Context/Background The GEO-CIRCLE project originated during a discussion about continuation of the GEO-WATER project between IVN and Marne College and all the other GEO-WATER main school partners and 'joiners' in September 2016. This discussion led to the establishment of the GEO-CONCEPT. The concept itself continues with the GEO-CIRCLE project about the circular economy. Three main approaches/Objectives 1. Innovation in education (GEO-CIRCLE learning experience@school) .Implementation Schools for Sustainability and 8-C key competences method, .Professional development of teachers, coordinators and management by multi-day trainings, .Cooperation between beta school subjects encouraged, linkages with gamma subjects improved, .Professionalization of project content through local, regional, national and international associated partners, .Entrepreneurship promoted through cooperation with higher education, non-governmental organizations, business and government, .Entrepeneurship pupils within consultancies, .Improvement of foreign language (English) educaution. 2. Schools in transition (GEO-CIRCLE@school) .The innovative method of teaching is structurally implemented by all school partners, .Make the school buildings more sustainable. Pupils assist in making this transition possible. .Adaptation of education to the growing opportunities and developments in ICT applications. 3. Internationalization embedded in GEO-CIRCLE (GEO-CIRCLE internationalization@home) .Aquaint pupils with sustainability and international circular economy issues, .GEO-CIRCLE modules and real life questions provided by associated partners, .Transfer innovative knowledge about 'limitless' circular economy challenges through internationalization. Methodology, participants, profiles The GEO-CIRCLE project is based on the Schools for Sustainability method and 8-C key competences. Pupils work on real assignments from real clients (associated partners) and cooperate with pupils from different schools in an international context to find solutions for their clients. 1. Main partners (9): -IVN - Expert sustainability questions, provides Schools for Sustainability method, evaluation tools and teachers/coordinators/management trainings, -Main school partners (8) - Specialized in (bilingual) pre-university, general secondary and pre-vocational education, main focal point of all the schools is internationalization. 2. Associated partners (40 at the moment): -Non-governmental, business, government and higher education, are expert in various fields related to circular economy issues, -Main issues/themes: .raw materials streams .biotic and abiotic cycle .recycling and upcycling .modular design .energy transition -Activities and results .2017-2018 'GEO-CIRCLE learning experience@school' teacher trainings as approachable learning events in the period October to December 2017 are essential for implementing the innovation in education. The search, building and strengthening of the network of associated partners continues. During a students conference in April 2018 the broad outlines of the GEO-CIRCLE project are set. .2018-2019 In Ocober 2018 the 'GEO-CIRCLE internationalization@home' conference in Bolsward is organized in relation to regional network building. Real life questions are answered and worked out by pupils in consultancies in the period October 2018 to March 2019 assisted by teachers and aided by the expertise of associated partners through a carousel exchange scheme. Through a transnational coordinators meeting in May 2019 an evaluation of GEO-CIRCLE modules takes place and real life questions are (re)formulated by the partners in a triangular way. The GEO-CIRCLE methods (for associated partners, teacher and management) are introduced and used by all the partners. .2019-2020 During the last year of the GEO-CIRCLE project the final versions of the GEO-CIRCLE methods are established after consulting the associated partners and will be presented during the GEO-CIRCLE International Youth Congress in May 2020. First 'GEO-CIRCLE@school' transition steps are taken in making the schoolbuildings more sustainable. -Impact and longer term benefits .The desired impact for main partners in the GEO-CIRCLE project is that the project will open more possibilities in general in working with real clients and real assignments for their pupils in a regional setting in which international cooperation is essential. .A wonderful result would be, that in the future all over Europe schools are using the GEO-concept, working together with regional clients and providing real assignments for their pupils. Real life problems lead to real life solutions. .The GEO-CIRCLE project longer term benefits are based on the continuity and transferability of the intellectual output, the maintenance and expanding of the network of schoolpartners and associated partners via the GEO-concept of which GEO-CIRCLE is the second after the GEO-WATER project.
Starting in 2017 nine partners have carried out a successful Erasmus+ project for secondary education in three European countries called ‘Geo Circle’. Hundreds of students, dozens of teachers and school staff and also dozens of regional associated partner organizations have been involved. Sadly, due to Covid-19 no closing Conference could be held. Nevertheless, all partners were glad with their experiences and will continue to use the Geo Circle methods and insights in the future. The Geo Circle concept can be used by secondary schools all over Europe following the guidelines provided on the project website. In the Geo Circle project 3 focus points were achieved: A. Innovation in education (Geo Circle learning experience@school) • Implementation the IVN method (Schools for Sustainability) and 8-C key competences. This was expanded with the 10 generic study skills (see chapter 5). • Professional development of teachers, coordinators and management. • Improved cooperation between beta and gamma school subjects. • Professionalization of project content with local, regional and national associated partners. • Entrepreneurship promoted through cooperation with higher education, non-governmental organizations, businesses and governments. • Entrepreneurship of students in student consultancies. • Improvement of foreign language (English) for students. B. Schools in transition (Geo Circle@school) • The innovative method of teaching was implemented by all school partners. • Students assisted in making more sustainable school buildings. • Students used computers for research and online communication during the project. C. Internationalization (Geo Circle internationalization@home) • Students got acquainted with sustainability and international circular economy issues. • Geo Circle assignments and real life questions have been provided by associated partners. • Innovative knowledge about circular economy has been shared among students through internationalization. Methodology, participants, profiles The Geo Circle project is based on the IVN method and 8-C key competences. Students work on real assignments from real clients (associated partners) and cooperate with students from partner schools in an international context to find solutions for their clients. 1. Main partners: • IVN – project coordinator, expert sustainability questions, provides IVN method, evaluation tools and teachers/coordinators/management trainings. • 8 School partners in three European countries - Specialized in (bilingual) pre-university, general secondary and pre-vocational education, with international orientation. 2. Associated partners: • Non-governmental and various educational organizations, businesses, governments, all with interest in circular economy issues, like raw materials streams, biotic and abiotic cycles, recycling and upcycling, modular design, energy transition. Activities and results • 2017-2018. Kick off meeting with coordinators about method, didactics and project planning. Followed by a visit to all partner schools by IVN to involve the school management and provide teacher trainings for a large group of teachers. These activities have proven essential for implementing the innovation in education. Students explored the topic circular economy in their own region. All findings were presented and discussed during the student conference in April 2018. This set the broad outlines for the project in the coming years. • 2018-2019. In June 2018 the 'Geo Circle internationalization@home' conference took place in Leeuwarden in relation to regional network building. Students worked on real life questions in consultancies in their Geo Circle projects this school year assisted by teachers with the help of associated partners, also with foreign students in a carrousel exchange. A coordinators meeting in April 2019 with a mid-term evaluation, discussions on real life assignments, working with associated partners, the method and how to implement the Geo Circle didactics. • 2019-2020. The last project year started with a teacher training in Leiden refining method and didactics from a teacher’s point of view, and preparing the school project and the Geo Circle Conference. Based on input and experiences of the partners IVN worked on the final versions of the intellectual outputs. In March 2020 Covid-19 hit Europe and all partner schools were closed. In April IVN cancelled the closing events and discussed alternatives with all partners (email, telephone and several online meetings). The last school projects have been presented on the website. The evaluation has been carried out via email and an extra online meeting in November (see Annexe evaluation). Impact and longer term benefits All partner schools have stated that they will continue working with the Geo Circle method, involving associated partners in future real life assignments. And they value international cooperation, for teachers and for students.