Expanding Opportunities with TreeTree2: Education Without Limits
Imagine a world where students, regardless of their background or location, have access to the best education possible. A world where the latest technology and a personalized approach to learning come together to help students reach their full potential. That world is here, and it’s called TreeTree2. More than just an initiative, TreeTree2 is a movement dedicated to enhancing students' educational experiences and offering limitless opportunities for personal and academic advancement.
National
Portugal
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It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
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No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): TreeTree2 Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Pedro Last name of representative: Marcelino Gender: Male Nationality: Portugal Function: Co-Founder Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Rua Pereira e Sousa, 35, 1A Town: Lisboa Postal code: 1350-235 Country: Portugal Direct Tel:+351 963 546 757 E-mail:pedro.marcelino@treetree2.org Website:https://www.treetree2.school
TreeTree2 is a unique initiative that provides education to all students regardless of background or location. This initiative leverages the power of technology and operates through a hybrid learning environment that is primarily virtual, to deliver its educational program in an efficient and sustainable manner.
The initiative is composed of three interrelated activities: After School, Summer School of Scientific Learning (SSSL), and HAC. The After School program is an online cohort-based course that operates through a peer tutoring system where high-performing students act as tutors for younger students. The seven-week courses cover a broad range of STEM subjects and reach thousands of students from across the country and Portuguese-speaking countries beyond Europe.
The SSSL is an in-person program that takes place during the summer holidays and focuses on different science subjects each day, providing in-depth instruction from tutors and university professors. This program serves hundreds of students who have participated in the After School program and provides a valuable opportunity for in-person interaction with tutors.
The HAC program is a one-on-one tutoring program that lasts for a year and pairs a student with a tutor for a learning project defined by the student. Projects in the HAC program can encompass a variety of subjects and experiences, from acquiring surgeon techniques to collaborating with a scientist on a scientific paper or working with a developer to create a web game. This program is a hybrid model that allows the student and tutor to meet - preferably in person - once a month and collaborate remotely through a project management platform and video/message platform. This program reaches dozens of students who participated in the SSSL program.
In conclusion, TreeTree2 is an initiative with the objective of enhancing the educational experience of students and offering them an abundance of chances for personal and academic advancement.
STEM initiative
Accessible and inclusive education
Digitalisation of education
Quality education
Sustainable development
Universal primary education has seen significant progress since 2000, with a 91% enrollment rate in developing regions according to the OECD in 2015, and fewer children out of school. However, inequalities persist, particularly among children from disadvantaged households and rural areas with limited access to education. To promote sustainable development and tackle education-related gender and wealth inequalities, all students must have access to comprehensive and high-quality education, including affordable vocational training and higher education. This requires making educational resources and technology accessible to all, regardless of background or location.
At TreeTree2, we believe that education is a right for all, not just a privilege for a few. That's why we have harnessed technology to create a sustainable and efficient hybrid learning environment, primarily online. Our three main programs (After School, Summer School of Scientific Learning, and HAC) use technology to reach thousands of students and provide access to STEM subjects, in-person tutoring, and one-on-one tutoring. This environment serves as a hub for students to connect with peers, mentors, and experts, and offers a dynamic and engaging learning experience.
In the coming year, TreeTree2 will launch a train-the-trainer program to support teacher training and professional development, giving more students access to qualified and effective educators. The initiative will also collaborate with academic partners, scientific institutions, and NGOs to exchange best practices and resources, advancing equality and inclusivity in education.
Therefore, TreeTree2's goal of providing comprehensive and high-quality education to all students can be achieved through the use of technology, making education accessible and sustainable, and collaborating with a network of stakeholders that provide valuable input and resources for promoting equality and inclusivity in education.
The goal of our educational initiative is to create an inclusive and dynamic learning environment that goes beyond just imparting knowledge and skills to students. It is our aim to enhance their social and emotional intelligence by promoting the development of key skills such as confidence, empathy, and effective communication. This can be achieved through activities and initiatives that foster creativity, social interaction, and connections with like-minded peers and mentors.
To create an optimal learning experience, we have leveraged cutting-edge design techniques and technologies to create a virtual learning environment that seamlessly blends aesthetics and functionality. Our innovative approach provides students with an engaging and positive learning experience that not only supports their academic growth but also nurtures their emotional well-being.
We also recognize the importance of diversity and cultural exchange in education, which is why we prioritize exposing students to the contributions of scientists from diverse backgrounds and cultures. This is achieved through interactions with university professors, tutors, and peers, and helps inspire students to pursue their passions, become critical thinkers, and be equipped to tackle the challenges of the future.
