Care:

Greece is dealing with some serious climate issues lately. Students are seeing more heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires, all made worse by climate change. The Mediterranean area, where Greece is, is especially at risk. During the summer of 2021, there were huge wildfires that destroyed forests, homes, and people’s lives.  Students considered weather forecasting  important for various reasons:

• Disaster Prep: Knowing the weather in advance helps us get ready for extreme events like heatwaves, storms, and wildfires, making them less deadly and damaging.
• Farming: Farmers need weather forecasts to decide when to plant, water, and harvest their crops.
• Public Safety: Forecasts help keep people safe by warning us about extreme temperatures and bad air quality.
• Tourism: Tourism is a big deal for Greece’s economy, and weather conditions can seriously affect it. Good forecasts can make sure tourists stay safe and have a great time.

Know: Students conducted a research project on meteorology, focusing on cloud classification and weather systems. They learned that Luke Howard introduced the three main cloud types—cumulus, stratus, and cirrus—in 1803, and in 1918, it was discovered that weather changes are caused by the interaction of warm and cold air masses.

Do: Using AI, the students classified clouds into 10 subcategories based on altitude. They trained a neural network with photos of different cloud types, testing its accuracy with new images. The project included developing a mobile app for cloud identification and correlating the AI predictions with data from their school’s weather station to forecast local weather

AI for SDG 13: Climate Action

Findings related to the Open Schooling approach: The activities carried out during the implementation of the Connect project were included in the upper secondary curriculum – Information Technologies (IT). We can also mention that the materials provided were useful in preparing and implementing lessons with students. The topic addressed was also relevant and innovative from a scientific and educational point of view, being debated globally. Thus, students had the opportunity to know and experience individually the ways in which they can get involved in predicting weather and support climate action enhanced by Artificial Technologies.  Open schooling was found useful  for other teachers because students  focused on activities connecting various subjects supported by transdisciplinarity approach and an exchange of good practices can be made between teachers who have implemented in different schools who want to join us.

Student achievements: Students were enthusiastic to participate in volunteering and greening activities where they could observe, for example, classification of clouds, how to use drones, and develop a learning machine system trained to examine photos and classifying images. This process helping to plan better interventions for climate change and improve quality of life. 

The students involved have formed their scientific research skills, actively participating in the realization of projects and studies on Artificial Intelligence, being able to apply the knowledge learned after going through the support materials coding and using ML for kids tool.

Care: Students have been actively involved in scientific and educational activities on plastic pollution, a real-life problem that has a significant impact on quality of life. The students who participated in the activities were from grades IX-XI, aged between 15-18 years, being approximately 85 students participating.

Know: Students used knowledge about plastics discovered in the discipline of chemistry – phases of biodegradation of plastics, chemical composition of plastic, stages of making biodegradable plastic, results obtained by researchers on the period of decomposition of biodegradable plastic in nature, etc. (describe scientific topics).  The competences that the students practiced were:

• Brainstorming debates;
• Carrying out individual or team projects through the aspects subject to research;
• Involvement in volunteering and greening activities;
• Discussions on the use of biodegradable materials and their decomposition in nature; 
• Analysis of plastics (PET bottle, plastic bags, household bags, etc.);
• Documentation to identify the real situation in the field;
• Conducting information campaigns on the risks of White Pollution;
• Explanation of symbols on packaging labels;

Do: At the end, students prepared posters, posters, thematic drawings, questionnaires, information campaign, research projects. They carried out the activities individually and in teams, being supported by their families, but also by volunteers from non-governmental organizations. 

Findings related to the Open Schooling approach: The activities carried out during the implementation of the Connect project were included in the curriculum. We can also mention that the materials provided were useful in preparing and implementing lessons with students. The topic addressed in Year 3 was also relevant and innovative from a scientific and educational point of view, being debated globally. Thus, students had the opportunity to know and experience individually the ways in which they can get involved in preventing and combating environmental pollution.  Open schooling could also be useful for other teachers because we can focus on transdisciplinarity and an exchange of good practices can be made between teachers who have implemented in year 2 and 3 and teachers who want to join us.

Student achievements: Students were enthusiastic to participate in volunteering and greening activities where they could observe, for example, the phases of biodegradation, but also connected with nature, helping to protect the environment and improve quality of life. 

