VRGreen Adventure: Promoting green lifestyles through virtual reality

Climate change poses an existential threat to Europe. Despite awareness, the EU faces a value-action gap, where it’s citizens acknowledge climate change but show limited commitment to behaviour change. This gap affects children, whose environmental attitudes solidify between ages 10-14. To address this, children need to be equipped with tools for informed choices on consumption and lifestyle to adopt sustainable habits early. Investing in children's sustainability education was seen as essential for fostering their role as agents of change. Teachers play a key role in the process. VRGreen Adv provided them with tools and methods to promote sustainable behaviour and provide students with guidance about green skills and pathways. VRGreenAdv engaged students in pro-environmental behaviours and greener lifestyles through ICT-enabled experiential activities. The project supported educators in delivering competence-based teaching, developing sustainability skills, and guiding early career education in line with green labour market trends. VRGreenAdv's tools had significant impact and can serve as a model practice for integration VR/360º technology into classroom activities.

VRGreen Adventure developed interventions to promote pro-environmental behaviour in children, focusing on experiential learning and new technologies. The goal was to help children adopt environmentally friendly behaviors and raise awareness of green professions, while motivating them to live sustainably. Teachers were also supported in encouraging pro-environmental behavior in students. The project developed: - VRGreen Adventure Interactive Learning Program: A motivational program promoting pro-environmental behaviour and sustainability competencies. - VRGreen Adventure Serious Game: Based on gamification and Augmented Reality. - VRGreenAdv Green Career Education Guide: Using VR technology. These interventions aligned with UN 2030 and European Green Deal (EGD) sustainability goals, aiming to raise awareness among young users about the impact of their actions on environmental efficiency. The project targeted children aged 10-14, encouraging greener lifestyles and career paths. It also empowered teachers to teach sustainability competencies through digital tools and innovative learning methods.

VRGreen Adventure sought to equip teachers and school staff with adequate competencies and innovative tools to assist students in raising pro-environmental behaviors and increasing awareness of green professions through the development of: a. a motivational program to raise awareness about the development of pro-environmental behavior, through desk research, focus groups with experts and teachers, Peer Learning Activity among the partners with visits to a recycling facility and environmental educators, as well as the pilot test of the workshop series with 251 students and 29 teachers, whose feedback guided revisions and adaptions of the VRGreenAdv Interactive Learning Program. b. a Serious Game implemented through the review and generation of content and materials, focus groups discussions with stakeholders as well as piloting with 245 students and 29 teachers. c. a digital career guidance guide on green professions, developed through desk research, a survey of companies and interviews with those in green occupations and the implementation of VR stations in each partner piloting the guide with 215 students (aged 10-14 years) and 31 teachers.

The project focused on raising awareness about climate change and the need for green lifestyles, aiming to engage children in a sustainable way of living and increase their knowledge of green professions. It also assisted teachers in their daily practice with new learning methods as well as trends in the labor market. The project outputs were: - a motivational program to raise awareness about the development of pro-environmental behavior, which includes 360º videos and experiential experiences. - a serious game that combines augmented reality (AR) and 360-degree virtual experiences with its focus on interactive education and eco-themed game-play. - a digital career guidance guide on green professions, which includes 360º 18 videos presenting career information in an innovative way, as well as creating VR-stations in the partner schools. The project focused on raising awareness of climate change and the need for green lifestyles by engaging students through innovative tools. In this way the project promoted sustainable ways of living and knowledge about green professions among students and assisted teachers in their daily practice with new learning methods and trends in the labor market.