Outdoor Science Education for a Sustainable Future
OTTER is a project that aims to spark young people’s interest in science and environmental sustainability with the help of Education Outside the Classroom (EOC) tools and methods, and to assess how these can help improve the sophisticated consumption and scientific citizenship of kids, as well as the transferability of cognitive, affective, social and behavioural skills through the implementation of EOC Labs across Europe.
Cross-border/international
Hungary
Ireland
Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries: Spain
Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries: Hungary
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Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
Horizon2020 / Horizon Europe
Call identifier: H2020-SwafS-2018-2020, Topic: SwafS-24-2020, Type of action: RIA
No
Yes
As a representative of an organization, in partnership with other organisations
Name of the organisation(s): Geonardo Environmental Technologies Type of organisation: SME First name of representative: Jelena Last name of representative: Kajganovic Gender: Female Nationality: Serbia Function: OTTER project coordinator Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Zahony u.7, D Town: Budapest Postal code: 1031 Country: Hungary Direct Tel:+36 1 250 6703 E-mail:mariana.mata.lara@geonardo.com Website:https://geonardo.com/
Name of the organisation(s): European Science Foundation Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Dr Ildiko Maria Last name of representative: Ipolyi Gender: Female Nationality: Hungary Function: Science Officer Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: QUAI LEZAY MARNESIA 1 Town: STRASBOURG CEDEX Postal code: 67080 Country: France Direct Tel:+33 3 88 76 71 13 E-mail:iipolyi@esf.org Website:https://www.esf.org/
Name of the organisation(s): University of Groningen Type of organisation: University or another research institution First name of representative: Lucy Last name of representative: Avraamidou Gender: Female Nationality: Cyprus Function: Director of the Institute for Science Education and Communication Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Broerstraat 5 Town: GRONINGEN Postal code: 9712CP Country: Netherlands Direct Tel:+31 6 34027632 E-mail:l.avraamidou@rug.nl Website:https://www.rug.nl/
Name of the organisation(s): University of Limerick Type of organisation: University or another research institution First name of representative: Merrilyn Last name of representative: Goos Gender: Female Nationality: Australia Function: Chair in STEM Education at the University of Limerick Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: NATIONAL TECHNOLOGICAL PARK, PLASSE Town: LIMERICK Postal code: n/a Country: Ireland Direct Tel:+353 83 045 7629 E-mail:merrilyn.goos@ul.ie Website:http://www.ul.ie/
Name of the organisation(s): Bridge Budapest Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Rita Last name of representative: Veres Gender: Female Nationality: Hungary Function: Head of Strategy of Edisonplatform Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Szent Istvan ter 11. Town: Budapest Postal code: 1051 Country: Hungary Direct Tel:+36 20 519 5209 E-mail:rita@bridgebudapest.org Website:https://bridgebudapest.org/
Name of the organisation(s): Learning Scoop Type of organisation: Cooperative First name of representative: Johanna Last name of representative: Jarvinen Gender: Female Nationality: Finland Function: Pedagogical Director Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: c/o Ellimaija Ahonen, Vlitie 52 Town: RUUTANA Postal code: 36110 Country: Finland Direct Tel:+358 40 8337800 E-mail:johanna.jarvinen-taubert@learningscoop.fi Website:https://learningscoop.fi/
Name of the organisation(s): Big Van Ciencia Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Helena Last name of representative: González Burón Gender: Female Nationality: Spain Function: Director of department of Studies on Science, Education, Communication and Society Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: CARRER FRANCESC MACIA 21 PLANTA 2 PU Town: CASTELLBISBAL Postal code: 08755 Country: Spain Direct Tel:+34 625 40 38 46 E-mail:helena.gobu@gmail.com Website:https://www.bigvanciencia.com/
Name of the organisation(s): CARDET Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Charalambos Last name of representative: Vrasidas Gender: Male Nationality: Cyprus Function: Executive Director of CARDET and Professor of Learning Innovations Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: LYKAVITOU AVENUE 29 1ST FLOOR ENGOM Town: LEFKOSIA Postal code: 2401 Country: Cyprus Direct Tel:+357 22 002100 E-mail:pambos@cardet.org Website:https://www.cardet.org/
OUR MISSION:
OTTER is an EU-funded project that aims to spark young people’s interest in science and environmental sustainability with the help of Education Outside the Classroom tools and methodologies.
WHY OTTER?
Current global challenges and crises have highlighted the need for scientists and scientifically literate people in our societies. However, recent studies have shown that interest in scientific topics among young people is in decline, with fewer people wanting to pursue careers as scientists. In response to this, educators and researchers came up with an innovative concept: Education Outside the Classroom, a highly effective approach that promotes out-of-school science learning to make the educational process more engaging.