The students involved have formed their scientific research skills, actively participating in the realization of projects and studies on White Pollution, being able to apply the knowledge learned after going through the support materials.

Care: Students were interested in finding out new information about pollution, they actively participated in the lessons on Carbon neutral proposed by the CONNECT project, a real-life problem “carbon footprint” was highlighted, each student made their own calculation and realized the importance of reducing it. The students who participated in the activities were in the eleventh grade the branch: technological, profile: technical, basic field: natural resources and environmental  protection, qualification: ecological technician and environmental quality protection, 18 in number. 

Know: Students used knowledge about environmental pollution through combustion reactions, identified where carbon dioxide emissions  come from, from different activities: transport, energy production, agriculture and different industries. The competences that students practiced were: identified problems, applied knowledge about Earth’s atmosphere and global warming, developed teamwork skills, played the role of journalist, politician, architect or construction engineer, developed calculation skills, considered different perspectives for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and proposed solutions through the role they played,  have developed skills to consider the economic and social consequences of environmental pollution.

Do: At the end, the students prepared different materials: posters, drawing – green house, report made by the journalist, article proposed by the researcher (scientist), article proposed by the politician regarding laws that will be applied to reduce pollution. They carried out the activities in groups of 3 to 4 and were supported by families. 

Findings related to the Open Schooling approach: The activity is framed in the curriculum to the qualification of the class that participated in the project. 

It was very useful, the lessons were held during the green school week, students received rich and useful information through this project, they were also put in the situation to look for information and propose solutions to reduce the carbon footprint, to be involved and useful to society.

Open schooling could be useful and challenging for other teachers because each of us carries a carbon footprint and we need to act to reduce it. The teacher must be a positive role model for the students.

The results obtained by the students: Students were happily involved in activities, developed different skills, confidence in science, sought solutions to problems related to environmental pollution with carbon dioxide, provided positive feedback at the end of the activities. As an example, one student mentioned the following conclusion: “the carbon neutral approach is essential in combating climate change, it is important to recognize examples that demonstrate genuine commitment and concrete actions in reducing greenhouse gases.”

“CARE” Phase: Students brought up themes such as combating COVID; recycling; conservation of city gardens; care for local squares, and the most popular topic was the Lago de Olarias, a public park recently inaugurated in the city, which has brought much development to the lake area. It is a project still in development and has caught the children’s attention for the care and development of the city. Real-life problems were discussed in groups, where students could contribute ideas and knowledge they brought from home, through the discussions they had with their families. They contributed historical facts, family memories, and many different knowledges. This caught the attention of students who brought other subjects. The fact that the lake is a new place in the city and is still in development, drew even more attention from the students. They were interested in understanding how they could contribute to the care of the place. The students who participated in the activities were from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades of the early years of Elementary Education. Approximately 230 students.

“KNOW” Phase: Students used their knowledge about pollution, watersheds, groundwater, riparian forests, relief, sustainability, recycling, citizenship, among others. The most interesting stages were the initial discussion; preparing questions for the specialists and for a lecture with the former mayor who inaugurated the place; visiting the site and developing hypotheses to solve the problem of stream pollution.

“DO” Phase: In the end, students prepared a community awareness campaign about the source of the waters feeding the city’s main lake. They developed pamphlets and videos with messages of care and social responsibility. The activities were completed in groups and supported by the school and social community, such as local volunteers, politicians, among others.

Findings related to the Open Schooling approach: The activity used the open scenario method, conducted according to the responses that came from the participants. The curriculum was relevant and engaging, and teachers felt challenged, as they needed to acquire knowledge as doubts and questions arose. Open schooling can be very useful for other teachers because it expands the school curriculum, brings lightness and reality to the presented content, brings information and support for the continuous training of teachers, and makes 21st Century Education happen in the classroom.

Students’ outcomes: The students’ results showed involvement and interest throughout the project, including proposing new problems and developing projects that will become annual projects in our school environment. Talking about pollution and water distribution brought an interest in energy consumption, renewable and non-renewable sources, and a general sense of responsibility for the school community. For example, one student mentioned, “how good it is to be in a school that cares and helps us make a difference in our local community.”

Care: Students were interested in and investigated the special characteristics of the island through the online collection of data on the natural & technical environment of Lefkada’s island. The pollution of the natural environment, especially the coastal shores is a real-life problem where in many cases, the natural environment can be turned into an unjustified receiver of pollutants by local and tourist activities. This could negatively affect the island’s natural environment in the future. The students who participated in the activities were twenty-one (21), male and female students of the A and B Grades of the 2nd Experimental Lyceum of Lefkada, aged 16-17.

