"Research data shows that increasing economic activities in developing countries result in more energy and consumption demand, which generally lead to environmental degradation. Thinking about the future and young people that will be the next leaders and change agents, it`s crucial to develop activities that are promoting sustainable life style to protect the environment. In the context of contemporary education, i`ts crucial to involve eco-entrepreneurial consciousness in school`s curriculum. In the project ""Green entrepreneurs for better world"" project partner schools want to connect environmental awareness and green entrepreneurship.Project methodology will be based in the concept of International Student Mini companies - do-learn formulas in which the students learn to explore their personal capabilities on the basis of an implemented program. Students during 2 school years try to be an entrepreneur and set up their own miniature company. VPKG participated in Strategic Partnership project ""EU-preneurs"" where International Student Mini companies was the working model, that showed effective and successful results, high rated and appreciated by involved participants. VPKG with partner schools (that were not engaged in project ""EU - preneurs"", except VPKG which will be coordinator school and leads the adaptation process), decided to continue the idea of the project - ""EU-preneurs"" in the project ""Green entrepreneurs for better world"" by adapting implemented methodology and adding new dimension of environmental awareness.The main objectives of the project are:- to raise environmental awareness among the students in order to promote nature friendly and sustainable attitudes and competencies; - to develop knowledge and skills related with green entrepreneurship, based on circular economy principles.Project participants will be in the age from 15 - 18 (4 students from each country). Students during the project will be divided in 4 groups (international mini companies).The groups will be internationally mixed, 4 students in each and in each group 1 student from each participating country.At the start of the project is planned one joint staff training event for teachers, during which, teachers will develop their understanding, knowledge and competencies on International Students Mini companies concept and how to implement and use it in action. VPKG will share the methodology and good practice on promoting entrepreneurship among the students, based on the good experience got in the project ""EU-preneurs"". First learning-training session will contribute in developing environmental awareness that will be promoted gradually. The motivation and willingness for students to produce ecologically sustainable ideas, comes when they develop environmental awareness to act nature friendly. During the second learning-training activity the emphasis will be on business plan, marketing, market research in close relation with circular economy principles. In the third learning session students will develop knowledge and skills on advertisement making. The focus of fourth - last learning-training session will be oriented on evaluating and integrating the results of the project activities. Two main project themes - environmental awareness and green entrepreneurship will be interrelated, connected and integrated through all the activities of the project.The main expected results are increase of students' interest in green entrepreneurship and their better ability to apply their knowledge to real-life situations and being equipped for successful and active participation in society. It is planned to integrate the aspects of methodological approach to green entrepreneurship in the curriculum of the partner schools.After the project’s end, schools intend to continue to meet the needs of target groups and to stimulate their active participation, trying to secure further adequate resources and future support for continuation. The contacts made with relevant organisation throughout the project will be used to create a larger network with more schools/educational institutions who will be able to benefit from this project and the experience gained by participants.Students and also teachers that were involved in the project will be more open to new opportunities and options in their future lives. They will be more confident in themselves. The contacts participants got during the participation in the project will stay with them. Partner schools will have reliable partners for the next projects they will have.In addition, the contacts made throughout the project will be used to create a larger network with more schools/educational institutions who will be able to benefit from this project and the experience gained by participants. It`s planned to inform and disseminate the project results in the local Education Boards in each of the participating country."

