Environmental issues and sustainability – creating awareness and analysing measures – a German and Norwegian cooperation Erasmus Project

Project Title

Environmental issues and sustainability – creating awareness and analysing measures – a German and Norwegian cooperation

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Energy and resources; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

The project we are considering is a cooperation between a German grammar school and the branch of general education at a Norwegian upper secondary school, involving 17-18 year old students and two project coordinators (teachers) and other supporting teachers at each school. The Norwegian pupils work on the project mainly as part of their German lessons, whereas the Germans integrate it primarily in their English classes.

Context and background of the project:
Climate change and environmental pollution rank among the most important issues in the world at large. We observe that our students are very concerned about them and that they are very worried about their future, also feeling helpless. Although the topic is well-covered in the media and is increasingly playing an important role in politics not only nationally but also internationally, there are often setbacks. As teachers, we also notice that there is an apparent discrepancy between the concerns of the pupils and their knowledge on climate change and their actual behaviour. This is where we want to start with our project.

Objectives of the project:
The main objective of the project is to increase the pupils’ knowledge on climate change and pollution and thus to raise their awareness of the problems involved. At the same time, however, we want to look at existing approaches to solutions (also by comparing the two countries) and analyse their effectiveness, thus encouraging critical thinking. Finally, we want to develop our own approaches to solutions, starting with rethinking our own consumer behaviour and then devising measures at school, in the city/community and globally.
At the same time, the pupils also improve their language skills, as the project work is carried out in German and English, and they get to know the habits and conditions of the partner country, thus expanding their intercultural competence. Furthermore, we want to cooperate with experts and politicians on site, thus leaving the classroom and as a consequence opening up school. By working closely with pupils of the same age, our students will also develop their social skills, as the arrangements within the project require mutual understanding, good communication skills, solution orientation and intercultural competence.

Description of activities, methodology and potential longer term benefits:
During the course of the project, the pupils are expected to read up on environmental problems, attend information events and make local appointments. The collected findings and the measures derived from them are presented in summary form in German, English and Norwegian. The texts are proof-read by the students respectively. The work is divided into three modules (acquiring knowledge and creating awareness/collecting and questioning the effects of one’s own behaviour/solution approaches). For this purpose, they meet in transnational working groups and exchange information via Twinspace or work directly together during mutual visits. At the end of the project, a multilingual information booklet will be produced. In the first part, background knowledge regarding environmental problems will be presented, then existing measures will be examined and in the final part recommendations for action will be given. This booklet will be made available primarily to other pupils and teachers. Some articles from it will also be published on the website. Moreover, information boards will be set up to provide pupils with specific information on individual aspects (e.g. Which products contain oil?). In addition, measures will be taken at school and municipal level to ensure that the project leads not only to greater environmental awareness among the pupils themselves, but also to concrete changes in everyday school life and among local entrepreneurs and politicians. To this end we also want to involve local media. Furthermore, we want to train pupils to become environmental ambassadors who will pass on their knowledge to other pupils in the form of e.g. mentorships and who will be available to the pupils and the school management as contact persons for environmental issues. A further benefit is also the increase in language skills, for example when dealing with texts, during exchanges with the pupils involved in the project, and during visits to the respective host country. We also hope that the project will lay the foundation for a long-term cooperation between the two schools.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 0 Eur

Project Coordinator

Nord-Gudbrandsdal Vidaregåande skule & Country: NO

Project Partners

• Christophorus Schule Rostock