The general objectives of the project were: OBJ 1: Design a tailored methodology to build the capacity of primary and secondary teachers to implement activities with students in the field of climate change and STEAM education and engage students to be aware of sustainable mobility and climate change issues. OBJ 2: Develop innovative pedagogical material and resources for teachers and students to promote climate change awareness for sustainable mobility, aligned with the GreenComp. OBJ 3: Improve students’ creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and STEM competencies. OBJ 4: Raise awareness about the significance of using sustainable mobility to primary and secondary school students. OBJ 5 : Raise awareness on the importance of climate change education to primary and secondary school teachers, educational leaders and other key stakeholders. All five general objectives were directly or indirectly linked to the project’s priorities, since they contribute in the areas of environment and fight against climate change, development of key competences of students and teachers and promotion of interest in the STEAM approach.
The project was conceptualised to address the need for increasing awareness of climate change and sustainable mobility through implementing green activities in climate change education. To do that, we introduce the SMILE methodology and educational resources to offer the training needed for teachers on climate change, which will help students act as agents of change for sustainable mobility. More specifically, a) the need for decreasing anthropogenic GHG emissions; b) the need for sustainability competencies development according to the EC; c) the need for participatory, interdisciplinary and creative approaches to a more effective climate change education; d) the significance of STEAM education in dealing with global climate change and the change in the behaviour of students; e) the need to close the educational gap on the understanding of climate change through more active participation; and, f) the need for improvement in school curriculum regarding climate change, the motivation for sustainable mobility and climate change educational initiatives seems to be emergent and crucial.