"<< Background >>The Covid-19 pandemic caused a major disruption in education systems around the world and most of the work with an impact on education shows that student learning losses, particularly in those coming from the most disadvantaged families, were very significant. However, learning difficulties and losses are not an evidence only during the pandemic period, but have always occurred in the teaching and training process, arising from situations of absence from school activities motivated by prolonged illness or accident, lack of interest and motivation. some youngsters, in general those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, belonging to families that are culturally, socially and economically destroyed, but also from migratory processes and ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity. They are generally young people who demonstrate behaviors outside the expected standard, leading mostly to dropping out of school and reluctant to the entire teaching / learning process. The title of the project ""No One Stays Behind"" refers to the basis of the project. This, because what is intended is that through informal and non-formal learning (and even when associated with formal curricula), motivation for learning is promoted, consequently improving competences, skills and attitudes of youngsters in VET education, especially in the target groups with fewer opportunities, promoting sustainable growth, ensuring equality and social inclusion, through activities/ instruments capable of filling gaps (educational difficulties often associated with personal circumstances, among others), that these young people demonstrate in the acquisition of knowledge during the performance of the education and training system. and that often leads to the early abandonment of studies. It is intended, therefore, to reduce the so-called NEET (young people who do not work, do not study or undergo training), encourage entrepreneurial attitudes, as well as to create innovative pedagogies that will make vocational education more attractive and encourage the evolution of the classic curricula through increasing digital skills, both for trainers/ teachers/ technicians in VET education, and for students studying in their vocational option, promoting new practices and methodologies of an inclusive nature, promoting skills that lead to the internationalization of vocational education to students and teachers. This project is the result of several contacts, whether with partners from other Erasmus projects in common or from participations in training and/ or meetings of an international nature, in which several elements of each partner have already addressed the theme that will be developed here as being a concern and above all a need, transversal to all. All were even expressing some suggestions for measures capable of easing the problem and, above all, enhancing the attractiveness of VET teaching. For example, the participation of some common partners in the KA220-Schools 4.0 project, from which a Pedagogical Innovation Reference for the 21st Century Student emerged and good practices are presented through the use of AI supported digital applications as well as based in the theory of Multiple Intelligences. These will be included in the activities of the Summer School Workshops, as well as “Mathematics at the service of Robotics” (building of robots by students in the consortium of a ongoing KA202 Erasmus project), they leveraged new needs and perspectives able to enhance these tools. Hence, the objectives and results of the project are in line with the achievement of the 2030 European Strategy priorities and with the ones from the Erasmus program itself, acting on the great issue of Inclusion and Diversity, promoting the digital transition, and meeting the priorities of the education and vocational training sector inserted in the strategic vision of the construction of the European Education Area through the European Education Plan, in its six dimensions.<< Objectives >>The project aims to develop proposals of innovative instruments, of digital nature and practical application, based on the STEM/ STEAM methodology, mostly of a non-formal nature, which will develop transversal skills that will be the “empowerment” / leverage so that the process of transfer of knowledge and essential learning is carried out successfully. It will be oriented especially for young VETs, mostly from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, who, due to demotivation and/ or lack of emotional stability, including the consequences caused by confinement and consequent distance learning, are far from educational success and close to school dropout (originating NEET- young people who do not work, study and do not undergo training), without often realizing why. The Summer School Workshops (STEAM base) –Sciences, Technologies, Engineering, Art and Mathematics around which activities/ materials/ forms of control and evaluation are proposed based on everyday situations that youngsters will have to respond to, to solve, to intervene and to investigate. Another Eco/ Social Workshop will also be included, to work on issues of volunteering, SEN, community support and/ or the SDGs - Sustainable Development Goals. These Workshops will constitute the so-called Summer School, with Mentoring programs and will be based on a strong component of digital skills development, aimed at teachers, technicians/ mentors and students/ youngsters in VET systems. Through these tools, capable of causing impacts regarding empowerment in the target group and, also, replicated in groups of the surrounding community, contributing to the pursuit of European policies and in