 

Know: Students used knowledge about of Natural Sciences such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Biology was used as a basis for understanding ecology and ecotoxicology. The skills that the students practiced were multiple such as:

• Investigative method (inquiry-based learning) with question definition, research design, research conduct, results, resulting in the strengthening of students’ scientific thinking.
• Application of scientific methodology and utilization of environmental science elements.
• Cooperation with the scientific and local organizations of the island related to the environment.
• Collaboration with universities and research institutions for information exchange.
• Use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to visualize the natural environment of Lefkada through the Google map and FILOTIS – Greek Nature Database, using the iNaturalistGR database.
• Investigation and presentation of the work plan (development of critical thinking, creativity, communication).

 

Do: At the end, the students prepared an electronic informational material which they posted on the school’s website. This was after a metacognitive evaluation of the data on Lefkada’s geophysical characteristics and the potential areas of pollution on the island. They also published an article in the school newspaper about the natural environment of the island. In the article, the students proposed ways to protect the environment, especially in the summer months when tourism increases. With the help of the Biology teacher in charge, the

students created a poster that refers to their actions in relation to the study of biodiversity and the study of potential pollution areas on the island of Lefkada. In addition, the students’ work was presented at the annual event of the Excellence and Creativity Clubs and activities of the current school year 2023, at the 2nd Experimental Lyceum of Leukada. The President of the Governing Committee of the Model Experimental Schools, Mr. Tombras, the mayor of the city, teachers, representatives of local agencies, and students of the school were invited to the event. They completed the activities as a group and were supported by their family, and their classmates by sharing good practices and ideas. The parents were especially supportive of the students as they helped them search and record reports on the pollution phenomenon, twenty years ago on the island.

 

Findings related to Open Schooling approach: The activity was fitted and adapted to the curriculum as it combined chapters from Natural Science courses including Biology, Physics and Chemistry. The activity is an innovation in education because through it students can use scientific data and elements to solve problems in their daily life, such as issues of ecological balance and environmental pollution (decision-making ability). The purpose of this activity is the cultivation of citizenship, where students, as tomorrow’s citizens and/or bioscientists, are called upon to make decisions about the environment, health, safety, and, in general, about any category of challenge that will arise from the applications of Biology/Ecology in our society. Open schooling might be both useful and challenging for teachers because it promotes students’ active participation by creating learning environments that will be governed by the principles of modern teaching methodology, such as inquiry learning and experiential and communicative approaches, encouraging critical thinking and creativity.

 

Change/innovation supported by: [X] schoolhead  [X] school association/network    [X] local government

[ ] Other:   

 

Students’ Outcomes: The students initially showed a great interest in getting to know the natural and artificial environment of their island. In the Informatics laboratory, they watched a video showing the natural environment of Lefkada such as habitats, lagoons, and mountains combined with the human-made environment i.e. houses and tourist accommodations. The online Webex communication with the scinetist Dr.Vasilios Drosos, professor of the Department of Forestry and Environmental and Natural Resources Management of the Democritus University of Thrace, excited the students because they were given the opportunity to answer their key questions about pollution and the environment and to participate in a discussion as responsible and active members of an action. Students, as the most dynamic part of society, were receptive to learning during the seminar. This created a climate of mutual trust and interaction between the scientist and students. Furthermore, the students were excited about the use of google map, iNaturalist database and Filotis database for mapping and locating cities of Lefkada with a greater percentage of pollution with the use of software even though they were initially cautious. Some of the students mentioned “Is it possible that the software we find very easily on the internet can provide us with such a large amount of information?”, “Can we also map the other islands in the Ionian Sea?”.

 

This practice contributed to increasing:

[X] families’ engagement in science   [X] girls’ participation in science.  [X] students’ science careers awareness

 

Please justify: The contribution of the students’ families was decisive in the success of the activity. This is because they helped the students search and record reports on the phenomenon of pollution twenty years ago on the island and compare them with today’s data. The participation rate of female students in the total number of students who participated in the activity was expected to be 52.4% (11/21). A large percentage of students expressed an interest in the following professions related to the Schools of Health Sciences (Medicine, Biosciences, Nursing) and Positive Sciences (Physics, Chemistry).

