The aim and outcome of this project.
how to reach the hart of students to become more sustainability minded looking at the SDG’s using attractive tasks to stimulate the head and the hands.
This site is about how to implement the sustainable development goals into building and construction education in VET.
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The outcome of the project
It could be definetly said that this project made a big difference about the general perceptions and overview about sustainability compared to the previous considerations that all the people involved in the project as partners of Greenwave in Vet had before the same project: the raising of awareness on the personal level of the people/professionals involevd in the project about the issue of sustainability through webinars, activities, events and materials generated by the Greenwave project was felt as the biggest achievement; even people coming from Netherlands, which is felt to be ahead as country about all aspects about sustainability in comparison with the other EU countries, reported a feeling of improvement in the knowledge and awareness on sustainability in general.
Thanks to the project, generally speaking for all the people who worked on Greenwave it became clear such a distinction between the southern European countries and the northern European countries: the knowledge of sustainable solutions in building-construction schools is on the table Spain and Italy, but using these solutions and developing the construction sector is happening faster in Netherlands and secondly in Denmark than in Spain and Italy. This is perceived as a result of culture, national policy and national financial situation.
Even when people reported a strong impact that the project had on their personal knowledge about sustainability issues and education, for some sustainability is felt to be still in its infancy: from Denmark which is making steps forward to it, the subject seems to not really appeal to young people yet. This sometimes is perceived as a difficulty to properly implement this within the lessons at school.
Some of the persons involved in the project said: “I don’t think the project has had any specific effects on the school, but the project has helped to push students and teachers’ mindset about sustainability
During the project the partners generally reported to have discovered that the Netherlands and Denmark have major similarities when we talk about sustainability: the reasons for that are felt to lie in things such as equality in climate, education system, residents and institution.
A great example about sustainability in all aspects, was perceived from all the partners, to be Netherlands: moving from the general perceptions to the core of the project and so the education on sustainability, Netherlands is implementing the SDG’s in the school curricula and lessons for many years. Strong and vivid icon for all the other countries.
Given this what was strucking about the project was that even for Netherlands Greenwave was a fantastic, enthusiastic new source of inspiration and improvement for education on sustainability:
“About learning during the project, I can say I learnt a lot. Hands, head, heart is an old concept but good it became important again.
The link with the SDG’s was a great new insight.
The toolkits for the implementation in the school, departments and lessons was new.
The webinars were great.
The learning activities were put into a nice frame.
The relation in between all SDG’s and building and construction was clarified (for the first time)”
On the same line Italy state: “The work carried out over the last two years through meetings and developing shared teaching models in terms of environmental sustainability and the webinars created have had an important impact. They have created moments of reflection for our teachers and students. in particular, the webinars proposed reflections on materials and construction techniques and led us to reflect on how much work still needs to be done to have sustainable cities, and on what we should improve in terms of environmental impact. The project aims to create a green mentality and through all the various steps of the project faced from time to time we have certainly sown the green mentality”.
The relationships created by the Greenwave project between partners generated a new force and source of contents and methods to offer for the implementation of teaching sustainability across Europe: this could be said to be a relevant and full of inspiration and hope for the entire teaching.
As a common and shared vision about the efficacy of the project could be reported as such: “I believe the project has helped us to see clearly what our next development should be. In the project there is a lot of fine materials to implement in our teaching and training right now – this is good, but the biggest impact is, that we now have an idea about what our next steps should be as a school – also broader than VET and building and construction. In three to four years the SDGs will be visible in our school as a whole. In our teaching and training, in our strategy and in our school environment.
Inspired by our Dutch partners we will include our school board in this process.”
Differencies and new insights across Eu
Indeed, a whole new module called Green wave in VET has been created in the school from Netherlands as well as videos in which teachers explain how all their courses are paying attention to sustainability: giving new ideas about teaching as well as hints on the facility management was a very goos additional value for the school thanks to the project.
On the same line, new improvements came as a source of inspiration from the imputs given by the project such as “I think that we as a school should take some more steps, for example waste collection and reuse of furniture and/or equipment.”
Another common opinion shared by the partners with regard to take Netherlands as a virtuous example on sustainability was the building of the school partner: “our sustainable building shows that we walk the talk” has been said and this aspect had a great impact on the participants coming from the other countries.
