Promoting ocean and water literacy in school communities

Project Information

ProBleu

Grant agreement ID: 101113001

DOI

10.3030/101113001

Project closed

EC signature date 15 May 2023

Start date 1 June 2023

End date 31 May 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 1 792 562,50

EU contribution

€ 1 792 562,50

Coordinated by

AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ProBleu (Promoting ocean and water literacy in school communities)

Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

ProBleu seeks to advance Ocean and Water Literacy both inside and outside classrooms by supporting the Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS) and connecting schools with scientific disciplines to promote sustainable and equitable use of ocean and water resources.

Aligned with the EU's "Restore our Oceans and Waters" Mission, ProBleu aims to revitalize aquatic ecosystems, combat pollution, and protect biodiversity. It emphasizes open-schooling approaches to engage schools with their communities, fostering societal commitment to marine and freshwater environments and driving behavioral change.

Key Objectives ProBleu focuses on enabling schools to enhance ocean and water literacy by:
* Launching four funding calls to support and expand school activities, with special attention to schools not yet part of NEBS.
* Utilizing existing tools from previous EU projects.
* Encouraging collaborative idea generation within schools and their networks.
* Providing resources that integrate innovative learning methodologies, including citizen science and engagement with scientists in the field.

ProBleu Funding Calls ProBleu offers schools financial support of up to 10,000 euros for projects lasting up to one year. Over three years, it aims to back at least 100 primary, secondary, and vocational schools, empowering them to lead educational and citizen science initiatives promoting blue sustainability.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Progress across six work packages (WPs) during the first reporting period (M1-M18) is summarized below:
WP1: Project Coordination (led by CSIC)
*Established foundational management tools (e.g. Project Management Plan, Risk Management Plan).
*Ensured alignment across all beneficiaries, facilitating collaboration with NEBS, sister projects (SHORE, BlueLightS), and other networks.
*Conducted regular consortium meetings to track deliverables, milestones, and reports, ensuring compliance with objectives.

WP2: Blue School Accreditation (led by Earthwatch)
*Reduced barriers to Blue School accreditation and co-created pathways to increase impact.
*Delivered key outputs, including the ProBleu Pipeline for Blue Schools, an evaluation of NEBS, and updated guidance for schools.

WP3: Educational Tools and Resources (led by PML)
*Released an initial catalogue of teaching aids, including slides, worksheets, videos, and simulations derived from scientific data.
*Developed digital tools for simulations, virtual journeys, and animations to engage students.
*Opened the catalogue for browsing and downloading without registration to maximize accessibility, while upload access is currently limited to funding recipients.
*Produced deliverables: tools for citizen science and digital teaching aids for assessing ocean and freshwater resources.

WP4: Funding Calls (led by Inova+)
*Launched three of four funding calls, with 46 projects funded so far (11 from Call 1, 35 from Call 2).
*Enhanced promotion and support for applicant schools to reach a broader audience across eligible countries.
*Upcoming Calls 3 and 4 will fund additional projects, further contributing to NEBS growth and the EU mission.

WP5: Assessment of Ocean and Water Literacy (led by KTU)
*Developed tools to evaluate learning outcomes and ocean and water literacy among children and youth before and after project engagement.
*Published a methodology for assessing literacy and learning outcomes, including best practices and tools tailored to school projects.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The funding of 46 blue school projects through 2 funding calls to date. This means that at least 2300 students are benefiting from our grant programme (a conservative estimat of the students directly involved in the projects, considering an average of 50 students per school/project).

The ProBleu resource catalogue in addressing educators' need for accessible, interactive ocean and water literacy resources, overcoming barriers through multilingual and offline access: Initial input from educators highlighted a common desire to access datasets and digital teaching aids on ocean and water literacy.

The integration of ocean and water literacy into school activities, systematically evaluating its influence on students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors across diverse European contexts, while developing adaptable methodologies and contributing to environmental education research: The project delivers impact by integrating ocean and water literacy directly into school activities, engaging students in hands-on and participatory experiences that deepen their understanding of the marine and freshwater ecosystems.

The ProBleu network of contacts and the scope of its communication and dissemination strategy: ProBleu has developed a large network of contacts with schools, organisations in direct contact with schools, as well as with European and Global projects as explained in WP6. ProBleu’s multilingual strategies, partnerships with sister projects, and collaboration with networks like NEBS and EMSEA have enhanced its outreach and inclusivity.

ProBleu logo