Care: Students were involved in  designing and developing a video game that promoted the importance of digital skills  for a real-life problem. The creators of the game aimed to raise children’s awareness about the usefulness of solar energy and solar panels.  Students who participated in the activities were from all grades 9,10,11 and 12. The creators of the game were Hanc Ionuț Cristian – class 12 A and Bunea Nicolae – class 12 A. 

Know: Students used knowledge about using green energy in planet exploration.  The competences that the students practiced were: reasoned decision-making, teamwork on multidisciplinary topics, programming and implementation of software applications.  

Do: At the end, the students prepared the video HERE, which they presented in school. They carried out the activities in teams and their families were involved in purchasing the necessary equipment for building the game and with technical consultancy for using free software for creating games.

Findings related to the Open Schooling approach: The activity can be included in the curriculum in science, geography, physics, chemistry, biology classes and less in computer science classes, because the computer science curriculum does not address the topic of creating video games.  But it was very attractive to students who were curious about the secret of building a video game. Open schooling could be the future of education for other teachers because it would empathize with students, motivating them in creating and using video games as a method of creative and digital development.

The results obtained by the students: The student Hanc Ionuț Cristian, managed to get the first place, at the regional phase Made for Europe and to present the game in the UK and Greece within the project Eramsus+ – Games Jam, which had as theme the creation of video games. And because within the college we set up an excellent robotics group,  which includes the creators of the game, following the visit of European Commissioner Ferreira, we were invited to the World Bank headquarters and the Ministry of Digitalization to present our projects. There I was able to talk to Ion, Mr. President’s AI assistant. We presented the project online at GUESS Indonesia and physically at the Science on Stage Festival!

Care: The students were engaged in recording and studying the threats and risks facing our Ecosystems and in particular the White Mountains National Park. The students who participated in the activities were 10 years old and went to Primary D. There were two sections and a total of 35 students participated in the program.

Know: The skills the students practiced was to explore the Samaria Gorge through ICT. The students initially dealt with understanding how to read, orient and process a digital map (GIS) as well as the possibilities of GPS. With the help of electronic files received from the Samaria National Forest Management Body and the use of the Google Earth computer application, they managed to see the path of the canyon but also to learn how to read and orient a map. Also through the Geogreece website they found information about the flora and fauna of our country, the National Forests and the habitats that exist. From the information they collected each group proposed 3 questions and thus each department made a Quiz.
To create the quiz they used the kahoot application. Then they visited the Spatial Information Systems laboratory of the Technical University of Crete. There they were welcomed by the professor and head of the laboratory, Mr. Partcinevelos Panagiotis, where, together with his research team, he guided them around the premises of the laboratory and together they discussed the use of IT systems in the representation of maps, as well as automatic geo-location systems (GPS ). In particular, they saw how they can use drones with built-in GPS to prevent fires and other natural disasters as well as to rescue people in the Samaria gorge. They also created a real relief map of the Samaria area using the Sandmap tool.

Do: At the end, the students prepared a model of the Samaria gorge and the Portes point in comparison. Then they built a fire alarm mechanism using the Arduino microcontroller. This mechanism was designed and programmed through the tinkercad application with the help of the students of the third grade of the school. Thus they completed the activities as a group and supported by their family and the school’s High School. The presentation of their work took place at the Connect Student Conference on May 21, 2022. Conclusions about Open Schooling:

The activity was integrated into the curriculum. It was a challenge since, on the one hand, the Informatics, Artistic and Laboratory Skills courses had to be combined and all this in
collaboration with the scientific community. Open schooling can be useful for other teachers because the pedagogical use of ICT transforms traditional teaching practices and enhances the active involvement of students in all phases of the teaching process. The participation of scientists in this process did not confuse the students but helped them to deepen the topic they studied.

The change/innovation was supported by:

[ x ] School management [ x ] school association/network
[ x ] Local government [ ] Other: ________________________________

Student results: The students saw the program positively, they were excited by the use of technological means in every phase of the program and they participated very actively in it. Concerns were raised regarding the dangers and threats facing our ecosystems, but they were particularly encouraged by both their proposal to deal with fires through an electronic self-construction and the fact that there are scientists working on their protection.

