Solutions inspired by nature Erasmus Project

Project Title

Solutions inspired by nature

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 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; Energy and resources; Natural sciences

Project Summary

The project “Solutions inspired by nature” (SIBN) promotes the participants’ basic skills, especially STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and foreign language skills and it increases their environmental awareness. So SIBN prepares them to study, act and work in their home countries and abroad. This is achieved by following the methodology of problem-based learning, cooperative learning, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and visible learning.
SIBN focuses on biomimesis, a branch of science which develops sustainable technological solutions by using nature as a model. It relies on the facts that nature is an infinite source of inspiration and that natural models are resource- and energy-efficient. So by following the pathway to biomimetic inventions, we can develop technologies that harmonize with nature rather than destroy it. This meets our necessity to learn to live within the limits of our planet.
SIBN makes an important contribution because it encourages participants to actively shape scientific development. They come up with their own ideas to solve problems in each Learning Teaching Training Activity (LTT): How to create stable hooks with a minimal amount of material by using terrestrial organisms as a model (LTT1), How to allow energy-efficient mobility in water by using aquatic organisms as a model (LTT2), How the build models of bioclimatic buildings by using plants as a model (LTT3) and how to water a garden efficiently by using organisms from arid regions as a model (LTT4).
We support the Erasmus+ project SIBN with an eTwinning project to prepare the LTTs, to disseminate the results and to increase the impact. The participants use the eTwinning platform to collaborate in international teams in warm-up tasks before each LTT, the results of which they share at the beginning of each LTT. Then different workshops, teamwork activities and field trips to nature reserves, museums and companies broaden their knowledge base and promote the skills they need to solve the problem of the LTT. In the process the participants acquire the confidence that they too can contribute to scientific progress.
Their products are the basis of exhibitions to inform and inspire other members of the school community and to spark off discussions. This promotion of science skills at our schools is necessary because science subjects have the reputation of being demanding and are less popular among many of our students. Follow-up tasks connect the different LTTs and encourage long-lasting impact on the curricula and the use of technological tools in our schools.
Four schools across Europe participate in the project. In our collaboration we make use of local features and the special expertise of each school to learn from each other and to add value to the project in form of methodology and by employing innovative technologies and tools that will be shared in staff training events.
These are the fields of expertise:
Germany: Teaching biomimesis, Computer Aided Design (CAD), 3D Printing and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL).
Sweden: Following the methodology of visible learning, problem based learning and teaching marine ecology.
Spain: Using eTwinning projects for successful European cooperation and communication and teaching investigations with the help of microcontroler kits and programming them.
Greece: Teaching programming and coding to create and use apps and computer simulations and setting up websites.
84 students between 14-18 years can travel and host in short-term mobilities and 4 students in long-term study mobilities while their schoolmates take part in the preparation, follow-ups and dissemination.
The results of SIBN are the above-mentioned exhibitions but also a multi-lingual dictionary app. Participants learn to program it in LTT1 and complete it with useful terms and phrases with reference to SIBN to facilitate communication. Other results are the teaching instructions developed by the teachers on “Following the pathway to biomimetic inventions” and on using modern tools like CAD, 3D-printing, the dictionary app and microcontroler kits. All results will be disseminated on the eTwinning Platform and on the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform.
SIBN is a very demanding project because skills and knowledge from different STEM areas are required as well as foreign language skills for successful communication. This is why we support the learning process by employing CLIL methodology and by using self-evaluation sheets. These include the European Language Passport but also specially adapted sheets following the methodology of visible learning.
Summing up the expected potential long-term benefit are the participants’ improved science skills and basic skills which inspire fellow-students on the one hand and new perspectives for teachings science lessons which encourage the students’ activity and creativity and employment of modern technological tools.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 129666 Eur

Project Coordinator

Landrat-Lucas-Gymnasium & Country: DE

Project Partners

• 1 Geniko Lykeio Alexandroupolis
• Institut Torre Vicens
• Täby Enskilda Gymnasium