By implementing the NANOWARE Project, we aimed to achieve the following: - Increase awareness of nanotechnology among European secondary education science teachers, to make students aware of developments in nanotechnology and its importance for society and our economy. - Raise awareness among educators and subsequently among students about Nano science and Nanotechnology, positively influencing their future career plans regarding this subject. - Enable young people to encounter nanotechnology at school and, through this initial knowledge, create awareness about its importance for our society. - Equip secondary education teachers to integrate NST activities into the teaching of science subjects. - Promote Minecraft as a digital learning space for providing problem-based learning experiences to students, which enhance key competencies and increase knowledge and awareness of subjects that are important for their future. We aimed to achieve the above objectives aligning with the goals of the European Union.
The rationale for applying the project was to address the educational gap in nanotechnology at the school level and to promote understanding and innovation in this key technological area. This rationale came up from the idea that nanotechnology, which is considered not only a major source of innovation in technology, medicine, and other fields, is covered by European universities and vocational training programs, but not by schools. Nanotechnology is growing and its materials are utilized in our everyday lives. However, although the word nanotechnology is familiar to many high-school students, the subject is not widely taught in European schools. According to relevant research at the University of Crete, teaching Nanoscience and Nanotechnology is worthwhile even in primary education because it provides an appropriate context for the introduction of Responsible Research & Innovation in science education. Shortly, the level of a country will be the indicator of that country’s economic power and countries that are able to control nanotechnology will control industry, too. Because of this, the need that was addressed is the need for a labor force capable of using nanotechnology and contributing to production increases every day.