line with the 2030 Portugal Strategy national policies and priorities, the European Education Area, in accordance with the European Framework for Quality and the EQAVET system, in favor of sustainable competitiveness, social justice and resilience. In concrete terms we have: Obj1- To determine the starting point and motivation of these young people departing from a self-assessment through a digital app Obj 2- To increase the pedagogical, social, and digital training of VET training agents, defining the role of the Mentor, proposing training, activities and making the assessment of the set of minimum skills required to participate in the mentoring program through a “pocket” e-book - easily readable, practical, and operational, Obj 3- To support the mentors in the project’s feasibility by presenting the steps to be followed for the implementation of Summer School, defining the functional structure and the Workshops to be implemented, with activities, virtual and digital scientific experiences, of practical cases already tried successfully and the respective evaluation process Obj 4- To evaluate and improve the presented tools and methodologies through the creation of a digital platform, meant to measure the effectiveness and usability from a quantitative and qualitative results analysis.<< Implementation >>In addition to the normal management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation activities resulting from a strategic partnership project, the planned mobility activities are: TM1- in March 2022 in Belgium, organized by the partner EfVET - will serve to clarify, enrich and ratify the responsibilities of each partner, to gauge the methodologies of communication and data processing and, mainly, to readjust the initially foreseen timetable, to reinforce the administrative and financial responsibilities, to approve the Communication and Dissemination Plan tools proposed by EfVET, to trace the implementation of the European vocational schools (associated with EfVET) diagnostic survey. There will be present 2 elements from each partner and this activity will last for 3 days. TM2- in November 2022 - to be held in Italy / Sicily - to reflect and assess project’s results by each partner, to reaffirm the planned dissemination actions and others that will emerge during the project and above all decide on sustainability of this work in articulation with other Erasmus projects, or not, that arose leveraged by this project. There will be 2 elements from each partner, preferably 1 linked to the project management and 1 associated with the development of the R1- R4 Results. It will last for 3 days. TM3- in July 2023 - to be carried out in Portugal - evaluation of the project's implementation cycle, preparation of the Multiplier Event, mainly to review each partner’s general dissemination plan and to decide on the future results’ sustainability to all European partners, proposing its adoption as a preventive measure in European education policies. 2 elements of each partner will be present for 3 days. Short-term training activities for staff - LTTA - May 2022- LTTA in Slovenia - training in STEM / TEAM methodology with sharing of non-formal education technical and methodology specialists. In view of the interest in the theme, this activity will have the participation of 4 persons per partner and will last for 5 days. - September 2022- LTTA in Cyprus - educational staff short-term training, with the participation of 4 elements addressing essential content for the the Mentor’s Manual e-book, with experts in non-formal learning Mentoring practices. It should be underlined that this is the more experienced partner in the application of Mentoring in the teaching-learning process. Participation of 4 persons per partner lasting 5 days. - November 2022- TPM2, in Italy / Sicily- project evolution’s analysis, each partner’s task accomplishment and possible improvements/ changes to be introduced, analysis of the financial fulfillment as well as of the contractual and administrative obligations of the partnership. 2 persons per partner for 3 days. - May 2023 - LTTA in Turkey - training in digital instruments - “Digital platforms for evaluating results: how and for what purpose?”, the program will have more specific content to be presented according to the specificities of the R4 results, since this partner has revealed a great deal of experience in building digital platforms, evidenced in a common project, in which EPATV also participated. 4 persons per partner preferably connected to the project management, and involved in the results R1-R4. In addition to these, we will also have the Multiplier Event for sharing, evaluating and disseminating the results of the project.<< Results >>The participation in an Erasmus project, by itself, always leads to results, some more tangible and capable of being measured than others, more intangible, that will only be felt over time and presenting some difficulty in enumeration. As an international partnership it will improve the language skills of the participants, as well as, professional and personal skills, among other benefits. Promoting, as well, the awareness of European values and policies that lead us to a more active, fair, inclusive and resilient citizenship. More specifically, in addition to the indirect impacting results, the following are scheduled: - To reduce early school leaving and to recognize the skills acquired through informal and non-formal learning, of students/ VET youngsters belonging to the group with fewer opportunities and unmotivated for the knowledge acquisition process. - To produce innovative practices’ pedagogics, instruments and tools, focusing on the STEM/ STEAM