I See The Air in Education

The ICT-AirE project aimed to enhance knowledge, innovation, and digital skills in Vocational Education and Training (VET) to address environmental concerns, focusing on combating climate change t...

The ICT-AirE project aimed to enhance knowledge, innovation, and digital skills in Vocational Education and Training (VET) to address environmental concerns, focusing on combating climate change through air pollution awareness. Its strategic framework included objectives such as designing a comprehensive teacher training program, creating diagnostic tools, hybrid-format materials, and online digital tools. The project aimed to equip teachers with knowledge in air pollution and digital skills, enabling them to create practical pilot cases for students. The pilot initiative focused on raising awareness by collaborating with students, and the outcomes included hybrid-format training contents, an online training course, and operational air quality measurement on-site. The project aspired to train teachers and students effectively, design Air Pollution modules, and showcase results in a public event, contributing to environmental awareness and STEM engagement.

The ICT-AirE project undertook strategic activities to achieve its objectives: Smell The AirE (01/09/2022 - 31/10/2022): Focused on planning hybrid teacher training courses with an online platform, involving context diagnosis, needs analysis, tool creation, and platform development, validated by teaching staff feedback. Know The AirE (01/11/2022 - 31/12/2022): Tested the training program in Sicily, emphasising STEM skills. A 5-day pilot course featured presentations, practical exercises, collaborative projects, and refined feedback. Expand The AirE (01/01/2023 - 28/02/2023): Extended the pilot training in Valencia, employing a 'Learning by doing' methodology. Teachers collaborated on a case study for Sicily's air pollution, fostering networking between Spanish and Italian teachers and local entities. See The AirE (01/02/2023 - 01/09/2023): Concluded with Merendino teachers applying didactic proposals, mentored by Véolo and Meraki. It culminated in a public event showcasing student projects and subject innovations. The activity concluded with validation and feedback processes.

The project's outcomes align directly with our set objectives. In the design phase (Objective 1), we crafted a hybrid-format training program tested in the European context, accompanied by an exclusive online platform for teacher courses. Additionally, we developed online tools for analysing air pollution and successfully installed and operated an air quality measurement module on-site. Moving to the training phase (Objective 2), educators underwent comprehensive training in air pollution, gaining proficiency in digital and technological tools. Simultaneously, we created modules focusing on air pollution. In the pilot phase (Objective 3), students participated in the implementation of 5 projects based on real problems related to the air quality and their environment. They were equipped with the necessary digital tools. The implementation of these modules heightened awareness and concern among both teachers and students regarding air quality, fostering increased motivation toward STEM disciplines and a commitment to green initiatives. Highlighting our achievements, a public event showcased the exemplary results generated by all student modules, solidifying the project's success.