The project focuses on creating environmental awareness towards plants and greenery, educating young people and their teachers towards ecological learning spaces. Actions will promote and foster awareness of environmental issues in an educational context, e.g. the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda 2030. Unlike the wider agenda of protecting natural habitats like rainforests, our approach aims to stimulate knowledge and appreciation of plants close to the people concerned, i.e. in urban indoor and outdoor environments. Especially, the effects of plants in classrooms, offices, homes and public spaces have hitherto been undervalued. The project will target young people from an early age onwards, with students from primary, secondary and tertiary level to learn about potted plants in their immediate vicinity. With this promotion of plant appreciation at a young age, the project intends to lay the foundation of much wider protective attitudes of natural and artifical flora (and fauna). Therefore, it is considered to enhance thinking about the positive effects plants have on the climate and environmental well-being of our planet. With a technology-enhanced approach using sensors and visualisations, children will not only learn basic facts about plants, but also about care and responsibility towards them. We use the cascading approach via primary and secondary school teachers, educational leaders, lecturers and support staff to establish a wide-ranging plant supported school climate, as well as measuring and evaluating their impact on learning and social behaviours.
Our project implementation aimed to support environmental education by seamlessly blending technology, inquiry-based learning, and gamification. In particular, we aimed to achieve: 1. Deeper environmental awareness: We aimed to cultivate understanding of environmental issues by utilising plants and IoT technologies for real-time experiences. Sensor data collection would immerse students in the intricacies of nature. 2. Empowered digital green competences: Our objective was to equip learners with essential knowledge and competences (See dissemination folder in annex), enabling them to leverage technology for sustainable practices. Additionally, educators of different levels of education would be guided to design impactful learning experiences. 3. Collaborative multidisciplinary approach: Partnering with European institutions from diverse education sectors, we sought to enrich pedagogical strategies through a vibrant exchange of ideas and methods. 4. Engaging learning experiences: Through gamification and inquiry-based learning, we aimed to create immersive activities that motivated students to explore, question, and learn independently using plants in learning spaces.
The TEASPILS project was driven by dual ambitions. Firstly, as part of the societal challenges of the 21c, we recognised the urgent necessity to integrate technology, environmental awareness, and pedagogy. In this field, we connected with multidisciplinary partners across Europe, fostering a dynamic consortium capable of blending diverse perspectives and expertise. Together, we developed ways to transcend traditional educational paradigms, effectively addressing the evolving needs of our students and their generation. TEASPILS sought to bridge the gap between conventional teaching methods and modern educational demands, cultivating what we defined as "digital green competences" among learners (See dissemination folder in annex). By intertwining IoT technologies, inquiry-based learning, and gamification, we aimed to equip students with the tools and mindset to understand, cherish, and champion their natural surroundings. TEASPILS empowered teachers and students through fostering sustainable green learning spaces that facilitate new ways of learning.