The differencies between the European countries involved in the project was felt also by Denmark:
highlighting the “how” the build and construct process taks place, the schools are felt to be very different, with diverse workshops and facilities: “Holland is further along on the road to implement the SDGs on a school strategic level. This will be the next step in Denmark. In Spain it is now mandatory to include the SDGs, which will have a huge impact. But it is still very much up to the local teacher to decide on how this is done. Italy is not as far yet – here it is very much up to the local teacher to decide if and how the SDGs should be included in the teaching and training”.
On the same line Italy states: “All the countries involved in this project are working on Bioclimatic Design and sustainable building materials. Obviously in some countries such as those in Northern Europe it is much more common to see cities houses buildings constructed in this way, it depends a lot on national legislation and how various governments push in this direction”.
Also Spain underlines some differencies: “Among the differences, we were aware of the development of timber construction in Germany, especially through Passivhaus certification. Thanks to the project we have seen that in Denmark, above all, and it seems that this is also extensible to the Netherlands (Koning Willem I building, that one with zero emissions) the construction solution with wood is quite developed. In Spain there are signs that this sector is on the way to develop wood construction with the creation of several CLT manufacturing companies.”
It is felt as a great value to understand these differencies among countries, this could only be the criterion that can generate and allow a growth: becoming aware of the steps that need to be taken for an improvement of any dimension could only come from a comparison.
Also, as said, the difference is felt with regard to the national regulations about the general construction sector: “The different building regulations also have an impact on this. In some countries the building regulations are becoming really strict regarding sustainability. This will definitely have an impact on the teaching and training in the VET-schools – and will motivate the use of the SDGs”.
And again on the building processes related to the ducation system in general: “There is a big difference between the countries regarding how the build and construct – obviously. And the schools have very different workshops and facilities. Holland is further along on the road to implement the SDGs on a school strategic level. This will be the next step in Denmark. In Spain it is now mandatory to include the SDGs, which will have a huge impact. But it is still very much up to the local teacher to decide on how this is done. Italy is not as far yet – here it is very much up to the local teacher to decide if and how the SDGs should be included in the teaching and training. A big difference also is, that in Denmark children learn about the SDGs in the primary school on every level. This means that we need to plan our teaching and training in this perspective.”
Still on education another difference is felt: “A big difference also is, that in Denmark children learn about the SDGs in the primary school on every level. This means that we need to plan our teaching and training in this perspective”. So the project has been felt to have given to the school partner in Denmark a new perspective on what the next step should be in terms of including the SDGs in a broader sense in education and more strategically.
On the same wavelenght as Denmark even though strating from another perspective Spain states: “As of today, webinars are the materials generated that are most highly valued by students and teachers. They are a didactic and inspiring tool that can be used in a cross-cutting way to talk about sustainability in other branches of VET, particularly in construction.” The project created, once more, new perspectives: “The rest of the materials generated, we believe that many of them are also inspiring and constitute a first step in the teaching activity in training cycles in the professional family of Building and Civil Engineering. This applies, in particular, to CIFP Someso. Our materials, in fact, have been agreed with the students and had, from the beginning, their approval. Our intention is to use those that best suit our circumstances and that we consider most attractive. To this end, at the beginning of the next academic year, an internal dissemination day will be held among the members of the department.During the dissemination days we have noticed an interest of the part of the teaching staff of this family in accessing information about these materials as well as the materials themselves.”
With regard to the motivation, that needs to be taken as point of reference when it comes to speak about teaching sustainability, a difference is felt also on the teaching methods used across the Eu countries: “There is a difference in how we motivate the use of SDGs. In Spain it is top-down (it is mandatory), and in Holland and Denmark it is more bottom up. We believe that the right way would be to do both. In Denmark we need to address the SDGs in a more strategic manor – or else we risk that only some teachers implement them in their teaching and training” so good suggestions came from the confrontations and activities created within the project.
The project and the interactions between partners generated new insight also for those countries which are ahead in terms of encompassing suatinability in the shool curricula in fact. “We made new partnerships, and we learned a lot about other school systems. Through this project we have gained new perspectives on how to implement SDGs in our teaching and training. But the two most important learnings for our part is:
- We need to address the heart/feelings more when we plan our teaching and training if we want to make lasting changes.
- We need to address the SDGs in a more strategic way as a school”.
Thanks to the project activities in Spain there is a new feeling about improving the attention to sustainability: “Ideally, sustainability should be worked on as a cross-cutting issue that is not restricted only to something academic, that is, to try to imbue students with its importance and to contemplate it in all the activities they carry out, both in and outside the educational centre.
