Digital Breakout challenges for young people to develop their knowledge about climate change Erasmus Project

Project Title

Digital Breakout challenges for young people to develop their knowledge about climate change

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 : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

The EU’s first package of climate and energy measures was agreed in 2008 and set targets for 2020 reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (compared to 1990); increasing the share of renewable energy to 20%; making a 20% improvement in energy efficiency. By 2017, greenhouse gas emissions had been reduced by 22%, that is two percentage points above the initial 20% target. In 2014, the 2030 climate and energy framework was agreed with an even more ambitious set of targets for the period 2021-2030. By these targets, the EU is committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030, compared to 1990. Despite the high achievements by the EU as a whole the last two decades included 18 of the warmest years on record, and extreme weather events, such as forest fires, heatwaves and floods, are becoming more frequent both in Europe and elsewhere. Scientists warn that without urgent action, global warming is likely to exceed 2°C above pre-industrial levels by 2060, and could even be as much as 5°C by the end of the century. Such a rise in the global temperature will have a devastating impact on nature, bringing about irreversible changes to many ecosystems and a consequent loss of biodiversity.

While it is widely accepted that tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the EU partners are of the opinion that using a challenge based learning approach is both appropriate and essential if today’s digital natives are to think critically about the climate change issue. For today’s young digital natives the internet is the most natural place to take action. It’s where they already are, socializing with their peers and exploring their identities. Young people, through their social media actions can animate and positively impact the behaviour of their peers. With the right knowledge they can play a considerable role in spreading the correct climate action message.

Digital Breakouts are a trending topic in the world of ed-tech. A digital breakout uses the same concept of solving a series of clues to unlock locks as the physical breakout does (EdTechCreative, 2018). Instead of breaking out of a room, learners must work together to solve digitally presented challenges to find hidden or obscured answers and information (Mullaney, 2016). A Digital Breakout is the same escape room-type experience but uses Google Forms and digital clues instead of locks and physical clues. It is an extremely simple and rich model for dimensioning educational uses of the Web, based on cooperative and investigative learning processes in the construction of knowledge.

The PLANet B project will develop an in-service training programme for front-line youth professionals to enable them integrate the new Digital Breakout resources into their everyday activities. In-service training will place a significant emphasis on challenge-based education; team based learning and the use of online resources. A key element of the in-service training will be enabling front-line youth workers to deliver the PLANet B climate change education program and develop their own Digital Breakout. The PLANet B in-service curriculum will include a PLANet B training guideline with an explicit set of Learning Outcomes for each learning unit and a tutor manual, the latter enclosing contents about each Learning Unit subject; what it is, why is it important, relation to other learning units and to the PLANet B Digital Breakouts, assessment framework.

A bespoke compendium of Digital Breakout resources will be scripted, designed and developed. These resources will use an embedded learning approach to build research and critical thinking skills of young people. Resources will be developed that address 6 of the most common climate change topics. The topics to be addressed will be agreed by each partner with their local youth stakeholders but will include topics like waste minimisation; recycling; upcycling; energy consumption; travel and transport; changing weather patterns; sustainable ecosystems; ethical fashion etc. All resources will be designed for use on smart-phones which are the most popular technology platforms among the target group.

A PLANet B MOOC where all Digital Breakouts can be accessed.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 198194 Eur

Project Coordinator

E-Juniors & Country: FR

Project Partners

• Rightchallenge – Associação
• CENTRE FOR ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LTD-CARDET
• The Rural Hub CLG
• QUARTER MEDIATION
• Harlequin Educational Technology