By putting the quality of the student experience at the forefront of our initiative, we aim to set a benchmark for inclusive and sustainable education. Our focus on aesthetics and positive emotions is a key factor in helping us achieve our ultimate goal of empowering students to become active and responsible citizens who can reach their full potential.
The digital divide declared by the UN as a new form of inequality has led to unequal access to education, jobs, and civic participation, with rural areas in Portugal being hit hard. To address these issues, initiatives focusing on accessibility, affordability, and inclusiveness in education are needed. These initiatives should not only impart knowledge and skills but also encourage creativity, exploration, artistic expression, and curiosity in children.
Portugal received €100 million from the EU for its public schools under the Digital Transition of Education Plan. This funding was used to purchase computers and improve internet connectivity, benefiting 165,000 students and 80,000 teachers. However, equipment alone is not enough. Our initiative aims to develop customized programs for these schools to optimize the EU investment.
We lead in making STEM education accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic status. Our initiative and other social projects (e.g. BIP/ZIP Lisboa and Prémio BPI Fundação ”la Caixa” Infância) taught us how to reduce the digital divide and promote equality, by creating solutions for marginalized communities and equal access to success.
Our key objectives are to make STEM education and resources accessible and affordable, implement inclusive governance, embrace design-for-all principles, and advocate for equitable access to STEM education. We offer online resources, train and support teachers in underserved communities, and collaborate with STEM businesses to promote diversity and inclusion in education.
Our efforts have increased access to STEM education and resources, serving as a model for similar initiatives. Our initiative has the potential to scale and bridge the digital divide globally, promoting equity. With a commitment to accessible, affordable, and inclusive STEM education for all, our initiative is a shining example of bridging the digital divide and promoting equality.
Our initiative aims at making Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education accessible to all, and is a collaborative effort that involves critical players such as citizens, experts, and institutions. Its commitment to promoting equity and reducing the digital divide has made it a model for other initiatives.
TreeTree2 success is largely driven by the passion of volunteer tutors who are eager to share their knowledge and skills with others. Many of these tutors have been students themselves and now serve as role models for the next generation of learners. Ph.D. students are a particularly important type of volunteer tutors, as they bring both academic expertise and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the communities they serve, while also honing their emotional and social skills that are critical to their success in both academia and industry.
Universities play a crucial role in the initiative by disseminating the project and providing access to their facilities. This not only provides a space for in-person activities to take place but also inspires students who can temporarily experience the university environment and have access to facilities such as laboratories. From the university's perspective, this is valuable as it brings the university closer to the students and inspires future students.
This inclusive approach, bringing together citizens, experts, and institutions to work towards a common goal, has helped create a more equitable and inclusive future for communities around the world. By working together in this way, TreeTree2 demonstrates that complex societal problems can be addressed through collaboration and co-creation, and sets a new standard for how initiatives can be designed and implemented to truly benefit the communities they serve. Its impact will be felt for years to come.
The effective participation of various stakeholders at different levels is essential to the success of the TreeTree2 initiative. On the local level, the initiative has partnered with schools to provide STEM education and reach a broader student population. Teachers play an important role by contributing to the design and implementation of activities, offering valuable feedback, and supporting the continuous improvement of the initiative. The promotion of the initiative has also attracted a larger pool of volunteers who are eager to share their skills and knowledge.
At the regional and national levels, the initiative has established relationships with universities to promote its objectives and participate in aligned projects. The initiative has also connected with schools across the country to disseminate its activities and reach more students, particularly women.
In the future, TreeTree2 aims to collaborate with Portuguese municipalities, offering summer editions of its activities to benefit students. The initiative also plans to establish a connection with the Portuguese General Directorate of Education to influence policy-making and create new opportunities for school-community interconnections. The goal is to develop an extracurricular version of the activities that can be fully integrated into the school curriculum.
Additionally, the initiative is exploring opportunities for EU funding (e.g., HORIZON-CL2-2023 calls HERITAGE-01-08 and TRANSFORMATIONS-01-05) to accelerate its growth and form partnerships with organizations across Europe to expand its methodology into a pan-European initiative.
The active engagement of these stakeholders is and will be an essential support for the initiative in addressing complex societal issues through a collaborative and co-creation approach. This inclusive approach brings together citizens, experts, and institutions to work towards the common goal of promoting quality STEM education, and reducing the digital divide.
