Eco Tweet Erasmus Project

Project Title

Eco Tweet

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions; Natural sciences

Project Summary

Nowadays, environmental problems require urgent actions, in order to maintain life in our planet. This planetary emergency motivated the collaboration of 6 educational institutions aiming to raise environmental awareness. Children’s personality traits are determined in the preschool age. Therefore, we aimed to play a pivotal role in the acquisition of inquiry skills of preschoolers, through STEM activities, which stimulated concern about environmental issues. Exploratory learning became a great tool to investigate and observe the natural surroundings. Students learned how to respect their natural heritage and protect the environment. Little learners visited facilities of alternative resources or places protected by UNESCO, which grew their desire to get involved in actions promoting reconnection with the environment. Experiments provided another perspective to their way of thinking, as they made assumptions and reinforce problem solving skills. Our general objective was to make our children responsible European citizens, as they shared a common purpose: “Eco Tweet”
It was also important to develop cooperation with parents and local community, as their support maximized the project’s impact.
This partnership included six kindergartens from Greece, Turkey, Sweden, Norway, Estonia and Iceland, located in urban and rural locations. Moreover, the target groups, enrolled in each partner institution, consisted of 60 teachers, 550 students, aged between 3-6 years old, and their parents. Through a joint activity plan, our project promoted ecological balance through individual, social and environmental well-being. All stakeholders benefited from diverse opportunities to raise their environmental awareness and adopted a proactive ecological attitude, offering alternative and practical solutions. The project was implemented during 3 years, starting from September 2018 until June 2021, because of Covid-19.The first-round activities, focused on activities related to environmental issues, with the title “Little ecologists” and the second-round was divided in two-year of activities, entitled “Little scientists”, which were concentrated on STEM activities.
In particular, the main activities carried on were:
• Communication between partners in order to share and exchange information and experience, as well as good practices;
• Monitor progress of activities via posters, leaflets, brochures, magazines, newspapers etc.;
• Creation of digital materials and publishments (website, Facebook page, Instagram, eTwinning, Pinterest etc.);
• Use of ICT tools
• Excursions and meetings with specialists;
• Joint activities;
• Dissemination of project results;
• Collaboration with University of Aegean/Department of Environment, environmental organizations etc.;
• Members to Eco Schools (Green Flag).
• Foster sense of European citizenship (environmental protection as a common purpose)
Peer-learning, discussion, experimentation, brainstorming, questioning, mimicking, storytelling,were some of the methods which we used to ensure the adoptation of sensible habits.
We were planning 6 LTT meetings, during which every activity, like seminars, training courses, workshops etc., was aligned with the project goals and priorities. Unfortunately, only four of them were realized on-site and the last two virtually. The participants were to meet the culture of the partner institutions. Their cooperation and communication was held via emails, social media pages and Twinspace. This collaboration helped teachers to improve the quality of preschool education through sharing experience, updating or learning new methods and techniques. Our methodology fostered creativity and enabled us to raise responsible young people.
As a result, through project activities and outcomes, we aimed at multilateral development of preschoolers, while raising their environmental consciousness as future citizens for a sustainable society. Our final products, categorized in tangible like leaflets, posters, awards, brochures, magazines etc, and non-material such as videos, presentations, animations, eBooks, digital stories etc., gave merit to our institutions, which became centers of our local communities. Parental and local community’s involvement supported effectively our effort. Also, the opportunities provided by LTT meetings improved the knowledge and upgraded the educational techniques, enhancing teaching approaches. We improved our institutional effectiveness by developing E.U. projects and reframing the vision of school policy for environmental education.
Our project was based on the famous words of Albert Einstein “Look deep into the nature and then you will understand everything better” and Dalai Lama “we are the only species with the power to destroy the Earth and also the capacity to protect it”.

Project Website

http://ecotweet-erasmus.com/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 108854,35 Eur

Project Coordinator

NIPIAGOGIO AVLONARIOU & Country: EL

Project Partners

• Tallinna Sõbrakese Lasteaed
• Folkestad barnehage
• Izmir Gaziemir Sabiha Gokcen Ilkokulu
• Heilsuleikskólinn Skógarás
• Infjärdens förskoleområde