Periodic Reporting for period 1 - OTTER (Outdoor Science Education for a Sustainable Future)
Período documentado: 2021-09-01 hasta 2022-11-30
The OTTER project connects EOC experts from Finland, Hungary, Ireland and Spain, strengthening networks within Europe and building a foundation for the development of EOC pilot schemes within the four focus countries. The effects of these pilots on the performance of participating students, including their levels of sophisticated consumption and scientific citizenship, will be analysed to better understand the effects of EOC on EU citizens. The pilots will build on recent momentum in tackling environmental issues and help to promote sophisticated consumption by incorporating a theme of reducing and managing plastic waste. The analysis will seek to identify differences in the effect of the programmes on students from different geographical locations and of different genders, comparing those who participated in the EOC pilot schemes with students who only participated in formal education.
A literature review was conducted to identify, organise, and synthesise previous empirical research into the impacts of EOC practices on students (aged 6–18 years) in terms of cognitive, effective, social/interpersonal, and physical/ behavioural outcomes; gender and geographical differences in these impacts; methodologies for assessing impacts; and effective tools and practices used by EOC practitioners to achieve these positive impacts. OTTER also defined the methodology for the OTTER Outdoor Labs and adapted it to each country’s requirements. Monitoring and evaluation framework was also created, in order to have a standardised approach to the implementation, design, targets, and coordination strategies for evaluating and monitoring the project.
Our carefully designed OTTER Labs will inform and provide practical feedback on the methodology we created in the first part of the project. Cooperation with organizations outside of school, organized outside of schools activities and an innovative approach to science learning through tackling plastic waste issues will contribute to understanding of EOC on the European level and in different school systems and cultures. We are also aiming to make this programme applicable around Europe, which will increase our impact and provide a better understanding of the effects of EOC on student performance, motivation and interest in STEAM subjects.
Our aim is to increase the capability of EU countries on accreditation of EOC, and our quality standards and accreditation guidelines will be dedicated to this long-term impact. Creating alternative teaching techniques that will be measurable across borders is a challenge, however, our standards are aiming to be as universal as possible to make them broadly applicable, yet concrete enough to have a common ground on quality EOC implementation.