects and presentations.

Finally, the texts of lectures or reading assignments are digitally available.


Computer labs are available and they are used frequently. The pupils work with

educational programs intended for specific subjects. Computers installed in sepa-

rate classrooms are used mainly during the free time of the pupils; the main

learner activity observed by teachers is game-playing and searching the Internet.

When the computers are used during lessons pupils search and use specific infor-

mation. In addition, they use the Internet for completing homework tasks and for

developing “graduation projects”, which is an important part of the ninth grade. In


1/9/2010 UR 46

the context of these projects they have to develop 5-10 pages on a specific and

exact topic and they have to present their work in front of a committee. Pupils are

able to work with the Microsoft Office processor, sometimes with the Microsoft

Excel processor, but only some of them are able to create a presentation in the

Power Point program. The teachers agree children prefer entertainment as op-

posed to learning activities with computers, i.e. playing games, watching You-

Tube, chatting, using Face book and other programs intended for fun and relaxa-

tion.

In addition, children become familiar with computers in the context of other sub-

jects. Examples include:

In mathematics: using statistical methods, graphs, and maps

In geography: developing maps, charts, web pages, and photos

6.4 In Sweden

Computers are widely used in Sweden in everyday life. Sweden is a world leader

on the number of computers per capita and the frequency of Internet use based on

research conducted by the Next Generation Forum in 2000.

There are various examples of how computers are used today in Swedish schools2.

One way of deploying computers might be that the teacher connects his/her com-

puter in the school's wireless network and enters his "Classroom" on the intranet

looking for new information posted by students since his/her last intranet login. In

a history class teachers may use the web service Cases to solve tasks of king Karl

XII's death by using a computer connected with a projector. In other cases 6 and 7

year old children click on computer buttons, learning to read and write through

special software.

Sweden is now entering what many describe as the second wave of ICT in

schools. The first wave was in the 80’s and 90’s with a focus on equipping

schools with computers. The second wave began with the Itis project in which

170m Euros were dedicated teacher training in ICT. More than 65% of teachers

2 Microsoft chronicle, February 2007, page 28 to 29.


1/9/2010 UR 47

participated, and the project ended in 2002. After Itis municipalities had the re-

sponsibility for using ICT as a tool in educational practice [8].

The Swedish curriculum provides general guidelines and objectives for each sub-

ject (please refer to Appendix I to get a better feel on the philosophy of the cur-

riculum). As such, the curriculum does not provide specific guidelines on how

ICT should be integrated into courses. This is because ICT is viewed as a tool like

many others. The curriculum allows the teacher freedom on the tools to be used in

educational settings.

Primary schools in Sweden typically have at least one computer in each class-

room. This computer is used when needed in instruction to perform common ac-

tivities such as Internet searches and presentations. In this respect, ICT is used

throughout the primary school curriculum in all subjects where the technology can

provide value-adding educational resources and tools.

6.5 In Norway

ICT skill development is a priority area throughout the educational system. The

importance of ICT in the Norwegian education system is evident through the iden-

tification of ICT as one of the five desirable basic competences in “The Knowl-

edge Promotion” (please refer above to section 4.5 The Status Quo on Explorative

and Collaborative Learning In Norway).

No dedicated ICT course exists in the Norwegian primary education curriculum.

Rather, ICT in the Norwegian education system is viewed as a learning instru-

ment. The use of ICT is integrated into each course. For example, learners may

use ICT to develop presentations that they subsequently present to other class

members, or they may use the Internet to perform searches. As a result of using

ICT in the classroom, children can be expected to be able to use basic software

such as office suites, image processing, and browsing.

6.6 In Europe

ICT in education at the primary level is currently used mainstream in several parts

of Europe.

With regards to technical capabilities, most schools have at least one computer

and are connected to the Internet. However, Internet speeds may vary from ones


1/9/2010 UR 48

school to the other, while special requirements may limit access to the school

computers, for example the availability of computers in the classroom or separate,

dedicated labs, the need for an additional adult to be present in a computer lab for

overseeing learners when computers are not available in the classroom, and more.

In addition, the computers cannot be expected to be up to date. Most schools will

not change their computers frequently enough due to budget limitations. Screens

may have smaller than the norm resolutions and processors may not be the most

modern.

With regards to curricula, many European countries now introduce ICT classes at

the primary school level. However, it cannot be expected that each primary school

offers computer classes. In some countries, such as Greece, computer classes are

not available widely at the primary level; in Norway dedicated computer classes

do not exist as part of the primary education curriculum.

In ICT education classes classes learners familiarize themselves with using the

most common programs and functions, such as Microsoft Office, Internet

searches, and maybe photo processing. However, learners have limited to no ac-

cess to specialized software developed especially for the needs of primary educa-

tion learners, either for supporting the ICT class lectures or for supporting lectures

in other classes such as science, mathematics, geography, history, environmental

studies, etc.

Based on the above, pupils and schools stand to gain from the introduction of spe-

cialized learning tools and virtual experiments that have been designed for the

specific needs of children at the primary education level. In addition, the proposed

In other words, children stand to develop basic ICT skills as a result of the En-

vKids learning activities that integrate technology. EnvKids tools are tied to

emerging learning methodologies involving exploration and collaboration which

are newly introduced in European schools. The proposed tools are aimed to pro-

mote critical and analytical thinking and to initiate discussions and collaboration

among learners as part of both traditional instruction and wider blended learning

activities.


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7. STATUS QUO ON TEACHER SKILL DEVELOPMENT ON ICT

The EnvKids educational pilot applications are ICT based. In order to develop a

strategy for the integration of the tools in wider school learning activities, this

section provides an overview of the current situation on teacher skill development

on ICT as an educational tool.

7.1 In Greece

Teacher training on the deployment of ICT is achieved through seminars, which

typically span a couple of weeks. In these sessions teachers are trained on basic

computer use including Internet browsing, text authoring, excel sheets, and other

similar skills. Mostly younger teachers can be expected to have a certain degree of

familiarity and ease with computer use while older individuals are likely to have

very limited exposure to ICT. Teachers with a background on math, science, or

engineering are more likely to have a certain level of comfort with ICT.

On the other hand, teachers are not given guidelines on how to use ICT in class as

an educational tool. As a result, many teachers avoid the use of computers beyond

dedicated computer education classes in the context of other subjects, such as en-

vironmental education; instead, they focus on more traditional instructional prac-

tices that involve lectures.

Finally, one drawback can be identified on the fact that teachers may choose to

skip ICT classes in favour of other training programs with wide applicability in

their teaching practices, as for example managing children behaviour in the class-

room. This is a result of the limited time that teachers have available for training,

which forces them to limit their choices of seminars to attend.

7.2 In France

Up until 2009 a University Institute of Teacher Training prepared graduates of

various disciplines to become teachers. However, the Institute was closed this

year. Currently, an individual becomes a teacher upon completion of a Masters

Degree and begins immediately to teach in class without additional, teacher-

specific training. With regards to ICT, a teacher is expected to have developed

individually skills and knowledge on computer use.


1/9/2010 UR 50

As a result, teachers can be expected to have computer skills developed through

the primary and secondary school system for all individuals. Computer skills are

developed through the B2i (Brevet informatique et Internet), a computer and in-

ternet patent which was introduced in February 2001 the Ministry of National

Education which trains students from the primary to the high school levels on the

use of information technology and communication. The B2i has three levels: a

level “school”, a level “junior high school”, and a level “high school”.

