We set out to inform our pupils of the issues and to motivate them to take initiatives to protect the environment and to raise awareness of Ecological and Biodiversity issues that face us all.. We wanted the pupils to be at the centre of their learning and to develop their ecological literacy, enhance communication and collaboration skills,. The goals involve creating knowledge and awareness of the issues that are common to all partners and to develop strategies and a toolkit to enable pupils and schools to tackle these issues into the future. Students become aware of the richness of plant and animal diversity on the planet through the content produced-in terms of the Ecological booklet and other materials, presentations, lessons and pupil projects.. Teachers share information and strategies during mobilities and these findings and results are brought back from the meetings and shared with the pupils and general school community.. Shared knowledge will lead to positive actions in terms of protecting the sustainability of biodiversity and in developing knowledgeable, proactive and caring citizens for the future. Our pupils will see that we need to work together and form a united front to tackle common worldwide issues.
The project has partners from Croatia, Romania, Ireland and Turkey. The initial contacts was through eTwinning with all partners seeking a project on Biodiversity and Ecology. We recognised, post-Covid, the urgent need to implement ecological and biodiversity awareness programmes in schools as our pupils are the decision-makers of the future. We decided to combine our skills, interests and knowledge to develop a unique Ecological Literacy programme to use in partner schools. We started a little bit because of staff changes so contracts were late. We had a few online meetings to meet, kickstart the project and to split tasks between partners. Pupils were at the core of the project. To improve their ecological literacy, to develop communication skills as well as collaboration skills and to enhance cultural awareness and intercultural competence they engaged in a range of mobility and virtual activities. The representatives of each partner presented their school educational system and their town and their country . The tangible results of the project were the presentations, the Ecological literacy intelligence student guide, the website. The intangible results were the development of collaboration skills.