The project aimed to enhance digital and environmental competences of pre-service primary teachers, aligning with 21st-century expectations from OECD and EU reports. It focused on preparing future educators to engage students, address global and social issues, and integrate technology confidently into teaching. Central to the project was the use of Augmented Reality (AR) in environmental education. By training pre-service teachers to apply AR in the classroom, the initiative sought to foster early environmental awareness and support sustainability and climate action goals. Beyond skill development, the project promoted innovative teaching through three main outputs: IO1: Modular Curriculum – A flexible framework integrating AR in environmental education. IO2: Virtual Platform – An interactive space for AR-based learning resources and scenarios. IO3: Teacher Guide – Practical support for applying AR in classroom settings. These outputs aim to boost teacher training quality, increase student engagement, and instill environmental responsibility, reinforcing priorities like inclusivity, equal opportunity, and global cooperation.
The project was developed in response to the urgent need to modernise teacher education by integrating sustainability education and digital innovation. Although the European Green Deal set a clear agenda for environmental awareness, its implementation in primary school education remained limited, particularly in Widening Countries.Future teachers often lacked both knowledge of Green Deal topics and the digital competences needed to teach them effectively. At the same time, the pedagogical potential of augmented reality (AR) remained underused in higher education. The project addressed these needs by combining AR technology with educational content on sustainability, offering practical tools and training for initial teacher education.