To facilitate B2i implementation, project PrimTICE offers teachers a repertoire of

educational scenarios towards the development of B2i Level 1 (school) skills [15].

At the end of 5th

grade, students receive a "certificate of competence", which

should be not confused with a degree. This certificate validates the level achieved

on the use of multimedia tools and the Internet in real situations of school activi-

ties. The teacher has to evaluate and verify the ability of students to use new tech-

nologies in different contexts and according to their actual needs [16].

Summarizing, no specific programs exist in France on developing teacher ICT

skills beyond the classes available for primary and secondary education students

on basic computer skills.


Teachers have the option of attending ICT courses on a voluntary basis in the con-

text of wider skill development initiatives that cover broad subjects related to in-

structional methodologies. The courses are provided by dedicated learning centres

and their cost is covered by school financial resources.

For the school of Planany the last of these courses took place in the autumn of

2009, which provides insight on the frequency of related offerings. The course’s

duration was 20 hours. It was attended by 6 teachers of the school and 1 non-

pedagogical member of the staff. The course covered the following topics: Word,

Excel, Word Power Point, Photoshop, and using the Internet.

The ICT courses are not those which are among the most popular or demanded

ones. The reason for this probably lies in the content of the courses offered. The

development of ICT skills is probably perceived by teachers as not so important.

Instead, teachers choose courses with other topics which are from their point of


1/9/2010 UR 51

view more practical. Examples of popular topics often chosen by teachers include

behavioural difficulties, bullying prevention, etc.

In terms of ICT, it appears that there is just one topic which attracts the teachers:

skill development on using interactive whiteboards, which is demanded mainly by

younger teachers. But even for this course the motivation for attending is still low

as a result of the fact that schools often lack adequate numbers of interactive

boards for covering the needs of the registered learners. Usually one or two boards

exist at each school, which means that teachers cannot use them as often as they

would like to. For example, in many schools teachers can use interactive white-

boards approximately once a week. On the other hand there are teachers who have

a whiteboard all the time in their classrooms and do not use it at all.

In conclusion, teachers tend to choose the courses which topics cover acquiring

skills which are possible to use in everyday teaching. This could be as simple as

focusing on Microsoft Office.

7.4 In Sweden

The activities for training teachers on the use of ICT depend a lot on the individ-

ual teacher’s background and the subject they are teaching in. Available options

include university courses, peer-to-peer learning in teacher teams, self education,

and courses held by the school or other education providers. The choice of train-

ing is up to each individual school.

The most common software used by teachers is the Microsoft-platform with Inter-

net Explorer and Office but Open Office is taking more and more ground because

the software is free.

“It has led to increased inequality" said Stig Roland Rask, project manager for

governmental The Knowledge Foundation3. Some municipalities are investing

heavily and purposefully, while other municipalities have fallen a bit behind.

Teachers and students can see the educational benefits of IT in schools. In the area

of communications the change is fast. Today, three out of four high school stu-

3 KK.stiftelsen (SE). The Knowledge Foundation is the research financier for universities with

the task of strengthening Sweden's competitiveness and ability to create value. www.kks.se


1/9/2010 UR 52

dents’ uses platforms like MSN and others to solve school tasks in collaboration

with classmates and between student and teacher, school and home, the electronic

communication has advanced. These emanates not from schools but from the

computer literate young people themselves, a bottom-up approach.

As Stig Roland Rask states,

"The main teacher skills in the future are perhaps not a question of

knowing what buttons to press but to gain an understanding of the net

cultures that children encounter and use. See the enormous creativity

that are there - and unleash it in school.”

7.5 In Norway

The Government has initiated a new teacher education program for primary and

lower secondary education. The program has a strong emphasis on subject

knowledge and teaching skills, quality of studies, and research orientation. The

key elements are as follows:

Two equivalent program tailored to the needs and learning requirements of

primary and lower secondary education

Pedagogy and pupil-related skills, which is a new, expanded educational

science subject

Improved quality of practical training

Mentoring for all newly qualified teachers

Increased recruitment that may secure new paths to the teaching profession

Centers of teaching excellence

A national research school program

The focus of teacher training programs for primary and lower secondary education

is:

For teachers teaching grades 1- 7: emphasis is based on beginner-level in-

struction, normally four school subjects, among which Norwegian and

mathematics are compulsory; at least one subject must consist of 60 cred-

its (1-year full-time studies)


1/9/2010 UR 53

For teachers teaching grades 5-10: normally three school subjects consist-

ing of 60 credits, no compulsory subjects; with the option to specialize in a

specific area, e.g. science subjects, language subjects, or practical-

esthetical subjects

Both paths contain a new compulsory educational science subject named “peda-

gogy and pupil-related skills”. It yields 60 credits and includes subject didactics

and practical training in all subjects.

The structure of teacher training programs facilitates the development of the

teaching profession and aims to fulfill three main functions for the benefit of the

teachers:

To ensure basic knowledge on the subjects included in primary education

curricula

To develop a didactical methodological background

To develop skills for addressing social and behavioral issues

The indirect beneficiaries of this process are of course the learners. The teacher

training programs reflect the challenges of coordinating learning activities in an

inclusive school environment that engages a wide diversity of students.

Regarding ICT skill development, teacher education takes place through the uni-

versity system. University level pedagogics education includes ICT training.

However, teachers need to be retrained throughout their professional careers in

order to keep skills up to date. This additional training takes place at specific

days in the academic year during which schools are closed. In addition, training

can span several days and be connected to school holidays or vacation periods.

The challenge in using ICT in the classroom lies with providing adequate tech-

nical support to teachers at the school. For example, most teachers do not have

the knowledge to maintain an intranet; dedicated engineers are required for this

purpose. The lack of adequate technical support results in less than desired use of

ICT in the classroom.


1/9/2010 UR 54

7.6 In Europe

It becomes apparent that teacher training programs on the development of ICT

skills are not as widely available in Europe as the adoption of technology dictates.

In worse case scenarios no such programs exist. In the best case scenario short

seminars are available that teachers can attend; in rare cases, such as Sweden, uni-

versity level courses may be available depending on school budget and employee

training policies.

However, even in the best situation the limitation of time available to teachers for

taking lifelong skill and career development classes as well as other factors may

result in teachers skipping ICT training programs in favour classes focusing on

transversal skills, such as managing learner behaviour in class. Due to the lack of

infrastructure and / or technical support for applying ICT skills directly in the

classroom teachers may view the development of other instructional-process

building skills as more relevant and useful.

As a result, teachers cannot be expected to have more than basic computer skills

such as deploying various popular tools for text processing, image or multimedia

processing, administration, or Internet browsing. Learning tools to be developed

in the context of EnvKids or other projects for use in the classroom by teachers

and learners must take into account these limitations and require only minimum

familiarity with computers and Internet services, while their appearance and usage

would ideally follow common conventions and be familiar and similar to that of

popular software packages to facilitate ease of use.

On the other hand, tools for developing basic teacher skills on deploying ICT in

the classroom would benefit instructors across Europe. Based on the current ICT

skill level of teachers such tools should be focused, present information in short

steps that are easy to follow, and use vivid presentation formats that cover a range

of learning styles.

8. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS DEFINITIONS FOR PUPILS

This section provides learning requirements analysis on the proposed EnvKids

pilot educational activities with a focus on the needs of learners. The discussion

takes into account the existing status quo on explorative and collaborative learn-


1/9/2010 UR 55

ing, on the use of ICT as an educational tool, and on environmental education

aiming to develop educational content that complements existing curricula and

enhances current school activities. The discussion includes the needs and desires

of children and has a long term perspective aiming at the development of skills

that will be beneficial throughout their academic and professional careers.

8.1 Learning Objectives

The educational activities aim to develop environmental awareness among chil-

dren through explorative approaches that use virtual experimentation as a tool

for engaging learners in critical thinking on responsible behaviour and sustain-

able future policies. At the same time, the activities aim to develop a collabora-

tive spirit by allowing children to discuss what works at specific conditions and

locations. Ideally, activities should be rooted to reality in order to make a con-

nection between classroom teaching and environmentally responsible behav-

iour in everyday life.

On the other hand, the learning activities aim to develop children’s digital skills

through the use of on-line available educational applications that the children will

be called to use in the context of wider blended learning activities.

The activities aim to provide versatile learning tools that can be used in the con-

text of existing environmental education curricula providing a new perspec-

tive and enriching current tasks inside and outside of the classroom.

8.2 Content and Focus

The content of the pilot applications ideally should follow and complement re-

quirements of existing school curricula and educational activities. Activities must

be learner centred and promote subjects that widen children’s horizons and

have applicability in real life. The general themes of the pilot educational appli-

cations have been identified in the project proposal and they are:

Pollution: Environmentally friendly activities in our everyday life; in

other words, what each individual can do at home to help reduce pollution

and save energy from residential activities. Activities may focus, for ex-

ample, on awareness building on the benefits of using of energy efficient

light bulbs and energy efficient devices, recycling, switching off idle elec-


1/9/2010 UR 56

tric devices, using insulation to help reduce heating needs in the winter and

cooling needs in the summer, using solar energy to cover part of a house’s

energy needs, and more

Energy: Learning activity focus could include the benefits of renewable

energy resources at the town / city level towards more environmentally

friendly solutions including solar, wind, hydroelectric and the positive ef-

fects to our quality of life through pollution reduction as compared to more

traditional energy production methods such as coal and gas-based solu-

tions. Additional policies such as effective urban traffic systems that can

motivate inhabitants to leave their cars at home thus further reducing pol-

lution could also be explored

Natural Resources: The activity may focus on the importance of sustain-

ably managing natural resources such as forests and water and the effects

on climate, biodiversity, ecosystem balance, and more. The activity could

involve both historical data and future projections based on specific envi-

ronmental targets

The planned educational applications will thus cover the above themes in accor-

dance with the project proposal. It should be noted that through the analysis of the

current status quo on environmental education in participating countries it has

become apparent that the themes selected are well positioned and to the point as

all schools are currently engaged through required or complementary activities

with the above topics. For example, the wide majority of schools educate children

on recycling, the preservation of the natural environment, studying of endangered

species, studying of endemic or common local plants and animals, the importance

of preserving forests, the importance of behaving responsibly in nature and avoid-

ing littering, studying of the climate and why its preservation is important for us

and for future generations, site visits to water habitats and adjacent forests, envi-

ronmental history and literature, and a lot more.

The proposed EnvKids learning activities deploy a blended learning delivery

model which includes virtual experimentation, in-class discussions, and site visits

and can be very naturally integrated to the above, already existing actions. In fact,

the proposed virtual experiments will be a very nice addition to existing activi-


1/9/2010 UR 57

ties as they will help children reinforce concepts that are already taught through

class instruction. As planned, the EnvKids virtual learning tools are complemen-

tary to existing activities and will enrich the current school curricula.

Additional considerations include:

The applications should have a focus on impact and promote the under-

standing of key concepts hiding underlying computational complexity that

is inappropriate for the targeted age group

They should have quick results and provide feedback to ensure that

children stay engaged

They should reward sane environmental choices in a manner that shows

progress towards environmentally friendly solutions and indicate when a

choice is not in the right direction with respect to sustainable practices

They should allow experimentation by providing an adequate pool of

choices that the children can make towards sustainable (or not) behaviour

They should be coherent with teacher instructional practices

They should offer a certain degree of localization to ensure that the pro-

posed environmentally-friendly solutions and policies make sense in a

particular country, landscape such as seaside or mountainous, and cli-

mate

They should connect knowledge to other subjects when appropriate, for

example geography, mathematics, computer education, foreign language

learning, etc to ensure complementarities with existing curricula

8.3 Technical Infrastructure Requirements

Technical infrastructure at the schools can vary significantly. As can be observed

from the above status quo analysis most schools possess computer labs. However,

the computers are not frequently renewed and it cannot be expected that the

schools have at their disposal the most up to date equipment with respect to proc-

essor speed, graphic card strength, and screen resolution.


1/9/2010 UR 58

A lot of schools have at their disposal digital whiteboards. The whiteboards can

greatly help the instructional process as the pilot applications can be displayed on

large screens on the wall for all the pupils to see. This method can help class col-

laboration and class discussion as it enforces all students to look at the same

screen, on the wall, and not be distracted by other applications on their computer.

On the other hand, network infrastructures can also vary. All schools have net-

work connections but the speeds cannot be expected to be compatible or similar.

Some schools have difficulties with networking connections in the sense that they

are limited, they may only be available in a separate room other than the class-

rooms. In the latter case the number of computers in the network-equipped room

may be limited, which means that learners must take turns to work on-line. In ad-

dition, the fact that only a percentage of the learners in the class can work in the

computer, network-equipped room means that a additional adult, other than the

teacher, must be available to oversee the learners in the computer room while the

teacher is in the classroom or vice versa.

Based on the above, the following technical considerations must be taken into

account:

The pilot learning applications and virtual experiments must be light-

weight and be easily downloadable through slow networks. If the applica-

tions become heavy due to functionality and graphics, off-line download-

able versions must also be made available

Minimum required screen resolution must be such that the applications

are deployable in older equipment

The applications must be portable and executable on all common oper-

ating systems, as opposed to only a single platform

8.4 Required Digital Skills

Learners today are “digitally literate”. This means that even at the primary school

level a lot of children are able to use the basic functionality of common software

such as Office Word and PowerPoint, to use at a minimum level photo processing

programs, to search the Internet, and to use popular social programs such as Face-

book. In addition, a lot of children have become familiar with computers through


1/9/2010 UR 59

video games with sophisticated functionality and graphics. A lot of these skills are

developed in the classroom. However, children familiarize themselves with com-

puters also at home through equipment and software purchased by their parents.

This observation should be kept in mind as it point to potential weaknesses in the

current system through which disadvantaged children may have less access to

equipment, network connections, and software.

Taking the above into account:

The pilot applications should require minimum digital skills on behalf of

learners. This choice is important to ensure that learning activities are in-

clusive and that all children can execute them in a collaborative manner in

the classroom

The functionality of the applications should take into account what chil-

dren have already been exposed to in terms of computer software, aes-

thetic design, and usability. This could influence, for example, user inter-

faces towards applications that deploy familiar presentation conventions

8.5 Language Issues

The children participating in the evaluation sessions are expected to be of age 9-

11. In this age group, children have a basic knowledge of English and they can

communicate of simple, basic issues. However, extensive knowledge of the lan-

guage cannot be expected. In addition, the pilots may have to include scientific

terms related to the environment, carbon emissions, house construction, and en-

ergy production that the children cannot be expected to know.