This practice contributed to the increase of:
[ x ] engaging families with sciences [ x ] involving girls in science [ x ] raising awareness among students about careers in the natural sciences

Please specify: The students interacted with technological tools and applications in order to learn and understand their usefulness.

Care: Students were concerned about the decline in the population of some animals in our area, which they learn live in our area but don’t see often. The students who participated in the activities were the 18th-grade students (10 years old) of Petrokefali Primary School.

Learning: Students used knowledge of the area’s land and sea flora and fauna. The skills that the students practiced were creative and critical thinking, collaboration, construction and analysis and production of informative content.

Do: In the end, the students prepared posters and prepared a local community awareness campaign. They completed the activities as a group and were supported by their families, local cultural associations, the municipality and the school’s Parents and Guardians Association. Conclusions about Open Schooling: The activity was integrated into the curriculum. It was an innovative program linked to the skills workshops implemented for the first time in the 2021-2022 school year. Open schooling can be useful for other teachers because it provokes interest and involvement directly and indirectly. The change/innovation was supported by: The school management, the teachers’ association, the parents’ and guardians’ association, the Cultural Association of Kalamaki, the Municipality of Phaistos. Student results: The students were enthusiastic throughout the implementation of the program. They were willing to undertake actions outside the school framework by involving the family and the local community. As an example, the students suggested that we visit other areas and intervene to protect them as well as return to them to monitor their condition.

Student results: Students were active and active during the research process. They were consistent in the work they each undertook in their group and seemed to assimilate relatively easily the scientific knowledge they needed to use. Their familiarity with NTs was very helpful in all dealing with digital hardware and software. They learned how a scientific study is structured and how it is conducted. They seemed to enjoy the role of researcher to the point of engaging in the tasks of the other groups as well. As an example, one student mentioned “Did you see, ma’am, that I can work in other groups and not just the one I’m in?” Their activation productively cultivated the speech skills of both production and comprehension of oral and written texts.

Care: The students were interested in the natural wealth of their country and specifically in the gorges of Greece and Crete with the main concerns being the clarification of the concept of gorge, the identification of the main gorges of both Greece and Crete and most importantly the preservation of the natural wealth of these steep routes. For this reason, after class discussion, it was considered necessary to investigate the flora and fauna of the gorges of Crete and the dangers that threaten them, with the ultimate goal of taking measures for their protection. The pupils who participated in the activities were thirty-four, aged about 9 and 12, from section 1 of 3rd grade and section 3 of the 6th grade of the 34th Primary School of Heraklion.

Know: The students used knowledge from Science, Geography, Language, Social and Civic Education, History, Visual Arts, Computer Science and Theatre Education. The skills practiced by the students were multiple such as processing questions and conducting research, recording interview questions, selecting key words from a text and creating a mind map, producing written discourse, collecting information, processing it and analysing data to draw conclusions, becoming familiar with the scientific way of research and data analysis, developing collaboration and effective communication skills.

Do: In the end, the students prepared projects on the main theme of the gorges as well as compositions with nature plants from the field visits, conceptual maps with the most important data from the meetings with expert scientists, a presentation with the progress of the work plan for the CONNECT project conference and helped in the creation of two videos through photos and information brought to the class about the most important gorges of Greece and Crete. They completed the activities as a team and with the support of their family, their classmates and the teachers who implemented this project. At the same time, there was an exchange of good practices and ideas between younger and older students, as the project involved the cooperation of children from the 3rd and 6th grades.

Conclusions on Open Schooling: The activity was integrated and adapted to the curriculum as it involved chapters from Language, History, Social and Civic Education, Geography, Visual Arts, Computer Science and Drama. It was an innovative programme that had the ultimate aim of learning through the mobilisation of all the pupils’ senses, bringing them into contact with the natural wealth of their place, raising their awareness of environmental protection issues and making them take personal responsibility for the preservation of our natural heritage. Open schooling can be both useful and challenging for teachers because it seeks to learn through events experienced by the student while at the same time changing the venue of the lesson from the confines of the classroom to research in the field of observation.