Nowadays, in CIFP Someso we are far from that. The reasons are very diverse, but a key one is the lack of material resources (teachers involved in projects don’t get a reduction of lessons, for instance) as well as the apathy of the students, very little given to getting involved in dynamics outside the purely academic ones.
In Spain, sustainability was not included in any VET curriculum. It is clear that a commitment is needed at state level, on the part of the government and educational institutions, so that it is taken into account in educational centres and is not something secondary or ancillary. In the next academic year, with the new VET law, a professional module on sustainability will be included in the curriculum of all training cycles. This is the first step in this direction. The SDGs will be dealt with in this module”.
Future on sustainability: a common point of view about teaching sustainability across the EU
With regard to both motivation for students, teaching SDGs and the support that institutions have to give to teachers about encompassing sustainability in school curricula, a diffrence is felt bewteen Southern countries and Northen countries, in fact partners from Spain state: “We are all aware that a shift is needed to include sustainability in education and to emphasise the sustainable development of the planet. Awareness-raising is the way forward and should start at early stages of learning. This work must have a generalist approach, i.e. it does not depend solely on individual teacher initiatives. Support from educational institutions is needed”.
Generally speaking, the differences between countries about all the dimensions related to sustainability and especially to the relation sustainability-school-quality of teaching is felt as linked to the general setting of the national education systems: “At the present time, Netherlands and Denmark are much more advanced in the implementation of sustainability, SDGs for example, at all educational levels”, this is therefore to be addressed to “the differences between the educational systems: the figure of the specialised workshop teacher in Europe is still present, for example, bricklayers, while in Spain VET teachers have a university degree. This fact penalises the quality of teaching. Educational resources and the involvement of companies in Danish and Dutch VET is much better than in Italy and Spain.”
Also the the recruitment of teachers is acknowledged to be very different and this has an impact on the quality of teaching. Common perceptions come from Italy and Spain: “First, the main difference is related to our education systems. In italy, we have a public education system that complements vocational training schools (VET). In the other partner countries, the education system is very lean, dynamo, allows students after the first years of common education to make an informed choice whether to continue in vocational education and then specialize or to continue their education that will lead them to university.”
Despite the various differencies registered from Greenwave partners among their home countries on all levels and dimensions in which sustainability is related to education, schools, institutions and quality of teaching as well as technical features/processes about building and construction works, commonalities are reported with regard to the future about sustainability: “In our particular case, we were certainly not aware of the approaches to sustainability followed by our Danish and Dutch partners. Our knowledge of sustainability was very basic and generic. Now that we have implemented this project, our awareness of sustainability has increased significantly and, thanks to what we have experienced and observed, as well as the materials generated, we have a starting point for this. The materials developed in the project will be used in the teaching activities of some modules of Building and Civil Engineering.We hope that there will be future projects related to this topic in future Erasmus+ calls.” The contributions that the Greenwave project made for each country is felt to be relevant and so future perspectives on other projects similar to Greenwave in Vet are desidered.
Is also felt as a common point the moving forward of Eu in the same direction: “Among the common points, it was noted that, although each country has its own specific building regulations, there is a tendency to unify towards a European standard in terms of contents and minimum requirements” Spain notes.
Beside Spain, also Italy states: “We learned to better understand the various stages of evolution of a European project, and to compare ourselves with the different educational models of the partner countries. The Green Wave Project has been extremely important for our vocational school, we have had the opportunity to strengthen European identity and active citizenship and to participate firsthand in the various stages of carrying out the work planned for each Project Result. From a work point of view this meant added value in terms of improved skills and from an educational point of view a plus for the staff, faculty and students”.
COMPARISON BEFORE AND AFTER THE GREENWAVE PROJECT-CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE: TEACHERS’POINT OF VIEW
The teachers who had the chance to participate show a relevant increase both on their personal growth and inner development about the awereness on sustainability as well as inspiration and on practical teaching skill related to sustainability and SDGs incorporation in the lessons.
In line with the perceptions of the people and professionals involved in the project as partners who actively participated and created the entire project activities, the teachers involved could affirm that the whole Greenwave in Vet project had a strong impact on them on variuos levels and dimensions.
Still much more needs to be done on sustainability, as the teachers who answered the questionnaires witnessed, on the boosting of the awereness of what is sustainability, what are the green skills, what and how needs to be incorporated in the curricular lessons, but it can be said the educational interventions such as the Greenwave in Vet project really can work, increase, foster and boost the general awareness and specific skills about sustainability and sustainable development.