For the above reasons, the pilot applications must have minimal language re-

quirements. This can be achieved through mostly graphical interfaces and very

limited text. This is achievable through appropriate application design that con-

veys concepts in a visual manner.

The limited text that will be used in the applications will be simple in wording and

adapted to the knowledge of the English language that can be expected from the

children. While not foreseen in the proposal, the consortium plans to translate the

text to the national languages of countries represented in the consortium through

school partners.


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On the other hand, the foreseen learning activities involve a certain degree of co-

operation between school children from participating schools. This collaboration

will be materialized through the sharing of results that will be published on com-

monly owned applications for natural resources management and through video-

conferences and video presentations of the schools. For these activities, the con-

sortium will rely on the existing language capabilities of the children, which are

considered adequate for basic presentations and face to face videoconference-

based communication. In addition, visual formats, such as images, will be pre-

ferred over text for presentation purposes.

8.6 The Social Nature of Learning

Learning is a social experience. Under collaborative learning methodologies par-

ticipants learn not only from the teacher but also from each other. As discussed

earlier in this report, participating schools already use collaborative learning in the

classroom. This can be in the form of class discussions or in the form of working

in small groups through which children help each other. By regrouping children

on a regular basis the socialization of children is further encouraged and their abil-

ity to work with others is further promoted.

EnvKids considers the social aspect of education particularly important on

developing transversal skills of children on relations and collaboration that will be

useful throughout their lives. As such, collaboration is encouraged both in the

classroom as well as with children in other countries. The so far experience of the

consortium is that children are particularly enthusiastic on the prospect of collabo-

rating with schools in a cross-border network. The collaboration of children can

be achieved in various ways:

Through the development of joint projects that will be collectively

owned by learners in participating schools. This can be achieved by giving

children a common objective, for example natural resources management,

and publishing results in a commonly owned platform, for example a

Google Earth kmz file

Through remote collaboration based on videoconferences to which

children will be gradually exposed. For example, early contact can focus


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only on the introduction of children without the requirement to present any

school work aiming to familiarize them with the medium and remove

stress. In later contacts, the children could present results of their projects

Through video-based, image-based ,and other presentations of findings

and projects results that will be published on the project portal

Figure 4. Video Presentation of the Czech School in which Children are Sing-

ing.

EnvKids engages directly 6 schools in 4 countries, namely Greece, France, the

Czech Republic, and Sweden which will collaborate in the context of the foreseen

environmental education activities.

8.7 Interface Considerations

The arguments regarding interface considerations are a continuation of the discus-

sion on children’s digital skills. That is, children have already been exposed to

various software for educational or entertainment purposes; as a result they have

certain expectations in terms of the quality, look, and game-play of an on-line

application. The interface of an application must:


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Be attractive to children in order to motivate longer-term engagement

Be age appropriate, present concepts in a manner that engages the se-

lected age group of primary school children

Take into account what the children have already been exposed to. A

good example is the foreseen pilot application on city-wide policies for re-

newable energy. Children have already been exposed to popular games

such as Sims City and their expectations in terms of application interfaces

are already pretty high. While the pilots to be developed in the context of

EnvKids do not intend to compete with such software and have a com-

pletely different purpose, i.e. to raise awareness on environmental issues

and to initiate discussion and critical thinking, a certain level of quality of

the interface must be established

Have a coherent aesthetic throughout the application. The selection of the

look can vary significantly and research can be done in this respect before

committing to a specific look. For example, the aesthetic can be more ar-

tistic imitating a child’s drawing or can follow a computer generated

graphical look. Examples of each of these choices appear below in Figure

5and Figure 6.

Figure 5. Computer-generated Interface Examples on Landscape and House

Design.


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Figure 6. Sketches on Landscape and House Design developed by an Artist.

Both selections have advantages, the former one on being closer to familiar soft-

ware selections and the latter being closer to what children can draw by them-

selves. The final choices will be made at application design time and will be

documents in D3.1 The EnvKids Explorative and Collaborative Methodologies

Report.

8.8 Other Age-specific Considerations

Age specific considerations have been discussed throughout this section on issues

related to language, interface-design, content, and digital skills. Some final

thoughts on age-specific issues include:

On-line collaboration should be safe. To ensure that, the EnvKids con-

sortium will develop a school network that is comprised only by partici-

pating schools and through which only children in participating classes

will be able to post information. This limitation is important to create a

barrier on uncontrolled, external Internet access

Applications should not be complex. The foreseen learning activities re-

quire scientific calculations on the impact of specific policies and choices

on energy consumption and pollution. For example, insulating a house has

impact on the energy lost for warming or cooling a house. These computa-

tions could be potentially complicated. In real-life they could resemble the

analysis of an engineer that develop heating and cooling systems while de-

signing a house-plan. However, the learning objective of the pilots is to

raise awareness and focus on impact of policies and solutions. The display


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of complicated calculations could subtract from the friendliness of an on-

line application without presenting benefits for the selected age group. As

such, the interfaces should focus on impact and concepts and hide underly-

ing complexity

7.8 Parent Consent

Parent consent is important for the engagement of children of the selected age

group into any educational activity, especially ones that are not required by formal

curricula but instead are complementary to them. The EnvKids consortium aims

to get parent consent for participating children following national practices in par-

ticipating countries and schools, whether these dictate for written or other consent.

Consent will be related both to the participation of children in the activities and to

the publication of material on the EnvKids web site that could potentially include

pictures of the children, as for example class presentation videos and good prac-

tice recommendations based on EnvKids in-class validation.

9. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS DEFINITIONS FOR TEACHERS

Teachers are the second of the identified stakeholder groups who is directly tar-

geted through the EnvKids learning activities and didactical methodologies. En-

vKids has a number of outcomes that will benefit teachers:

The pilot educational applications, which while designed for learners

will help instructors improve their teaching practices and in some cases

their own environmental education knowledge

Good practice recommendations on the integration of the proposed

methodologies into teaching practices

Services for information sharing and know-how exchange with peers

aiming at collective knowledge development

All of the above activities have the same central objective: the professional and

personal development of teachers. Based on this high level goal, learning re-

quirements for teachers, analyzed in the following pages, take into account life-

long qualifications management and career advancement considerations as well as

improvement of current teaching conditions in the classrooms.


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9.1 Upgrading of Digital Skills and Integrating ICT in Education

Upgrading of digital skills for teachers is one of the key objectives of the Comen-

ius programme. This is understandable as the fast pace of technology development

introduces innovations to which the teachers have difficulties to adapt. This is the

case with a wide number of teachers in all European schools and is a result of a

number of conditions and shortcomings that are common in the primary education

sector:

Many teachers have literature or pedagogics university level degrees with

little focus on technology

Older teachers had no technology training as part of their university

education as such subjects were typically not included in their curricula as

recent as a decade ago

Older teachers face the digital divide similarly to many adults, meaning

that they have difficulty using technology as a whole, including mobile

services, Internet-based services, emerging digital devices, emerging oper-

ating systems, and others. It is characteristic that a lot of older individuals

never use common services such as email

Teachers, as a lot of individuals with digital difficulties, are discouraged

by software design flaws. For example, they are discouraged by small

fonts that they cannot see due to limited vision

Teachers may be less digitally literate than their pupils, as children to-

day are familiar with on-line services and electronic games and gadgets

While teachers have attended seminars on digital skill development sig-

nificantly more training is required for them to effectively use the tech-

nology in the classroom

Most teachers declare that they need specific information on how to

choose and use appropriate ICT products and services

As a conclusion, it is characteristic that in most schools there one or two

individuals only are familiar enough with ICT, and they are the ones that

execute related tasks on behalf of all teachers


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Based on the above, teachers need recommendations on what technology to use

in the classroom and on how to integrate it into educational settings. Thus,

good practice guidelines as the ones planned in the EnvKids project are a step

towards the right direction on teacher digital skill upgrading.