methodology and on digitization, with easy practical application, aimed at promoting leverage with positive and lasting effects in the recovery/ consolidation of learning (especially non-formal) , focusing in target groups with fewer opportunities and demotivation for the teaching-learning process, especially for VET students, enhancing success for knowledge transfer, in order to promote sustainable growth, ensuring equality and social inclusion in accordance with European, national and education policies for 2030. Simultaneously, the project aims to improve the digital and pedagogical skills of teachers and technicians from VET institutions so that they become promoters and agents of change towards youngsters of secondary age, as well as in the surrounding community, with potential intervention at European level education and citizenship policies. In what concerns final results, we have foreseen the following digital results, which correspond practically to each of the formulated objectives and that result from the listed needs: Innovative and transferable results: - R1- App for android and IOS with digital motivational animation content, self-assessment of the youngster's starting point in view of the skills worked in the different Workshops, through a quantitative and qualitative results analysis. - R2- e-book – “The role of the Mentor ... in 1 minute!” (guidelines, competencies and database for general assessment and immediate online results) - R3- Digital guide – “Summer School ... implementation and constitution manual” (with virtual scientific experiences, practical cases of proven applicability (by VET educational agents) using digital platforms and proposed activities with respective evaluation. - R4 - Digital and interactive evaluation management platform to assess usability based on the results’ quantitative and qualitative analysis, in order to sustain a proposal to be made to Education responsibles (via associations, Education ministry, Public Offices) so that this methodology is included in the VET Education and Training system as a non-formal learning unit. These results are intended to be a means for ... and not an end in themselves. They can be used individually as innovative tools to increase the attractiveness of VET education option, as well as their interconnection and interdependence towards its impacts. They constitute a methodology to be replicated in the success of vocational education and training of any educational institution or other, with a European dimension."""

The project is primarily focused on innovative education practices in the digital age. It responds to the coronavirus pandemic. The proposed outputs directly support the transition towards online and distance education. The project deals with the introduction of digital technologies and innovative and open pedagogical procedures, especially in the field of professional training. The project seeks to overcome the limitations introduced by the conventional forms of online digital education having been used so far.Before applying for the project, we conducted extensive research concerning the real needs of VET institutions and the industry. The results of this survey form a base for all outputs and activities of the proposed project.In order to support the smooth introduction of digital online learning tools in regular lessons, the corresponding methodologies for modern online digital education will be developed, outlining the necessary procedures step by step.For teachers we will develop a set of new software tools that will allow them to create highly advanced online learning digital content easily; these tools will be freely available to all interested parties.As for students, we will provide them with a set of study materials with an emphasis on such advanced technologies that have not been widely used in education yet (e.g. spherical video, stereo video, telepresence, etc.).We will also develop MOOC courses as an interesting alternative to regular lessons in specific situations or for specific groups.Virtual internships (or “exchanges” of students) will be organized within the project to demonstrate and test the strengths and weaknesses of such an approach.The project will have a strong international dimension, thus giving students a chance to get experience from several EU countries.The project consortium is composed of 7 partner institutions from 4 EU countries – the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Spain. The project partners are represented by VET institutions and technical universities. Three associated partners will also be involved in the project.Students and teachers of secondary technical schools (both within and outside the consortium) are the main (but not the only) recipients of the project results. They will participate in the development of learning materials and perform their testing in real education. The project activities will directly impact at least 1200 people.Universities will develop the learning materials and perform teaching activities at the VET institutions. They will also develop advanced software/technology tools (also for telepresence).Within the project we will realize the following:• Electronic learning materials (in English and 4 national languages) using the latest educational technologies to be tested in teaching practice. A total of 8 sets of materials and 8 MOOCs on topics selected by the involved VET institutions and agreed by all project partners will be developed;• Methodologies for implementation of regular digital online education at secondary schools, which will accentuate the use of modern approaches and technologies;• A free web-based application (including the