- STUDENTS’ POINT OF VIEW ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY
The most important points to be highlighted that emerged from the students’answers to the first survey are
- Poor knowledge of the concept of sustainability and above all of the objectives of the 2030 agenda (quite in line with what was highlighted by the teachers)
- A not entirely positive perception of the promotion of sustainability at school and by the school
After the educational activities promoted by the entire Greenwave in Vet project the students (two students interviewed from each partner) were asked the following questions:
1-To what extend the “Greenwave in Vet project” has inspired you about studying sustainability?
- Which impact do you think the “Greenwave in Vet project” will have in the next future at your school?
- What did you like the most about the project? Why?
Here follows a summary of all the interviews made to the students belonging to the partners’schools from each country at the end of the school year.
The students from Danmark from the two parters’schools both said, that they were very inspired by the new materials presented to them from the teachers: materials made from wood, grasses, seaweed, recycled plastic. The materials are used to construct houses in a new and more sustainable way instead of using glass wool; they also thought that their teachers have got new insights in sustainability – and the importance of working with sustainability.
They said to have liked the way their teacher challenged them to think in a sustainable way because they had to be inventive, use their brain and skills in a new and different way.
On the same wavelenght, students from Spain reported:
“Until now, all the projects I have done in my school have used concrete and steel. Thanks to the Green wave project, now I consider designing houses with a wooden structure.”
“I was not aware of the potential of wood in Galicia and thanks to this project I have discovered that we have a great wealth that can be used to build much more sustainable and healthy houses”.
With regard to the materials used within the lessons:
“According to the teachers, some of the materials developed in this project will be used in the next school year”.
“ Some of the materials elaborated in this project will be used in the next school year based on the new curricula since there will be a new subject on sustainability”.
About what they liked the most and why about the project they reported:
“This project has made me ask myself what I can contribute to sustainability when I leave school and start to work in a company.”
“The webinars that were created during the project. I find them very intuitive and educational. It brings up materials that I was completely unaware of.”
Students from Netherlands reported:
After a number of guest lectures about sustainability, nature inclusive, bio-based construction, it got me thinking. The guest lecture from Global Goals put me to work, so I started reading about the global goals and looking at what best suits our home. After the guest lesson on materials, I was also completely taken into the best choices, so I discovered that hemp is a good insulation because it grows back, he showed us a type of glass that I have never seen before. By bringing samples he took the whole class with him and I was quickly interested.
The global goals have inspired us to conduct research into sustainability. This had a major impact on our research as we knew what to pay attention to. Some of the things we have done research into are nature inclusivity, bio-based construction and sustainable construction. Consider the global goals of ‘life on land’, ‘sustainable cities and communities’ and ‘affordable and clean energy’.
With regard to the perception of the impact that the project had on them, they said:
Everything becomes more sustainable, more environmentally friendly and better for the future. Our school already has solar panels and sustainable materials and much more could be added in the future. In this way they pass on to the students that sustainability is important for this generation. If we all do more research into sustainability with the entire new generation and contribute, we will keep the planet alive for a little longer.”
“By giving a project about sustainability, nature-inclusive construction and bio-based construction, we ensure that we think more about sustainability in subsequent projects. This will ultimately ensure that we can make more sustainable choices on our own in the future that will ensure that the world becomes more sustainable piece by piece.”
The answers to the question about what did they like about the project and why they answered:
“How much I have learned about sustainability, biobased, nature inclusive and environmental friendliness. The research into different materials that are best to choose, such as hemp insulation, etc. I also really enjoyed designing the house, sketching it in broad outline and working it out later. I also really liked the model and material board because you were really working with your hands.” “The principle that we had a ‘real client’ has ensured that we have less difficulty in this in the future. I also liked the creativity we could use in designing a sustainable dream home.I only now realize that all this information is important for the future, after doing all this research I am very happy with the knowledge I now have. With this I can contribute to a better world for our generation.”
Other two students interviewed from Netherlands about being more aware of sustainability issues, materials, techniques thanks to the Greenwave in Vet project said:
“We have noticed more attention on sustainability at school…we have been very busy especially this year: we worked on a project about building a small house with different materials and we learnt a lot about alternative materials, insulations, transports”
“Yes, I think we will be able to use them in the future! That’s a good thing!”