The design and implementation of our initiative were rooted in a multidisciplinary approach, reflecting various disciplines and knowledge fields, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), education, and psychology. This interdisciplinary approach was crucial in ensuring that the initiative was not only accessible but also inclusive and effective in addressing the challenges posed by the digital divide.
Representatives from these different fields interacted with each other in several ways. For instance, STEM experts worked closely with educators to ensure that the educational materials and resources were not only accurate but also engaging and relevant to students. The psychologists provided insights into the development of students and helped to design activities that would promote the exploration, curiosity, creativity, and artistic expression that are crucial for child development. The educators, in turn, brought their experience in teaching and their understanding of the challenges faced by students to the table, ensuring that the initiative was tailored to meet their needs.
This interdisciplinary process added immense value to the initiative. It allowed us to bring together a diverse range of perspectives and expertise, resulting in a well-rounded and effective solution to the challenges posed by the digital divide. Furthermore, it created a collaborative atmosphere where everyone felt invested in the success of the initiative, leading to more creative and innovative approaches to problem-solving.
In conclusion, the interaction between the different disciplines and knowledge fields was crucial in the design and implementation of the initiative. It allowed us to develop an approach that was not only effective in addressing the challenges posed by the digital divide but also inclusive and tailored to meet the specific needs of the communities we serve.
The TreeTree2 initiative stands out from conventional STEM programs by incorporating cutting-edge educational techniques and technology to elevate the learning experience for students. Our program offers a comprehensive, interconnected set of activities that allows students to continuously progress in their STEM education throughout the year, regardless of location or socioeconomic background. In contrast, traditional STEM programs often provide isolated, one-time experiences with limited opportunities for growth.
Our initiative also breaks away from traditional lecture-style teaching methods and instead utilizes peer group instruction, allowing students to learn from one another in a collaborative and interactive environment. This, coupled with our virtual learning environment, provides greater accessibility and flexibility for students, regardless of their location. Additionally, our flipped classroom approach provides students with exposure to learning material before the class, allowing for hands-on, engaging activities during class time.
What truly sets TreeTree2 apart is our approach to teaching complex subjects such as Astrophysics, Neuroscience, Genetics, Linear Algebra, and Artificial Intelligence. Our innovative teaching methods make these subjects accessible and engaging for 6th to 12th-grade students, helping to foster their interests and potentially leading them down a career path in these fields.
In conclusion, our innovative programs provide students with a dynamic and enriching learning experience, empowering them to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
The initiative's elements that can be replicated or adapted include:
Teaching Methodology: The flipped classroom and online teaching methodology have been successful in delivering effective learning experiences for children. This approach can be replicated in other educational contexts, with necessary modifications based on the specific needs of the target audience.
Content Creation Processes: The processes used to build content for kids, leveraging evidence-based learning techniques, such as distributed practice, practice testing, and interleaved practice, can be replicated by other organizations working with children. These processes can be adapted to different subject areas, learning styles, and age groups.
Community Building Practices: The engagement practices used to build a community of learners can be adapted to other contexts, such as adult education, professional development, and more. These practices can be used to create a sense of community and support among learners, which can lead to better engagement and learning outcomes.
Learning Management System (LMS): The LMS used in the initiative can be replicated in other contexts, and can be adapted to the needs of different organizations and user groups. This system can help to manage and track learners' progress, as well as provide access to content and resources.
Content Management System (CMS): Our CMS, designed for storing and managing educational content, is versatile and can be easily replicated and adapted by other organizations for various content types, formats, and subjects. The system streamlines all logistics of the activities, making it scalable and efficient.
Open Source Integration Systems: The open-source integration systems used to connect different components of the initiative can be replicated in other contexts and adapted to different organizational needs. This can help organizations to save costs and have greater control over the technology used in their programs.
The methodology used in the initiative is composed of two key components: Operation and Marketing.
Operation:
The Operation aspect of the methodology focuses on the teaching approach and is centered around the flipped classroom method. The flipped classroom approach involves three essential components: content, tutors, and technological infrastructure. The content is designed to be both engaging and effective for students, incorporating evidence-based learning techniques such as distributed practice, practice testing, and interleaved practice. Tutors play a crucial role in the success of the flipped classroom approach, as they are trained to teach, including best practices for online instruction. The technological infrastructure includes a learning management system that serves as a central hub for students, an online forum for 24/7 support, and a voice/video communication platform for synchronous classes and social activities. All the technology used is open source, allowing for seamless integration with other software developed by the initiative.