necessary documentation) that will allow teachers to simply and independently create on-line study materials;• Motivational international “digital” competition for students organized in a distance (online) form;• Large-scale pilot run and Experimental Virtual international Internships (EVII) for students;• Further education of VET teachers in selected thematic areas;• Verification of the modern digital teaching approaches by semi-professionals;• Methodology for the long-term sustainability of the project results after its conclusion and continuous dissemination of the results among teachers of technical vocational secondary schools that will not participate in the pilot testing.The proposed topics for digital e-learning materials that are essential for the future development of technology in EU countries (to be finalized and confirmed/selected during the initial phase of the project with respect to actual needs):• Digital technology• Digital online education at secondary schools• Cybersecurity• Cloud Computing and its security• Modern technologies and concepts for education I – 3D video, virtual and augmented reality etc.• Modern technologies and concepts for education II – open digital resources, MOOC etc.• Big Data• Green energy sources• Smart Energy, Smart Grids• Intellectual property law• PLC automation• Building security technologies• BIM (Building Information Modelling)• Building Environmental Systems – heating, ventilation, air conditioning• Telemedicine

“The programme will also support the testing of innovative practices to prepare learners, staff and youth workers to become true factors of change (e.g. save resources, reduce energy use and waste, compensate carbon footprint emissions, opt for sustainable food and mobility choices, etc.). Priority will also be given to projects that –through education, training, youth and sport activities -enable behavioural changes for individual preferences, consumption habits, and lifestyles.”Erasmus+ 2020 Programme “Students who are best prepared for the future are CHANGE AGENTS”.OECD, “Education 2030”, 2018CHALLENGEThe project addresses two of the most urgent challenges in EU:- creating new, much more attractive and innovative science learning in secondary schools- engaging the young generation in climate change prevention and preparing them to act on climate change in the near and far futureClimate change engagement offers science education the most promising way to create fundamentally new and attractive ways for young teenagers to create deep interests in science, as climate change provides a wide range of scientific challenges, offers the young students a strong sense of relevance and importance – and at the same time offers them hitherto unseen opportunities to learn science through accomplishing important real-life missions in their communities.This unique opportunity, this unique momentum should not be lost to EU science education innovation.EU RESPONSE TO CHALLENGEThe Commission’s long-term strategies strongly support the idea of using climate change prevention as a platform for creating more attractive science education.The Commission has for many years invited experimentation with engaging the young students in real-life science and innovation activities, going far beyond traditional classroom teaching; in particular in secondary school as joint research clearly states that the young people precisely create their “science images” in the teenage years.At the same time the Commission strongly urges all citizens, and the young generations in particular, to engage in climate change prevention: in school, in the families, in the community and globally.One might say that the deep engagement of the young generations in climate change prevention is the most important success criteria for any local or global climate change prevention.KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTThe project is one of the first projects in EU to use climate change engagement as a platform for innovative science learning.Doing this is a major accomplishment in itself and the outcomes of the project will be of tremendous importance to secondary schools, science teachers and students from across EU.Supporting this accomplishment is the fact that the project will not bring climate change action and science learning innovation together at a rhetoric or theoretical level.On the contrary, it will build its results on students’ direct, real-life and mission based accomplishments.The resources the project will offer secondary schools as a result of the project will therefore be intuitively usable to teachers and students.KEY INNOVATIONA series of further Erasmus+ experimentation is expected to build on and refer to this first opening project.The project includes 4 integrated and mutually reinforcing innovations:- it uses climate change engagement as a platform for engaging and re-engaging young students in science learning- it will engage the young students in real-life and important climate change prevention missions, not simply create “awareness” among the young students- it will base the students’ engagement on the new open science schooling methodology, strongly recommended by the Commission and leading research, and tested through successful Erasmus+ projects- it will allow teenage girls to re-engage in science learning, as climate change prevention is known to be of great importance to in particular female students (it is not accidental that Greta Thunberg is a female teenager)KEY RESULTSThe key outcomes will be co-created by teachers and students to ensure a high relevance to teachers and students from across EU.They will be based on the documentation of the student teams’ climate change missions.The project has 4 target audiences, and it will create dedicated outcomes to all target audiences.The 4 target audiences and related dedicated outcomes are:YOUNG STUDENTS and SCIENCE TEACHERS AND SECONDARY SCHOOLSOutcome 1: The school guide to climate change educationOutcome 2: Why teenage girls will engage in climate change based science educationOutcome 3: The climate change education VideoPOLICY MAKERS IN THE FIELD OF SCIENCE EDUCATION INNOVATIONOutcome 4: A future-directed platform to engage teenage students in sciencePOLICY MAKERS IN THE FIELD OF CLIMATE CHANGE PREVENTIONOutcome 5: Engaging the young generations in climate change prevention through innovative science education