The change/innovation was supported by:

[ x ] School management [ x ] school association/network
[ x ] Local government [ ] Other: ________________________________

Student results: The students were enthusiastic both during the implementation of the project and during the field visits. Initially, the activity of gathering information about the gorges of Crete, which required cooperation with their parents, piqued their interest. At the same time, their contribution to the creation of both the videos and the presentation for the CONNECT students’ conference made them feel like fellow travellers in a common goal. In addition, the children were enthusiastic about the field trips and activities that took place before and after the visit. Specifically, they observed the flora of the gorges during the visit to the Spiliotissa gorge, which was explained to them by an employee of the Heraklion Forestry Service,
they identified the threats and dangers of visiting a similar place, they tasted the joy of hiking following the instructions of a member of the Heraklion Hiking Club, they imagined and wrote stories with fairies and elves inspired by tales of their local folklore, they approached the gorges historically as hideouts of their ancestors during the wars and as trade routes, they created artistic compositions with nature materials and above all they enjoyed playing in the safe natural environment. A third grade student said after the project:

‘I didn’t know that our place has such ornaments, madam. I told my parents and we went to cross the Spiliotissa Gorge this weekend” while a sixth-grade student: “I enjoyed most of all the creations we made with our hands. We got muddy, dirty, created and …….all good”. Finally a sixth form pupil reported: “CONNECT made us bond as a team. I will never forget everything we all accomplished together!”.

This practice contributed to the increase of:
[ x ] engaging families with sciences [ ] involving girls in science [ ] raising awareness among students about careers in the natural sciences

Please specify: It is undeniable that this practice contributed to the families’ engagement with science as the first activity carried out by the children was to find information and pictures about canyons. A prerequisite for carrying out this activity was the supervision of the whole activity by the parents and providing guidance as to what information was necessary to include. Finally, the participation of parents and students together with the class teachers in a student hike in the village of Krousonas, organized by the Heraklion Hiking Club, helped them to understand the importance of contact with nature. At the same time, the young students learned about the science of forestry and the profession of forestry through the visit of an employee of the forestry service to our school.

Care: The students wondered about the origin but also the future of the pink sand on the famous and highly touristic beaches of western Crete. A real problem that concerns the local community for reasons both ecological and mainly economic. The question that caught the students’ interest was “what is pink sand and how long will it continue to exist?” They were asked to discuss this question in the form of a questionnaire with their relatives and record their answers. These answers, which highlighted the essential ignorance of the local community about the “pink sand” phenomenon, were investigated in the laboratory and thoroughly discussed in the following months. The students who participated in the activities were students of 1st and 3th grade of High School and mainly of two specific classes of A1 and C1, where I was supporting teacher. The main research core consisted of two mixed age groups with a total of 17 students. Many more students from other departments also participated in the various activities, excursions, briefings and visits, fulfilling to a large extent my expectation to be informed, through participation and to stimulate curiosity about the program, of almost the entire school.

Know: The students used knowledge about single-celled organisms, food webs, the systematic classification of organisms into categories based on how they feed and how they use energy, fossils, marine biodiversity, ecology, human intervention, pollution and contamination, microplastics , mainly knowledge from the field of biology but also physics and chemistry (eg elementary nomenclature of chemical elements).

The skills the students acquired through continuous practice were using a stereoscope and microscope, using laboratory forceps, precision weighing, observing and creating data for analysis, discussing claims and evidence, collaborating both with each other and with research agencies i.e. teamwork. They understood how important the scheduling is in a research process and in general. How conclusions are made and how they are presented to the general public. They experienced media and conference presence and practiced what is called “communicative courage”. Although the skills listed below, are not skills in the strict sense of the term, I believe that self-discipline and self-confidence were successfully practiced especially in the students who “carried the burden” of publicizing our research.

Do: At the end, the students prepared a powerpoint presentation of our research, took micro-photographs and sent material (sand) to Germany where the foraminifera species were identified and entered on the website foraminifera.eu. They completed the activities working as a team under my guidance. Our research work was presented at the student conference organized by the Regional Directorate of Education of Crete and the CONNECT program, while we also presented the topic on a local TV Station. Conclusions on Open Schooling: The activity was not integrated into the timetable or the curriculum exactly. However, it accompanied, and through the research he gave meaning and explained basic material of high school biology, mainly about cells, food webs, the systematic classification of organisms into basic categories based on how they feed and how they utilize energy, fossils, marine biodiversity, ecology, pollution and contamination etc. Apart from these, through the sensitive microscopic organisms we were studying, we dealt with and discussed issues such as climate change and the way it can affect them as well as more generally human intervention and activities such as tourism, while they were given the opportunity to come into contact in practice in terms and concepts such as microenvironment, pseudopods, plasma membrane, indicator organisms, etc.