One of the issues past efforts to develop guidelines, in the infrequent situations

that they were provided, is that they were not clear or concise enough to allow

teachers to easily transfer to the classroom. To overcome past limitations, it is

desirable that a number of requirements are met when developing such guidelines:

They should be simple, concise, and easy to understand

They should be directly applicable in the classroom

They should target, at least as a first step, easy to use technology that

most teachers will be able to use after a short period of training

They should be vivid and succeed in making their objectives come

across

A step-wise, activities-based delivery approach would be probably eas-

ier to follow for a wide number of teachers

To meet the above needs, EnvKids aims to develop good practice recommenda-

tions in the form of educational videos that demonstrate how on-line services, and

specifically the EnvKids learning pilot applications, can be used in educational

settings.

The advantage of using videos is that concepts and methodologies can be di-

rectly seen in practice, as opposed to being described in a text. The videos will

be short, not more than 2 minutes each. Each video will focus on a small and very

specific step. The content may include both what works with children as well as

what should be avoided. The videos will be published on-line for easy access by

teachers.

9.2 Upgrading of Instructional Methodologies

Teachers already deploy well developed and mature instructional methodologies

that they are familiar and comfortable with. These methodologies have been tested

over years and decades and form the backbone of primary education. On the other


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hand, schools have been gradually implementing a number of emerging method-

ologies, including explorative and collaborative learning which takes the form of

projects that span several classes, class discussions, Internet searches, and group

work.

These activities are not necessarily implemented in all European schools. While

certain schools may have as an objective to integrate innovative didactical frame-

works, others rely mostly on familiar lecture-based instruction.

Based on the above, primary education teachers could benefit from guidelines and

good practices on how to integrate emerging didactical frameworks into their

teaching practices. Methodologies that could be targeted include games-based

education, virtual and practical experimentation, open-ended projects, and blended

learning delivery approaches that use in-class instruction, ICT services, and site

visits, and other frameworks. Such initiatives do not mean that existing practices

will be abandoned; rather, they will be enriched and enhanced for the benefit of

both learners and teachers.

Explorative and collaborative learning methodologies that integrate virtual ex-

perimentation will be presented in detail in D3.1 Explorative and Collaborative

Learning Methodologies Report [3].

9.3 Improved Job Satisfaction and Career Path Planning

Job satisfaction is desirable for all professionals, including teachers. It is a com-

plex objective involving a number of parameters such as satisfactory pay, avail-

ability of educational resources, availability of technical resources, lifelong

skill and competence development, personal and professional growth. The

issue of teacher job satisfaction is important not only for the teachers themselves

but also for the pupils and the entire school system as it has been found in re-

search that it affects directly their effectiveness in the classroom [4] and indirectly

can have an impact on the growth of the educational system around the world. Job

satisfaction and motivation to perform is according to well accepted theories

needs-based and covers fundamental areas psychological, security, affiliation,

esteem, and self-actualization areas [5].


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Other studies show that teacher satisfaction can be influenced from intrinsic fac-

tors such as classroom activities, daily interactions with students, and student per-

formance [6] as a result of classroom instruction.

In addition to job satisfaction, satisfaction of teaching as a career is important

and can have an effect on teacher retention and teaching quality. Career satisfac-

tion among teachers is not only positive for each individual but ensures that teach-

ers will stay in their job for the long term thus increasing public benefits and re-

turn on investment from their training and lifelong skill development.

Human resource managers know that one of the most important factors that moti-

vate individuals to stay at a specific job is building an attractive resume. This ob-

servation is also valid for teachers. That is, the richness of their experience in the

classroom can be a contributing factor towards retaining teachers at their jobs for

longer periods of time. In fact, the most satisfied teachers are the ones that stay

with their job throughout their professional careers. Towards this end, introducing

engaging instructional methodologies that helps widen the scope of teaching can

have a positive effect on teacher job satisfaction with ultimate benefits for pupils.

While teacher satisfaction is a wide subject that goes beyond the scope of the En-

vKids project, certain actions contribute towards meeting the personal needs and

desires that lead to job satisfaction. Specifically, by training teachers so that they

can improve their instructional practices both at the methodological level and

through the integration of ICT into educational settings, EnvKids contributes to-

wards lifelong skill development strategies. In addition, the project provides

methodologies for improved communication and relationships between teach-

ers and pupils through collaboration, through enhanced learner engagement

and motivation, and improved learner performance and knowledge develop-

ment through didactical frameworks that take current practices a step further

through virtual experimentation. In addition, by validation the deployment of

emerging teaching methodologies in actual classroom settings, EnvKids contrib-

utes to teacher self-actualization and enrichment of classroom experience, both of

which are factors that as discussed above influence job satisfaction and longer

term career commitment.


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9.4 Collaboration with Peers and Know-how Exchange

One of the important factors for lifelong skill development among professionals is

networking and exchanging know-how with peers. Professionals in skill develop-

ment programs do not only learn from their instructor but from the other class

participants as each has already significant career experience and can provide di-

rect input from the field on specific learning situations. Peer collaboration can also

contribute towards developing collectively accepted good professional practices.

Towards this end, EnvKids aims to develop on-line collaboration services that

will allow teachers to exchange know-how and experiences for the collective

benefit of the group. Any services targeting teachers must take into account their

current skills, their professional needs in terms of long-term skill development,

their personal desires on job satisfaction and career building, and fulfilling a sense

of affiliation.

More analytically, the following is desired functionality for a teacher on-line

collaboration and information sharing environment:

To allow teachers to upload and host on the web their own educational

content

To allow teachers to view content from peers that participate in the En-

vKids educational network

To support multimedia content, including video, audio, images, and text

To allow teachers to post comments on their own educational experiences

To allow teachers to develop an on-line discussions with peers on spe-

cific topics

To offer access to complementary reference material that could be use-

ful in education

To offer effective content organization aiming at the easy discovery and

presentation of subjects of interest

To allow teachers to provide feedback and suggestions on the learning

tools and methodologies under development


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In terms of usability, the proposed on-line services targeting teachers should have

the following characteristics:

They should be friendly, easy to use and take into account the expected

digital skills of teachers. Based on the earlier discussion on documented

teacher competencies in ICT, services should be designed for novice users

and should allow teachers to review and post content through a short

number of “clicks” and simple interfaces

Services should have an appearance that is familiar to teachers based

on other similar on-line solutions that they have been exposed to

Services should be centrally located in a dedicated section of the En-

vKids portal enabling teachers to find them easily

A range of tools can be developed to meet the collaboration needs of teachers.

Following is a short description of planned activities targeting the teaching

community:

An organized digital library of good practice videos that allow

teaches to navigate through themes including:

o Tips for using the EnvKids virtual experiments, including func-

tionality demonstrations as well as conversation and class col-

laboration initiating questions

o Integrating technology into learning for the purpose of sup-

porting exploration and collaboration, for example using Inter-

net technology as a research tool while the teacher coordinates

group activities

o Descriptions of the advantages of virtual experimentation as

an explorative learning tool in the classroom

o Videos describing environmental concepts that are the focus

of the EnvKids learning activities and tools, such as biodiver-

sity, ecosystems, endangered species, and more

o Input on good practices from the field; specifically, experts

from videotaped validation sessions that show teacher initia-


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tives that worked well and can be transferred to other

classrooms

Figure 7. Example of a Good Practice Video Gallery.

