Pl@ntNET – monitoring biodiversity of plants Erasmus Project

Project Title

Pl@ntNET – monitoring biodiversity of plants

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: Natural sciences; Environment and climate change; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Biodiversity – the extraordinary variety of ecosystems, species and genes that surround us – is not only important in its own right, it also provides our society with a wide range of ecosystem services upon which we depend, such as food, freshwater, pollination, protection against floods, etc… However, biodiversity is in crisis. In Europe, almost a quarter of wild species are now threatened with extinction and the majority of ecosystems are degraded to the point where they are no longer able to deliver their valuable services. This degradation represents enormous social and economic losses for the EU. Key drivers of biodiversity loss, such as habitat change, overexploitation of natural resources, the introduction and spread of invasive alien species and climate change, have increased, offsetting the positive effects of actions to stem biodiversity loss.
The aim of the project is to raise and develop students‘ awareness of plant biodiversity and activities focused on preventing or reducing its loss through a combination of virtual events and practical outdoor research activities with the use of Pl@ntNET mobile application. The project will employ methods of exploratory pedagogy based on virtual events and practical research activities suitable for students aged 16-19 with graphical interfaces that help to overcome language barriers and hide potential basic computational complexity. This educational approach combines classroom learning, virtual demonstrations, nature visits and online cooperation, which enable students to build on mutual experience through teacher mediation and in the context of European school network. Teaching activities will be carried out by experts in the field of environment and teaching. Students with a lack of opportunities (disabled) aged 16-19 will also be involved in the project under the guidance of special needs teachers.
The approaches aimed at problem-solving will encourage students to find solutions to prevent or reduce biodiversity loss, which can also find application in students’ everyday lives including nature protection. Students will get to know methods used in their own countries, compare individual approaches and find out about methods of the future.
The aim of the Pl@ntNET project is not intended to compete with existing environmental education curricula. Instead, it aims to provide extra-value online tools which complement existing approaches and encourage the cooperation between European schools while developing ICT skills in students. In order to maximize the impact of the project objectives, ICT-based learning activities are designed to be delivered through existing school curriculum channels, such as field education or extra-value methods which enhance learning process, and not as separate learning modules. The use of existing school curricula facilitates the adoption of proposed educational methods even after the completion of the project. The proposed activities will be verified through the implementation of the project by involving teachers and pupils in experiential learning activities, enabling students to use the tools developed in practical research meetings and to work with students in other countries through a network of schools that exchange experiences and build awareness of the international character of environmental sustainability issues. Finally, Pl@ntNET aims to support the learning process by providing recommendations on best practices aimed at both teachers and students with a focus on teaching, teacher associations and policy makers with a regard to the smooth integration of the proposed solutions into the instructional processes and their dissemination through on-line portal services. This comprehensive, vertical implementation approach, which addresses all interested parties in education, will further facilitate the adoption of the proposed methods after the completion of the work plan.

Project Website

https://erasmuska229-plantnet.mozello.com/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 190525 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gymnazium, Ul. 1. maja 8, Malacky & Country: SK

Project Partners

• Escola Secundária Vitorino Nemésio
• GENIKO LYKEIO AKROTIRIOU
• IES TEGUISE
• 134 SU “Dimcho Debeljanov”
• Istituto Superiore Statale “Mario Rutelli”