NOTHING HAS WORKED! THE CHALLENGEFor many years EU has tried to make science education more attractive to girls, and to encourage them to a life in science.However, science education and science jobs are not attractive to most girls in the EU.Several Erasmus+ have addressed this challenge; but many remain in what we can call “modernisation” of traditional science learning, including forms of “girlification”.They mostly do not basically change female students’ images of science.In 2020 we have a historic opportunity to go much deeper, to take the girls’ values seriously and start developing more fundamental changes in science learning.This opportunity has two factors:1.The EU Commissions’ promotion of open science schooling (OSS as the most powerful innovation of science learning, including applying a responsible science approach.2.The urgency for all youth to address climate change at all educational levels.For this, climate change education is now included as priority in the Erasmus+ programme.The combination of: female values, OSS and climate change engagement is the most powerful opportunity to make science and a life in science attractive to girls.RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE- female values can be heard and integrated when working with real-life science challenges - OSS offers to work critically with science, to address important science challenges, and to engage in collaboration with community players- learning science through climate change prevention offers opportunities to create images of science presenting them as extremely useful to life and to protect new generations from imminent disasters.The combination of and interplay between these factors creates a more powerful innovation than the mere addition of the 3 factors.Interviews with female students suggest that working with science in this way might change many images of science and show them how science can be of extreme value.This approach is sufficiently radical to change the negative conclusion of joint research: NOTHING HAS WORKED.KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTFrom the 3 key components values, OSS and climate change prevention the project has created an innovative methodology to make science learning in secondary school attractive to girls:It will engage teams of teenage female students in science missions in their community, addressing climate change challenges.They will learn science through this OSS methodology and through engaging deeply and long-term in local climate change missions, linking science topics and following their own passions.Science teachers will organise time-outs during the missions for science knowledge creation when relevant: knowledge on demand and when needed, not when scheduled.Girls will explore the community and identify what they, based on their values, consider the most important local climate change preventions; they will design their missions, and work with community resources to accomplish them.During the missions they are encouraged to link the local climate challenges to similar global challenges and engage with youth from other parts of the world.Teachers will build capacity to guide and support them, with 3-day teacher empowerment.KEY INNOVATIONFEMALE VALUES IN SCIENCE EDUCATION- In traditional classroom science teaching, female values and life preferences are never discussed nor visible.- By opening up the doors to real-life science and climate change, girls are encouraged to develop critical views on science and to interact with community resources engaged in science and climate change.- Girls will at the same time be able to create images of responsible science, discover how science and climate change affect citizens and create their own images of value-based science.OSS- OSS allows students to leave the traditional theoretical science instruction and work with real-life science and people.- It allows to work in teams and to identify climate challenges in the community.- Girls will learn science through real-life and climate change engagement that will now appear relevant. - Through collaboration with community and climate change resources they will be able to work in their designed missions.- Girls will create their own story-telling from the missions to create their voices.CLIMATE CHANGE PREVENTION ENGAGEMENT- Girls are typically much more interested in climate change prevention than other science topics.- They will design their missions, based on open exploration of what climate change prevention might mean for themselves, their families, their children and community.- Missions will allow them to immerse and link climate change to human, social, health and cultural factors.RESULTSTHE TEACHER GUIDE T0 ATTRACTIVE SCIENCE ENGAGEMENTS FOR FEMALE TEENAGE STUDENTSTHE SCIENCE4GIRLS MOVIEPOLICY PAPER: POLICY SUPPORT TO ATTRACTIVE SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT FOR FEMALE TEENAGE STUDENTSRESEARCH PAPER: TO MAKE SCIENCE ATTRACTIVE TO FEMALES TEENAGE STUDENTS