OUR ACTIVITIES:
- We connect educators, scientists, and creatives through the Hub (Finland, Ireland, Hungary, Spain) to co-design new Education Outside the Classroom experiences and exchange best practices and insights.
- We develop toolkits, guidelines, and materials to include on the Learning Platform that is designed to help educators become acquainted with Education Outside the Classroom.
- We implement the Outdoor Labs in primary and secondary schools in Finland, Ireland, Hungary, and Spain, based on the knowledge we’ve gained from the previous activities, and we monitor the impact.
- We produce the eTraining in which we explain how we can become more environmentally friendly.
In summary:
OTTER will leverage the power of Education Outside the Classroom methods to improve STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) learning among young people and raise awareness of today’s environmental problems. At the same time, OTTER will aim for the recognition, validation, and accreditation of Education Outside the Classroom across Europe.
WE EMPOWER YOUNGSTERS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR POWER, BECOME BETTER CITIZENS, AND FIGHT FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE PLANET.
STEAM
Education Outside the Classroom
Sustainable future
Kids
Plastic Waste
Amid urgent educational and environmental challenges and a need for increased sophisticated consumerism and scientific citizenship within Europe, and amid the relationship between STEAM subjects and the kind of workforce required to tackle the environmental issues, OTTER project will specifically focus in the field of environmental sustainability and the reduction of plastic waste in the Education Outside the Classroom methods and pedagogies to be developed, as well as on the assessment of the acquisition of scientific knowledge and transferable skills in students. Furthermore, an e-learning specifically on sustainability will be developed for teachers to learn from an easy, intermediate to and advanced level on sustainability and on how to apply it as a topic to EOC methods for kids.
Education Outside the Classroom focuses on the out-of-school opportunities for learning that goes away from traditional methods. Its design is centred around the learning experience of the student so it is done in a way that sparks their interest and calls for familiarity. The OTTER labs are to be structured in four parts based on the experienced aimed at each stage:
- OBSERVE & INQUIRE: During this first day students will be exposed to a topic related to sustainability and linked to their academic curriculum.
- DISCOVER!: Students will visit companies, factories, or NGOs that deal with sustainability and plastic waste. By the end of the day, they will work in groups on the issue discussed, and present their solutions to a jury of teachers, local experts and even students.
- ENERGIZE: Students will get involved in local activities to reduce plastic waste and learn the advantages of living in a clean and less polluted environment.
- REFLECT: The last day is dedicated to thinking about the previous days. Open sessions and debates will prompt students’ critical thinking and their role within a circular economy and their experience based on their geographical and cultural background.
It is paramount of OTTER closing the gender and geographical gaps in STEAM through promoting educational activities, as well as increasing awareness of the gender and geographical gaps in education outside the classroom and in STEAM, their causes and ways of closing these gaps among stakeholders in Europe. A dedicated part of the project will target the intersectional aspects relevant for building an inclusive education ecosystem. OTTER aims to address goals related to inclusive education, by addressing the education for disadvantaged groups, such as prospective female scientists, or students from different geographical areas. Finally, by addressing the thematic of plastic waste, OTTER will bring appropriate answers to the goals fixed up for the sustainable development as inclusion needs to be thought beyond humanity.
OTTER LABS: Kids from some primary and secondary schools from Hungary, Ireland, Spain and Finland (ages 6-18) will benefit from the labs by learning STEAM in a more fun and engaging way, by developing transversal skills and by becoming scientific citizens capable of making informed decisions, and sophisticated consumers that consider environmental impacts and the ethicality of the production process of products before buying them.
OTTER HUB: Opened for teachers, parents and practitioners of education outside the classroom approaches. The benefits of joining the hub includes being part of a growing community of change-leaders, developing Education Outside the Classroom activities, training materials and guidelines adapted to each user's reality, and working together towards the accreditation guidelines for Education Outside the Classroom methods in Europe.
- OTTER PLATFORM: For anyone wanting to implement education outside the classroom activities, the platform will have toolkits, guidelines and materials available for use for free.
- At a local level, we are working with teachers from primary and secondary schools to implement OTTER labs with their students and carry out educational activities outside the classroom focused on STEAM learning and environmental sustainability.
- At a national level, we opened the Hubs (one per pilot country: Spain, Ireland, Hungary and Finland) to discuss national-relevant issues about EOC accreditation, experiences about EOC implementation and exchange knowledge and ideas.