Marketing:
The Marketing aspect of the methodology focuses on spreading awareness of the initiative and reaching potential beneficiaries. The marketing operation started with a personal approach, with members of the initiative inviting students and teachers to participate. This approach aimed to generate word-of-mouth interest in the initiative. Then, local and regional presentations were held, targeting schools to gain testimonials and raise awareness of the program. Emails were later sent to all schools in the country, providing information about the initiative and its benefits. The marketing strategy is based on the Complex Contagion theory, which suggests that information and behaviors spread through multiple sources of reinforcement, and the initiative aimed to increase the chances of successful dissemination and adoption of the program by understanding and incorporating these factors.
The TreeTree2 initiative addresses a number of global challenges by providing local solutions. One major challenge that the initiative is trying to tackle is the lack of access to education in rural or remote areas, where students are far from major centers and face limited educational resources. By offering online education, the initiative is able to reach these students and provide them with access to quality education.
In addition, the initiative places a strong emphasis on inclusion, recognizing the importance of valuing diversity and making education accessible and affordable for all students, regardless of their background, location, or socioeconomic status. To ensure that the initiative's offerings are accessible to as many students as possible, the program operates on a "pay what you want" model, in which most of the students benefit from the initiative for free.
TreeTree2 is taking steps to create bridges between different backgrounds and locations, cutting across disciplines and encouraging participation from all levels. The initiative is also aimed at bringing together various stakeholders, including citizens, experts, and institutions, to work towards a common goal of improving access to education. By working together, these groups can share resources, ideas, and expertise to create more effective and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing education today. This kind of collaboration helps to ensure that the initiative is responsive to the unique needs and challenges of each local community, while also leveraging the collective strengths and resources of the wider network.
The TreeTree2 initiative aims to address sustainability issues and establish partnerships with relevant stakeholders. The following steps are planned for the year ahead:
Enhanced Curriculum: The initiative plans to broaden its educational offerings to cover crucial topics such as climate change, clean and renewable energies, sustainable agriculture, circular economy, and the carbon footprint of food, buildings, and mobility. This will ensure the initiative effectively addresses sustainability and provides participants with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact.
School Ambassador Initiative: TreeTree2 will continue its partnership with schools through the "School Ambassador" program. This program trains volunteers to promote TreeTree2 at their former schools, working with educators to advance STEM education and reach a wider student population. Teachers will play a crucial role in the initiative's activities, providing valuable feedback and helping to refine its approach.
STEM Summer Experience: TreeTree2 is collaborating with national authorities to launch the "STEM Summer" program, offering students from remote Portuguese municipalities the chance to participate in summer versions of the initiative's educational offerings, such as the Summer School of Scientific Learning. The goal is to build a relationship with the Portuguese General Directorate of Education to shape policy-making and create new opportunities for interconnections between schools and communities.
Inclusive Growth: TreeTree2 aims to increase diversity and promote inclusivity by partnering with organizations serving underrepresented communities. This will ensure the initiative is accessible to a diverse group of participants and its benefits are distributed fairly.
The initiative has seen progress and aims to sustain its positive impact. The focus for the coming year is expanding course offerings, building collaborations, and promoting diversity and inclusion.
TreeTree2 is fully committed to the sustainability competences prioritized in GreenComp, especially along the four following competence areas:
EMBODYING SUSTAINABILITY VALUES
Valuing sustainability: The implementation of our enhanced curriculum will allow students to take early contact with the complex concept of sustainability and promote a change of behaviors in each participant’s personal values and daily life.
Supporting fairness: By providing access to education and promoting inclusiveness, the initiative supports equality and justice for current and future generations, embodying the value of fairness.
EMBRACING COMPLEXITY IN SUSTAINABILITY
Critical thinking: The initiative trains tutors to teach using evidence-based learning techniques, encouraging students to assess information and arguments, challenge the status quo, and reflect on their own personal, social, and cultural backgrounds, promoting critical thinking skills.
Problem framing: The initiative addresses the challenge of access to education in remote areas, framing it as a sustainability problem to be solved, highlighting the importance of considering the difficulty, people involved, time, and geographical scope of a problem.
ENVISIONING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES
Exploratory thinking: By using a flipped classroom approach, integrating multiple disciplines, and fostering creativity and experimentation, the initiative encourages students to explore and link different ideas, promoting exploratory thinking skills.
ACTING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Collective action: The initiative encourages collaboration between students, tutors, and other stakeholders to act for change, promoting the value of collective action.
Individual initiative: In the context of climate change courses, students will be encouraged to adopt measures to reduce their carbon footprint in several aspects of their life, and to positively influence family decisions.