With regard to the feelings and impressions of the two students about the impact that the project could have in the next future they reported:
“Students will look differently at the materials to use when building…I learnt how to give to materials a second life.. I will do it!”
“Yes, I think in the future it will impact everyone, it will be more common to used alternative materials, different heating systems..; also it is important for your own house!”
About the learning, the improvement of learning on sustainability thanks to the aim of the project which was embedding sustainability in the whole school curricula not only proposing isolated projects or thematic sessions about it- the students said:
“We have been discussing a lot during the year about sustainability.. people get bored if you work on a single project..while discussing almost everyday made it very intersting!”
“Discussing continuously during every lesson has helped a lot… we learnt a lot how to used biobased materials!!”
The enthusiasm of the students while reporting their perceptions about their learning thanks to the project carried out during the year was great!
Students from Italy responded:
“The thing I enjoyed most having addressed sustainability issues related to materials, new construction techniques having talked about it with my teachers”.
“It was very interesting to talk about what we can do to improve environmental sustainability in construction and new techniques, and to have European inspiration on what are the construction techniques in northern Europe”.
About the impact that “Greenwave in Vet project” will have in the next future at your school, they answered:
“I believe that my school will invest time in sharing the results of the project and the work done with the next classes, it will certainly be an inspiration for future teaching models”
“This project has been very inspiring for our school, has allowed us to compare ourselves with other teaching models, and will surely enable us to improve our European dimension for the future. Certainly the project has strengthened the green wave in us students, this is a topic that is very much felt in Italy” At the end, about what they liked the most about the project they said:
“I really enjoyed watching the webinars and seeing what other European countries are doing to maximize sustainability in their buildings, through these webinars we were able to learn more about and evaluate the impact of other building techniques on our environment. At school we study construction techniques, the use of environmentally sustainable materials, we have the opportunity to participate in seminars with leading companies in the field of sustainable materials”.
“The webinars have allowed for more interactive and certainly very interesting lessons”.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
The Greenwave in Vet project has been a journey.
A journey of learning for all the people involved in it. An inspirational movement has accompanied the whole project, starting from the partners going through the teachers and students with all the people encountered on the way.
The issue of sustainability has shown an amazing power of transformation: when put on the table, with all the educational intervention that have been created and put in place within this project, sustainability can really inspire people of any age and push them to act for the good of the whole community.
The core of the project has been felt as education: because is precisely education that bonds generations together.
The educational relashionship, which is the focus of the rapport between teachers and students, is the vehicle through which sustainability can be conveyed, perhaps in the best way beside the others.
Coming to know better all the dimensions in which sustainibility is being studied and acted, thanks to all the activities required by the Greenwave in Vet project, for the partners, teachers, students who have been the actively participants of the same project, has brought a new level of awareness, inspiration, desire to act for the good of our planet and people.
The results and outcomes, gained day by day, activity after activity, with particular attention to all the international meetings held, are strongly encouraging: we have gathered positive implementation of consciousness about the beauty and the need of sustainability as well as a novel sense of power and faith in our young generations.
The adults of reference for the younger generations must necessarily offer guiding criteria and compasses, which are presented to the students not first of all on a moral-ethical level but primarily on a cognitive-emotional-affective level -as the ethical level is a consequence of all of the others-: we immagine the parents, when disussing at home with their children coming back from school on one hand, and the teachers creating lessons with the help of the novel Pedagogic-didactical Model designed on the other, deepening in the path outlined, putting sustainability “on the table” with their own desire for sustainability in the widest sense, they can elicit the very best of the inner dimension of the young ones. To whose hands the future of our world is handed over.
The intention of the whole project was to awake and “move” this inner dimension for an inner growth of any human being encountered on the way: the inner development with all its dimensions is the precondition of a new mindset to realize the beauty of sustainability.
The benefit that could be derived from such paths as it has been the Greenwave in Vet project, we believe, can be threefold by virtue of the natural interdependence between educators, children/students and teachers.
More see the Final report
Below a video of our multiplier event with 113 persons taking part.
This site deals with
how to reach the hart of students to become more sustainability minded looking at the SDG’s and using attractive tasks to stimulate the head and the hands. So this site is about
How to implement the sustainable development goals into building and construction education in VET.
Try to stimulate the head and the hands to reach the hart, the desire, the motivation to go for a better world.
Project design
Parnters
The project team.