- At an Europen level, we will share the tools in the platform, we count with one international Hub opened for all countries that are not the pilot case studies, and we will share guidelines for pushing for the accreditation of EOC activities in Europe.
- environmental sciences
- science education and communication
- stem professors
- scientists
- circus and performing arts
- project managers
- communicators
EOC has many benefits for the cognitive, physical, and affective development of children through different ways of learning:
1. Lifelong learning: teaching and learning activities in EOC contexts involve learners of different age (children and teachers) not only helpping pupils during their childhood, but also equip them with transferable skills they will need throughout their lives.
2. Integral learning: EOC promotes all kinds of development: intellectual, social, moral, affective, religious, sportive, artistic, musical, etc. This holistic approach combines complementary learning to acquire more knowledge and develop diverse skills.
3. Regular learning: It is more productive to distribute learning contents in small parcels several times than once in longer training sequences as we need time to assimilate and integrate new information and to use it as a foundation for further learning. EOC must be regular and frequent.
4. Natural learning: by being in direct contact with the natural environment and getting familiar with our surroundings, students will develop a special relationship with their environment and learn to preserve it.
5. Challenging learning: EOC activities allow children to take responsibilities and initiative, to have courage and to investigate more deeply the world around them.
6. Tailored learning: Most of the time, EOC focuses on alternative pedagogies and learner-based approach, where students and teachers learn from each other, enrich their knowledge, and develop their skills. Teachers are trained and encouraged to identify the learning needs of the children and to propose to them the most appropriate activities, the ones that foster motivation, curiosity, and the joy of learning.
7. Community-based learning: education is best offered in a community so that children feel have a sense of belonging and a desire to make a positive contribution. EOC offers the opportunity of collaboration and mutual learning with those around you.
Our content will be divided by age groups so all the resources on activities, methods and pedagogies can be replicated in any context. We will also provide guidelines and an e-training. The idea is to easily be able to carry out Education Outside the Classroom activities for steam learning in a sustainable future context, all across Europe and for kids of different ages.
OTTER is theoretically framed within the Contextual Model of Learning, a well-established framework for studying the complexities of learning within free-choice settings. Drawing upon constructivist, cognitive, and sociocultural theories of learning, this model exemplifies the contextually driven processes of interactions and interplay between a person’s personal, sociocultural, and physical contexts. The personal context represents an individual’s personal history (e.g., prior knowledge and experiences) , the sociocultural context refers to the fact that museum learning is socioculturally situated given that individuals are defined by their social relationships and culture, and the physical context refers to the museum spaces and their characteristics. Analysing and understanding the type of EOC activities and the impact they have on students, will help us sharpen the available knowledge, provide us valuable feedback for the selection of activities to be immersed in the EOC programme, and later on, to test through the OTTER Outdoor Lab, if those activities indeed impact the students as reported. The use of both quantitative and qualitative research strategies, also known as mixed methods research, draws on the strengths of both approaches by using complementary assessment methods.
The main global challenge addressed in OTTER is achieving sustainability. The way we will approach it is by adapting each OTTER Lab to its local context. In day 2 "Discover!" the lab centres in visiting local NGOs or companies that deal with sustainability and plastic waste. The aim is that kids see first hand how STEAM is applied in tangible actions addressing local issues. By the end of the day, they will work in groups on the issue discussed, and present their solutions to a jury of teachers, local experts and other students.
We have created the 4 different channels for the OTTER Hub (for Spain, for Hungary, for Ireland and the International Hub), and we have been holding conversations with practitioners to develop and shape the OTTER methodology that we will use in the Labs for the different age groups. In parallel, we started developing the OTTER Platform that will count with an e-learning on sustainability, a teachers training, a practitioners toolkit and accreditation guidelines, for anyone to use across Europe willing to replicate OTTERs methodology. Next year we will start carrying out the 4 OTTER Labs in the 4 pilot countries, followed by the assessment of the methodology. We already have all the school members that will participate in our OTTER Labs and we can{t wait to start working with the kids!
OTTER's core aligns with 5 out of the 6 main points of the framework:
- make learning for the green transition and sustainable development a priority in education and training policies and programmes
- provide all learners with opportunities to learn about the climate crisis and sustainability in both formal education (for example, schools and higher education) and non-formal education (such as, extra-curricular activities, youth work)
- support educators in developing their knowledge and skills to teach about the climate crisis and sustainability, including dealing with eco-anxiety among their students
- create supportive learning environments for sustainability that span all activities and operations by an educational institution and enable teaching and learning that is hands-on, interdisciplinary and relevant to local contexts
- actively involve students and staff, local authorities, youth organisations and the research and innovation community in learning for sustainability