A forum that allows teachers to exchange ideas and opinions on sub-

jects of interest such as environmental education, explorative learning,

digital skills development and others. This service can be implemented

through available open source tools that have wide acceptance, such as

the Agora forum that works with the Joomla platform

A tool for logging enhancement requests and bugs towards the im-

provement of the EnvKids learning tools throughout the project im-

plementation period

Services for uploading, exchanging, and hosting content for the pur-

poses of the EnvKids activities. This tool is particularly important as

teachers will collaborate for the most part from a distance throughout

the implementation period. Easy to use directions in the form of a short

manual for these tools would also be useful


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A wiki for the posting in an informal and easy to use way texts,

opinions, and articles that could benefit other teachers in the project

and beyond. Such a tool would put Web 2.0 tools to the service of

teachers aiming at the fostering of a community spirit for know-how

development

Figure 8. Example of a Proposed Wiki for Information Sharing among

Teachers and Collective Know-how Development.

Figure 9. Example of a Proposed Learning Tool Enhancement Request Ser-

vice.


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In addition to the above, teachers of course have at their disposal popular services

for distance collaboration, such as:

Skype, through which teachers can chat or talk to each other live over the

Internet [7]

PC-based video conferencing tools which work similarly to Skype but

have the advantage of supporting multi-point conferences thus allowing 3

or more teachers to communicate at a time. These tools bring the cost of

required equipment down significantly making video conferencing acces-

sible to schools with limited budgets

Services in the context of the above discussion are planned as part of Work Pack-

age 4 (please refer to the EnvKids Project Proposal [1] for details).

10. CONCLUSIONS

This report presented the EnvKids stakeholder primary education community and

discussed needs and desires for each identified subgroup in terms of enhancing

explorative and collaborative learning through the deployment of technological

advancements such as virtual experimentation. The report presented on a high

level the EnvKids implementation objectives and foreseen outcomes through

which it aims to contribute towards meeting learning requirements on environ-

mental sustainability training and to enhance existing curricula through comple-

mentary learning tools that are deployable at a European level. In order to ensure

that the EnvKids didactical methodologies and supporting on-line learning tools

meet the needs of direct stakeholders, namely learners and teachers, the report

discussed in detail the long-term skill development needs of each.

The user requirement analysis demonstrated that environmental education is cur-

rently represented in primary school curricula of all participating countries. Learn-

ing activities in most cases take the form of student projects and presentations on

issues of local or national interest, such as neighbouring natural resources, endan-

gered species, and species of interest. Site visits complement class activities. Ex-

plorative and collaborative learning is evident in group projects and class discus-

sions. Finally, ICT is present in education both in the form of a dedicated course


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that focuses on basic computer skill development and as a tool for completing

projects in other courses typically through Internet searches. On the other hand,

the use of ICT may be limited by technical shortcomings, such as limited access

to the Internet or the need to move students to a dedicated computer lab. Virtual

experiments such as the ones suggested by EnvKids are not currently used in edu-

cation as a result of the lack of related educational material.

Based on the above we can conclude that the proposed EnvKids explorative

methodologies that take advantage of ICT for the development of age appropriate

virtual demonstrators and experiments will be a value-adding complement to ex-

isting off-line practices on environmental subjects. In addition, the proposed En-

vKids explorative and collaborative didactical framework and learning tools will

be easy to integrate into the existing environmental education activities as they

build upon existing explorative learning practices taking them a step further

through ICT. Good practice recommendations will further help teachers integrate

the proposed methodologies, tools, and technology into their already well devel-

oped teaching practices.


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APPENDIX 1 THE SWEDISH NATIONAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION,

SYLLABUSES (2008)

HOME AND CONSUMER STUDIES

Aim of the subject and its role in education

The subject of Home and consumer studies provides knowledge about life in the

home and family, as well as an understanding of the value of this knowledge for

individuals, society and nature. The subject provides experiences of social com-

munity, food and meals, housing and consumer economics, as well as opportuni-

ties to experience connections and pleasure in domestic work. The aim is to pro-

vide experiences and an understanding of the consequences of daily activities and

habits in terms of economics, the environment, health and well-being.

SCIENCE STUDIES, BIOLOGY, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY

Common syllabus text

The common syllabus text, designed from a natural science perspective, makes up

together with the syllabuses for the different subjects a meaningful whole, whose

parts support and complements each other. The different parts together form the

national task for education in science studies. The area of science studies is linked

to knowledge in the other subjects of the school.

Aim of the subjects and their role in education

The natural sciences have developed as a result of Man's need to find answers to

those issues concerning his existence, life and forms of life, our role in nature and

the universe. The natural sciences are thus a central part of the Western cultural

tradition. The natural sciences can both stimulate Man's fascination and curiosity

in nature and make it understandable. Natural science studies satisfy the desire to

explore nature and provide scope for the joy of discovery. The aim of science

studies is to make the results and working methods of science accessible. The

education contributes to society's efforts to create sustainable development and

develop concern for nature and Man. At the same time the education aims at an

approach to the development of knowledge and views which resonate with the


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common ideals of the natural sciences and democracy on openness, respect for

systematic investigation and well-founded arguments.

BIOLOGY


The subject of Biology aims at describing and explaining nature and living organ-

isms from a scientific perspective. At the same time the education should consoli-

date the fascination and joy of discovery and Man's wonder and curiosity in all

that is living. The subject also aims at making knowledge and experiences usable

to promote concern and respect for nature and one's fellow men.

Goals to aim for

The school in its teaching of biology should aim to ensure that pupils concerning

nature and Man

Develop their knowledge of different forms and conditions of life

Develop their knowledge of the interaction between organisms and

their environment

Develop their knowledge of the structure of the human body and its

functions

Develop their knowledge of the effect of puberty on the individual

Develop their knowledge of the conditions and development of life and

are able to see themselves and other forms of life from an evolutionary

perspective, concerning scientific activity

Develop their knowledge of the importance of biology for Man's way

of representing, using and experiencing nature

Develop a knowledge of different working methods in biology, such as

field observations and laboratory work, as well as a knowledge of how

these interact with theoretical models, concerning use of knowledge

Develop their concern and responsibility when using nature


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Develop the ability to discuss questions concerning health and inter-

personal relationships on the basis of relevant biological knowledge

and personal experiences.

Structure and nature of the subject

Four central dimensions characterize the approach of the subject of biology: eco-

system, biological diversity, cells and the human being. In all these four dimen-

sions, knowledge of biology is useful in connection with existential issues, which

concern both the individual and society as a whole.

Ecosystems

The subject of Biology introduces the concept of ecology and provides a view of

the interaction between organisms and their surroundings. The subject covers,

amongst other things, a knowledge of subsystems involving producers, consum-

ers, recycling and raw materials, as well as a knowledge of dynamic processes in

the ecosystem, such as the flow of energy through the system and the recycling of

substances. Studies of individual organisms, populations and their societies pro-

vide the foundation for this. The subject also covers the aesthetic and ethical as-

pects of experiences arising from contact with nature. Questions on the preserva-

tion of natural species are dealt with by the tools of science as well as the inspira-

tion and ideas originating from other human activities, such as outdoor life, art

and literature.

