Topic/ theme: Environmental Education (EE), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), outdoor Education, non-formal education methods, activities and tools in the formal environment
At your request, the courses can be structured for a different schedule (5 or 7 training days).
Sending partners: educational organizations involved in formal, non-formal and informal learning: kindergartens, schools, adult training centers, resource centers and other relevant organization active in the adult education field established in Erasmus+ program countries.
Participants: 20-25 adults involved in education
Course fee: According to the Erasmus+ guide, 80 euros / training day, including course preparation, training, training materials, administration costs, organizational costs, 24 hours emergency support.
Trainers: multinational team of trainers – Portuguese, Romanian and Maltese, SALTO affiliated, with specialization courses in more than 15 European countries.
Languages used: English, Portuguese, Spanish, French. The training materials will be provided in English. On request, Spanish and French.
Profile of the participants:
The participants are teachers (working in kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools etc.) or adult trainers active in the sending organization interested in EE, ESD and outdoor education methods, with or without previous experience, willing to develop themselves professionally not only through the course, but by involving themselves in preparatory and follow up activities. They must be interested in other cultures and in developing the institution’s European dimension.
Objectives:
- To understand what Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is.
- To be able to identify relevant curriculum links to ESD activities.
- To understand how to engage and motivate young people to learn about the environment within different curriculum frameworks.
- To learn teaching methods and approaches of EE.
- To take part in experiential environmental education and outdoor activities
- To develop personal and social skills through outdoor activities and lessons
- To develop competences regarding applying outdoor education in different formal settings in order to improve the motivation of the students for the environmental protection
- To develop a personal activity plan: how to put new knowledge into action back home and how to support the school development in the field of EE, ESD and outdoor learning
- To introduce a process enabling teachers to identify and analyze local/school/community environmental issues and to develop related learning programs.
- To increase participants’ confidence in working with non-formal methods, using their own qualities, talents, differences
- To promote European cooperation in the field of education within the framework of the Erasmus+ program by partnership building
Learning outcomes:
By taking part in this training course, the participants will:
- Develop competences regarding applying non-formal education activities and techniques in different formal settings
- Develop their communication and empathical skills
- Understand the characteristics of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD);
- Be able to identify relevant curriculum links to ESD activities
- Understand how to engage and motivate young people to learn about the environment within different curriculum frameworks
- Identify specific methods and techniques for their own context and learn teaching methods and approaches of EE
- Develop competences regarding applying outdoor education in different formal settings in order to improve the motivation of the students for the environmental protection
- Develop personal and social skills through outdoor activities and lessons
- Learn how to put new knowledge into action back home and how to support the school development in the field of EE, ESD and outdoor learning
- Learn how to identify and analyze local/school/community environmental issues and to develop related learning programs.
- Share experiences and intercultural practices in a cooperative and collaborative learning process with focus on EE and ESD;
- Develop better understanding of their own competence as teachers and will develop creative intercultural strategies for dealing with environment challenges in their own schools and classrooms
- Learn how to identify limiting & negative beliefs and how to transform them into positive and supporting ones
- Improve interpersonal relationships
- Acquire a better understanding of the various forms of environmental issues and a higher knowledge about impact, risk and long-term effect of pollution and irresponsible use of resources
- Develop e-learning competences
- Learn how to analyse the learning environment and will learn how to create strategies in order to improve it, by including nature as a learning resource
- Develop – tools and techniques that can be used in order to increase student’s motivation and combat drop-out phenomenon;
- Learn how to promote European cooperation in the field of education within the framework of the Erasmus+ program by partnership building
Methodology
The main methods will be through practical training, exercises, role-playing, cooperative work, various activities and discussions. The content is based on „learning by doing” combined with “reflection upon action”. Positive atmosphere, exchange and fun is a part of the process during the training. The course will take place mainly outdoors close to nature.
| Days | Module | Details of activities and methodology |
| Days 1,2 | Culture and interculturality | Introductory meeting, explanation of practical arrangements, presentation of timetable, information about course venue. Intercultural games. Working in an international project – how to communicate and connect. Icebreakers Team building: working with colleagues and parents – practical exercises followed by a debate. Stereotypes and prejudices. Cultural Isla – project tour exploring exterior manifestations of culture. Introduction to the Course. |
| Day 3,4 | Outdoor Education | Introduction to Environmental Education: Definition, Principles, History and Goals of EE. Introduction to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), ESD Guidelines, Perceived goals and impacts. Presentation of ESD and its 4 pillars and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals Workshops for personal and social development and how to teach school subjects outside the classroom. Adapting different outdoor games to the age group and the specific of EE and ESD. |
| Day 5 | Group dynamics. | Intra and inter group dynamics. Workshop of outdoor leadership and key Learning Strategies for Environmental Education, Citizenship and Sustainability. Workshops showing a diversity of Methods for teaching EE and outdoor activities and exercises, by using “heart, hand and head” experience outdoors environmental education. Midterm evaluation |
| Days 6,7 | Education methods (formal, non-formal, informal) | What do sustainable schools look like and the eco school label. Study visit to a local institution applying EE, ESD and outdoor methods. Specific EE programs : Abroad selection of topics. EE and the holistic approach to teaching and learning Learning outcomes of EE |
| Day 8 | Role of teachers in Education for Sustainable Development Engaging participants to take an active role in sustainable environmental management and identify environmental effects Reflection on my own practice How do I implement Sustainable Development in my organisation, my classroom, my lesson plans? What tools do I have at my disposal to teach ESD ? Dissemination of previous European projects applying EE and ESD methods made by all partners. | |
| Day 9 | Evaluation and networking | Dissemination and valorization. Planning follow up activities, dissemination and exploitation of learning outcomes. Using European certification tools: Europass Mobility certificate, upgrading the Europass Language Passport and Europass Skills Passport. Project evaluation.Certification outdoor ceremony. |