Subjects such as clean energy, sustainable mobility and building are elements of the “Green Deal” promoted by the European Commission to tackle climate change and environmental challenges. The "Fridays for future" movement with its demand that "something needs to be changed - now" shows that young people want to be heard on ecological, political and social issues. The increasing ecological calamities worldwide make them not only think about the future of our planet but be ready to take action to protect the environment, e.g. by increasingly using renewable energy sources. At the same time, they realize the important role of civic societies and international cooperation in acting responsibly. The project “GoGreen” builds on these insights, addressing students and apprentices in vocational training at the three partner schools to provide them with knowledge and hands-on experience in the field of renewable energy (biogas, solar power, hydrogen) in the various professional areas (Germany: system planers and plumbers-to-be; Bulgaria: students in the agricultural and transport sectors; Czechia: apprentices in the transport sector). Along with increasing the students’ sensitivity and awareness regarding the environmental issues our societies are confronted with, the project sets out to increase their professional skills and stimulate their problem-solving competences when it comes to developing and applying practicable solutions. As the partner countries have very different presuppositions, information on and comparison of the similarities and differences in tackling ecological problems are vital to the project. The project comprises 4 interlinked phases of international cooperation with up to 30 students (10 from each country): In Germany we will focus on biogas, with work in international teams on theoretical background knowledge and hands-on application by building a model of a biogas plant and - at the end of the project - installing an aquaponic system in the school's garden. The exchange in Bulgaria will resume the results (e.g. by refining the biogas plant model) and focus on linking biogas and (re)afforestation, on how to use biogas e.g. in transportation, and on planning an aquaponic system. The third phase (in Czech Republic) will centre on solar energy and hydrogen, esp. hydrogen cells for cars. Her, some of the results of a previous Erasmus+ founded project between the Czech and German partner schools are taken up to share the insights and hands-on knowledge with the Bulgarian partners and to widen the perspectives for practicable solutions of using alternative sources of energy in various sectors of everyday life. The final exchange week (again in Germany) will sum up and join all results in a way to create synergies and investigate into solving the issues of energy supply by combining several alternative sources. As the added value of this final exchange the students will apply the insights when building an aquaponic system. All results will be presented to the wider public and the partners seek cooperation with organizations, companies and NGOs active in the energy sector (e.g. operators of biogas plants) as the topic is of major public interest everywhere. Along with gaining deep insights in renewable energy use, the students – who have to rely on English as a common language – will enhance their overall personal, social, intercultural competences and widen their perspectives and skills in cooperating in international teams. The coordinating teachers of all 3 schools bring their expertise in the various professional sectors addressed to the project and have a sufficient to good command of English so as to support the students throughout the project.
Subjects such as clean energy, sustainable mobility and building are elements of the “Green Deal” promoted by the European Commission to tackle climate change and environmental challenges. Topics such as sustainability, environmentalism and renewable sources of energy is frequently thematized in our instructional context, based on firmly fixed contents in framework curriculum and our award “school of sustainability”. It turned out, that students have different opinions and like to communicate according to those topics. Civic education (BBS1 is decorated as “school without racism, school with courage”) frequently stimulates exchange information, also on occasion of Ukraine-war. The aims of the project “GoGreen”, builds on these insights, were usage of renewable energy, saving our resources, environmentalism, breakdown with prejudices and intensifying European community and strengthening the own learning, social and problem-solving competences. It was addressed to students in vocational training at the three partner schools in the various professional areas: Germany: system planers and plumbing, heating installer and industrial mechanic; Bulgaria and Czechia: students in the agricultural, transport, mechatronic and electronic sectors. As the partner countries have very different presuppositions, information on and comparison of the similarities and differences in tackling project-contents are vital to the exchange. To prepare the project, initially project coordinators met in several videocalls to talk about milestones, such as a logo challenge. With this logo challenge students got in touch with the project for the first time, by creating some own suggestions, how the logo should look like. With the aid of a digital tool, students voted the winner logo out of nine options. Additionally, the project coordinators met in Bulgaria for preparation. Here we recorded all arrangements for the mobilities in detail. Furthermore, the relationship between coordinators strengthened, that redounded to the benefit of the whole procedure and collaboration (even among students). The project comprises 4 interlinked phases of international cooperation with up to 10 students and 2 teachers from each country. Unfortunately, we had to make some modifications of attendance and group composition, because of COVID-19 restrictions. In Germany we focused on biomass, biogas, biogas plants, waste recycling as well as setup and function of an aquaponic system. Posters had been created, by self-organized work orders. Attributable to mixed national teamwork, students steadily were innervated to talk in English language. During guided factory tours, in a waste recycling company and a biogas plant, students talked about upcoming questions directly to the technicians. Furthermore, moving the learning environment to another place on one day, affected a positive working atmosphere. In Bulgaria students dealt with extending knowledge about biomass and its usage and production of bio ground as well as the differences between hydroponics and aquaponics. In conclusion three different aquaponics had been planned and registered on posters during groupwork. One of those suggestions was selected after a voting at the beginning of the third mobility in Czechia. Key aspects in Czechia were planning the aquaponic in detail with all components, e.g., filter, tank, electronics, fishes. In addition to that, students consciousness of using renewable energies as in case of photovoltaic plants; the destruction of environment in fact of brown coal mining and re-, up- and downcycling using the example paper eminently increased. The final activity (again in Germany) mainly dealt with assembling the aquaponic, according to previously prepared plans. On the other hand, the topic 3D printing picked up on the project, to design and print a small aquaponic model. Again, posters and a picture gallery had been prepared for the project exhibition in international groupworks. In addition to that, sustainability ascribed major importance to the project again. As a symbol and memory of the project, we planted trees on the schoolground of each partner country. Along with cultural activities, such as a guided tour through Prague, a trip to UNESO world heritage Nessebar or a visit of Technik Museum in Speyer, the project community and international bonds could be tied and strengthened in the long run.