Biological diversity

The subject presents the way in which the biological sciences organize and sys-

tematize the diversity of nature. Fundamental starting points are theories about the

ecosystem and evolution, as well as knowledge of different species and knowl-

edge of the living conditions and relations between plants and animals. Everyday

experience of diversity in nature is often ethical or aesthetic and expressed, for

example, in different forms of environmental involvement. One of the most im-

portant contributions biology can make to studying Man's relationship with nature

is thus to show the diversity of forms of life from scientific, aesthetic and ethical

perspectives.


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PHYSICS


The subject of Physics aims at describing and explaining nature from

a scientific perspective. At the same time, the education should consolidate

the fascination and joy of discovery and Man's wonder and

curiosity, not only concerning everyday phenomena, but also microcosms

and macrocosms. The subject also aims at providing an understanding

of Man's relation to nature, especially as regards energy supply

and radiation.

Goals to aim for

The school in its teaching of physics should aim to ensure that pupils concerning

nature and Man

Develop their knowledge of fundamental concepts in physics in the ar-

eas of mechanics, electricity and magnetism, optics, acoustics, heat, as

well as atomic and nuclear physics

Develop their knowledge of energy and energy forms, their transfor-

mation and properties, as well as society's supply of energy

Develop their knowledge of different kinds of radiation and its interac-

tion with matter and living organisms

Develop their knowledge of the world view of physics on the basis of

astronomy and cosmology,

Concerning scientific activity

Develop their knowledge of the methods by which knowledge is built

up in physics, especially as regards the formulation of hypotheses, as

well as measurements, observations and experiments

Develop a knowledge of the interaction between investigations and ex-

periments on the one hand, and the development of concepts, models

and theories on the other


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Concerning use of knowledge

Develop their ability to make quantitative, qualitative and ethical as-

sessments of the consequences of human activities and different tech-

nical constructions from environmental, energy and resource view-

points

Develop the ability to use a knowledge of physics, as well as ethical

and aesthetic arguments in discussions on the consequences of the ap-

plication of physics in society.

CHEMISTRY


The subject of Chemistry aims at describing and explaining the surrounding world

from the perspective of chemistry. At the same time, the education should con-

solidate the fascination and joy of discovery and Man's wonder and curiosity not

only in everyday phenomena, but also in how nature is built up. The subject, in

addition, aims at explaining and dealing with issues of health, the environment

and the earth's resources.

Goals to aim for

The school in its teaching of chemistry should aim to ensure that Pupils

Concerning nature and Man

Develop their knowledge of elements, chemical compounds and

chemico-technical products of importance in daily life

Develop their knowledge of transformation in chemical reactions

Develop their knowledge of the structure of atoms and chemical bond-

ing as explanatory models for chemical processes

Obtain an insight into thinking and knowledge concerning chemistry

from earlier times

Develop an understanding of the indestructibility of matter, transfor-

mation, recycling and dispersion,

Concerning scientific activity


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Develop their knowledge of how experiments in chemistry are based

on concepts and models, and how these can be developed through ex-

periments

Develop their knowledge of how chemistry has influenced our material

living conditions and our cultural world view,

Concerning use of knowledge

Develop their knowledge of how theories and models in chemistry, as

well as personal experiences can be used to handle environmental,

safety and health issues

Develop their ability to use a knowledge of chemistry, as well as ethi-

cal and aesthetic arguments in discussions on the consequences of the

application of chemistry in society.

SOCIAL STUDIES, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, RELIGION AND CIVICS

Common syllabus text

The common syllabus text, designed from a social study perspective, makes up

with the syllabuses for the different subjects a meaningful whole, whose parts

should support and complement each other. The different parts together form the

national tasks for education in social studies. The common text deals with the per-

spectives of the different subjects in terms of their common content, the distin-

guishing features of the process when working with issues from a social study

perspective, in order to create a foundation for the future, which is the intended

outcome of the education. The text for each individual social study subject is an

elaboration of the common text for studies with a social orientation based on as-

pects of the individual subject and its specific contents. Different knowledge areas

in social studies are linked to knowledge and activities in other school subjects.

Aim of the subjects and their role in education

Knowledge in the area of social studies provides pupils with the opportunity of

seeing their surroundings in relation to themselves, and understanding themselves

in relation to their surroundings, i.e. how individuals form and are formed by their

world. This knowledge provides a foundation for participating, taking responsibil-


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ity and acting as citizens in a democratic society and also contributes to the sus-

tainable development of society.

The main task of social studies is to develop pupils' knowledge about Man and his

activities, as well as about changes in the landscape and society in different places

and during different periods. The aim is to stimulate reflection over human think-

ing and actions, and over phenomena in society, to strengthen preparedness to

review the life situation of one's own and others, to increase security in one's own

identity, as well as provide knowledge of how our society is based on ethnic and

cultural diversity.

Goals to aim for in social studies

The school in its teaching of social studies should aim to ensure that pupils

Investigate and understand societal relationships and contexts in the

present and the past, as well as reflect over what this may mean for the

future

Understand central concepts, which make it possible to independently

search for, develop and use a knowledge of societal issues

Develop their ability to use different sources of information and de-

velop a critical attitude to these

Develop their belief in their own ability to have an influence and a will

to assert democratic values, as well as become familiar with their

rights and obligations as citizens in a democratic society

Participate actively in the life of society and its development, as well

as take responsibility for the living environment

Acquire an insight into not only how natural and material conditions,

but also central ideas and views of life form and have formed society

Develop an understanding of fundamental existential and ethical out-

looks and are able to use their understanding to formulate their own

views


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Develop their knowledge of and ability to put themselves into different

ways of living and understand the reasons for variations in time and

space, as well as what is common to different cultures

Develop respect for the views of other persons but observe and dis-

tance themselves from activities which involve oppression and viola-

tion of others

Make it a habit in their actions to take account of the equal value and

rights of everyone, independently of gender, class and ethnic affiliation

Develop the ability to see the consequences of their own and others'

views and actions

Develop an understanding of ecological contexts and different ways of

allocating and using resources

Develop an understanding of how activities and cultures are reflected

in and influenced by art, literature and music.

GEOGRAPHY


The subject of Geography aims at developing a knowledge, understanding and

preparedness on issues concerning Man and his surroundings. The subject

strengthens pupils' perceptions of space and creates a frame of reference for

knowledge of different places and areas and their location. The aim is to develop

the ability to see the connection, context and an integral whole in terms of sur-

vival, use of resources and environmental influence, as well as the ability to un-

derstand opportunities and assess the consequences of different action alterna-

tives.

The subject also aims at developing knowledge of not only the natural conditions

of different regions, their social and economic characteristics, but also different

living conditions of people and their mutual interdependence locally, regionally

and globally. The subject contributes to a better understanding of and respect for

different cultures, values and ways of living. Questions concerning the distribu-

tion and use of resources, as well as other questions concerning Man and the envi-


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ronment, cover a wide range of ethical factors and views. The subject provides

tools for analyzing the interaction between people and nature and should lead to

the taking of responsibility for the shared environment and the use of resources in

order to facilitate long-term sustainable development.

