In 2020 the CIRCLE-LAB project (Innovative approach for circular chemistry in secondary education (2020-1-SE01-KA201-077967) was launched. This year comes the end of the project and we can finally offer its results with an online environment for teachers and students.
ONLINE ENVIRONMENT
The CIRCLE LAB project is an Erasmus + KA201 project with an innovative learning approach to enter the world of circular chemistry in secondary education. It aims to develop teacher training courses and educational tools around the topic of circular economy with a focus on sustainable chemistry. In particular, the platform offers several digital tools such as videos, games, interactive manuals for the education of school actors (students, teachers and families) with the aim of improving the awareness of students and teachers on sustainability and circular economy, supporting active citizenship, boosting their transversal competences and their interest in STEAM topics.
The desired impact at the local and regional level is for CIRCLE LAB to become a reference in the development of competences for circular chemistry and to achieve the greatest adhesion and participation of the people and organizations involved in each partner’s network, to offer services and support for learning activities on circular chemistry.
At the national level, the desired impact is to involve potential schools and teachers in the field of circular chemistry who can be multiplier actors and contribute to the use of the Project results. Finally, at the European level, the project will reinforce the promotion of circular chemistry and ESD principles and their added value at environmental, social and economic level.
The PI of the project has been the director of CICA Dr. Jaime Rodriguez Gonzalez. Researchers Dr. Francisco Fernández Trillo (BioMedNano), Dr. Jesús Mosquera (NanoSelf) and María Pérez Ferreiro (Predoctoral researcher at NanoSelf) have participated in the development of the materials and chemistry contents. The technical execution has been carried out by our last three communication managers Rubén Reif López, Gema Valera Vázquez and Óscar Huertas Rosales.
The project aims to address four intellectual objectives:
Circular Economy Modules (led by Sviluppo Chimica)
This part of the project aims to define specific educational modules in the field of Circular Economy for high school students in order to meet this need for better quality learning material. The partners will take into account existing good practices collected (through EU and non-EU projects) and their previous experience on the topic.
Teacher training program (led by CSCI)
In this part, a training curriculum for secondary school teachers aimed at strengthening the teaching professions from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has been developed to provide teachers/educators/tutors with some practical methods to raise awareness among secondary school students on circular economy issues, mixing technical contents and motivational and moderation strategies.
Circular chemistry set/educational toolkit (run by Eco Logic)
Also taking into account the contents of the training program, the partners have identified and developed practical tools that teachers can use during learning activities:
- An educational game that will allow students to understand recycling and Circular Chemistry in a fun and entertaining way.
- Videos documenting different applications of circular chemistry.
- Interactive manuals: Step-by-step guidance on how to move towards a greener sustainable economy.
CIRCLE LAB on line Environment (led by MDU)
The CIRLCE_LAB online environment consist of two key componets:
- The MOOC or free online training platform: the online course for teachers (IO2) offered as a MOOC to enable a large number of users and facilitate its transferability and subsequent exploitation. (Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are free online courses that anyone can enroll in).
- The structured ToolKit: the ToolKit and related guidelines developed in IO3, organized online in a way that promotes the association of the tools with the CIRCLE_LAB training program and their interdependence.
Obviously this project has been carried out in collaboration – Our partners have been:
- Centro Interdisciplinar de Química e Bioloxía – CICA-UDC
- Consorzio Scuola Comunitá Impresa. CSCI
- ECO LOGIC
- Kauno Dainavos Progimnazija
- Mälardalen University
- Non-Formal learning Club
- SOU Orde Copela Prilep
- Rudbeckianska Gymnasiet
- SC Sviluppo chimica S.p.A.