Goals to aim for

The school in its teaching of geography should aim to ensure that pupils

Increase their understanding of Man's living conditions by expanding

their knowledge of nature and society, and the inter-relationships be-

tween these in different parts of the world

Develop a knowledge of natural processes, which in both the short and

long term form and change the natural landscape, and understand how

Man influences these processes and evaluate their consequences

Develop their knowledge how the landscape has changed during dif-

ferent political and economic conditions, and their insights into how

the landscape functions as a resource

Develop their ability to reflect over and consciously take a position on

different alternatives based on ecological thinking concerning the use

of resources

Expand their knowledge of Man's different economic, technical, politi-

cal, social and cultural activities, and how these link together places

and regions, as well as be able to reflect over the consequences of such

relationships

Develop their ability to formulate and work with problems concerning

local, global and environmental survival issues

Develop their ability to draw conclusions and make generalizations, as

well as explain and give the reasons for their thinking and conclusions.

Structure and nature of the subject

In the school the subject of Geography covers three aspects of the relationship

between Man and his environment. The descriptive aspects of the subject mean

that pupils progressively learn to know their world and become familiar with simi-


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larities and differences concerning living conditions and the environment in dif-

ferent areas. The analytical aspect involves explaining and understanding condi-

tions and changes. Focusing on consequences means that pupils can use these two

aspects as a foundation to better understand and assess the possible consequences

of Man's influence on nature and spatial relationships. Connected to this is the

ability to assess the consequences of different action alternatives on people and

the environment in order to make well-grounded decisions in a democratic soci-

ety. A central concept is the landscape in its widest sense in terms of both nature

and the cultural landscape. Other terms are place, location and dispersion. The

interaction between Man and his environment is studied in different landscapes.

This is gradually developed and supplemented in terms of knowledge of not only

one's own country, but also the world as a whole, and also by the differences and

similarities between different parts. This is a necessary basis for understanding the

different living conditions of people and how different cultures have evolved. The

globe is a model of the world within which all types of landscapes have their

place. Maps are necessary aids in the subject.

A knowledge of different regions and areas provides a basis for studying main

features and structures, such as the identification of climatic and vegetation zones,

agricultural districts and industrial regions. Concepts such as distance, space, lo-

calisation and flows are central to the theoretical and analytical methods of the

subject. They are necessary aids for insights which are not just related to a unique

place and time, but also generally useful for the future in new situations and areas.

Models of different kinds are similar aids for explaining and understanding. Recy-

cling principles play an important role in the analysis of relationships in nature

and between Man and nature. Questions concerning natural and cultural land-

scapes, their growth and change are central to the subject, as are questions on

changes in population and the driving forces and consequences of urbanization.

The background to these changes is usually regional differences in the geographi-

cal distribution of i.e. population and activities. An analysis of changes also cov-

ers factors such as an understanding of the world, view of Man, power relation-

ships, opportunities provided by technology, economic restrictions, attitudes and

values. These factors give rise to flows such as migration, trade and other contacts

between different areas and thus create spatial interrelationships. In order to ana-


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lyze such complex problem areas, there has to be co-ordination between geogra-

phy and other subjects. Fundamental to the subject of Geography is working with

a holistic view of the surrounding world, where central concepts and facts are in-

terwoven into larger contexts.

The subject provides opportunities for acquiring knowledge and experiences

through observing, testing, researching, investigating and creating. Teaching in

geography also provides an opportunity to train arguments for developing per-

sonal standpoints in speech and writing. In a dialogue with others established pat-

terns of thinking, attitudes and prejudices can be challenged.

TECHNOLOGY


Human beings have always strived to safeguard and improve their living condi-

tions by changing their physical environment in various ways. The methods used

are technological in the broadest sense. The subject of Technology develops a

familiarity with the essential features of technology. The aim is to increase under-

standing of how conditions of production, society and the physical environment,

and thus our living conditions are changing. Technological activities have a sub-

stantial impact on Man, society and nature. This becomes particularly evident

when technology is undergoing rapid development. Society and our ways of living

are increasingly influenced by the use of technical components, which in their turn

are often included in larger technical systems. Making everyday technology as far

as possible understandable is thus an additional aim. This covers everything from

the simplest domestic devices in the home to modern equipment and complicated

transport systems. Technical knowledge is increasingly becoming a prerequisite

for mastering and using the technology surrounding us. Citizens in a modern soci-

ety need basic competence in technology and this competence must, in addition,

be continuously expanded and adapted. This competence covers not only a

knowledge about the role of technological development from a historical perspec-

tive, but some experience in reflecting over and solving technical problems in

practical terms. In addition, it is necessary to be able to analyse and evaluate the

interaction between people, technology and the conditions under which we will

exist in the future. Exploitation of technology raises a number of intricate issues,


1/9/2010 UR 86

which affect fundamental values, for example, the impact of technology on the

environment. In addition, many other aspects of existence, such as working life,

housing and recreation, are influenced by technology. Opportunities for the group

and individuals to exercise influence and power are largely dependent on how

technology is designed and used in society. The attitudes of girls and boys to

technology differ somewhat – as do traditional views on the role of girls as op-

posed to boys in technological contexts. One aim is that everyone is given the

opportunity to consciously acquire all-round knowledge in the subject.


1/9/2010 UR 87

REFERENCES

1. The EnvKids project web site, on-line at: http://www.envkids.net

2. The EnvKids Evaluation Strategy Report, on-line at:

http://ohmpro.org/envkids/documents/restricted/ES.pdf

3. The EnvKids Explorative and Collaborative Learning Methodologies, on-

line at http://envkids.net/reports.html

4. Teachers Job Satisfaction and Motivation for School Effectiveness: An

Assessment, Nwachukwu Prince Ololube, University of Helsinki

5. A Theory of Human Motivation, Abraham Maslow, Psychological Re-

view, 50, p. 370 (1943)

6. Job Satisfaction Among America’s Teachers: Effects of Workplace Condi-

tions, Background Characteristics, and Teacher Compensation, The Na-

tional Center for Education Statistics, Statistical Analysis Report, July

1997, on-line at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs97/97471.pdf

7. Skype, on-line at: http://www.skype.com/intl/en/welcomeback/

8. Learning through ICT in Swedish Early Childhood Education from a

Pedagogical Perspective of Quality, Association for Childhood Education

International Publication, S. Sheridan, I. P. Samuelsson, 2003

9. The Swedish Education Act (1985:1100)

10. The Compulsory School Ordinance of Sweden (1994:1194)

11. Curriculum for the Voluntary School Forms (Sweden), 1994, Lpf 94

12. Curriculum for the Compulsory Education System, Pre-school Class and

Leisure-time, Sweden, 1994, Lpo94

13. Curriculum for Preschool Sweden, 1998, Lpfö 98

14. Curriculum for the Voluntary School Forms Sweden, 1994, Lpf 94

15. The PrimTICE Program of the French Ministry of Education, on-line at:

http://primtice.education.fr

http://www.envkids.net/

http://ohmpro.org/envkids/documents/restricted/ES.pdf

http://envkids.net/reports.html

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs97/97471.pdf

http://www.skype.com/intl/en/welcomeback/

http://primtice.education.fr/


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16. Elements de Programmation, Inspection Academique de Meurthe et Mo-

selle, n-line at: http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/ia54/cgi-

bin/fichesb2i/programmation_v2007.asp

http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/ia54/cgi-bin/fichesb2i/programmation_v2007.asp

http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/ia54/cgi-bin/fichesb2i/programmation_v2007.asp

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