But, because our work was essentially primary research, the students came into contact with the process of producing new knowledge. They saw the exciting, gratifying and sometimes painful aspects of the research process. The complexity of biological issues and the multitude of factors that need investigation. In other words, they understood experientially the importance of asking questions, organizing them and studying them. They also understood that this is a team effort and that collaboration with other scientists and agencies is absolutely essential. They understood that not everything has been discovered and that not all the answers are in a mobile phone… They saw that scientists do not know everything, that they disagree
and make mistakes (eg at first we thought that the pink grains are broken corals, then there was a disagreement about the how deep the particular foraminifers live). They got a first idea of how important different views and approaches are in science and saw that there are no absolute truths and that biology is full of “exceptions”. They learned the importance of questioning and practiced deductive thinking.

For all the above reasons, I believe that the program was a challenge since it was largely about research in “deep unknown waters”, it was innovative and of course many times useful, mainly because it was understood that science is not something distant but something everyday that deals with ” our own questions” and that we can “use it too”, while also due to the pleasant way in which it was carried out it contributed to the creation of a positive attitude of children towards science and especially biology.

Experiential open schooling education is more than important to escape from the “museum” perception and practice of “transferring” knowledge provided by the Greek school. A common “argument” of the children is “and where will I need all this?”. The teaching material is far removed from the daily life of the students, or at least it seems so since the connection with the daily life is not made and the provided knowledge is not used to solve questions, searches and problems that children have. Practical – experiential and seemingly non-material activities, at least for the field of natural sciences, I think are not only useful but necessary especially at these ages when children should have the opportunity to show off their inclinations, preferences and “talent” and acquire a positive attitude towards science.

For some teachers, these practices may be a problem because they are out of the ordinary and need to be informed and above all to act outside the context in which they have learned. In other words, it needs work. But they ignore the “rejuvenating” effect that these practices have both on the way we as teachers perceive our work and on the relationships with students and parents, which are significantly upgraded. When children get excited about something, they talk about it at home and parents realize if the child goes to school happily.

The change/innovation was supported by:

[ x ] School management [ x ] school association/network
[ x ] Local government [x ] Other: Parents

Student results: The core of students that finally formed after 2-3 weeks were very cooperative, consistent and hardworking. Participation was high from the beginning with few drop-outs, mainly due to other activities at the same time or the bus schedule (many children in our school came from distant villages), but also with new entries “on the way”. And the fact that our meetings were held every Friday, that is, on the last day of the week, after the end of the program clock, and they participated for an hour or two more
shows, that their process was pleasant. Several even came from villages relatively far away and were awake very early in order to come to school.

In the 3 educational trips we carried out (KPE Vammos, Elafonissi and MAICH) many more students participated, so that the cost of transportation could be covered but also because I wanted an expanded participation in general so that our research could be embraced by the whole school. We always combined research with free time and sports, especially at the MAICH where we carried out an important part of our research, since the professional micro-photographs took place there, while overall its facilities were offered for many parallel activities. The goal was of course to make the whole process as pleasant as possible.

I consider this goal to have been achieved. To quote the words of a student: “I hated biology, I was thinking of becoming a philologist, but now I’m thinking of becoming a biologist” or, others, “this is how school should be”, “scientists have a good time”, etc.

In terms of learning outcomes, starting with the simplest ones, eg converting lt to ml, gr to mgr for the needs of weighing. The clarification of the difference in volume and mass, up to specialized knowledge about marine biology, such as:

• what are foraminifera; they are not shells and which creatures we call shells,
• what is meant by a decomposer, an autotrophic and a heterotrophic organism,
• what is the life cycle, and other questions that are difficult to determine since the questions and discussion often arose spontaneously.

This practice contributed to the increase of:
[ x ] engaging families with sciences [ x ] involving girls in science [ x ] raising awareness among students about careers in the natural sciences

1. The subject of pink sand is something that concerns the daily life of the residents of the area, so there was a relative curiosity from the start anyway. Initially, the opinion of the parents was asked to be recorded, and not only, regarding “what is the reason”, “if there is a decrease in the phenomenon”, “if you think it is in danger of disappearing”. Then some parents who deal with the sea gave us important information and also brought samples very important for our search about where they live (depth distance from the shore) and in what form they are first washed up as pink grains of “sand”. There have been parents who have expressed to me their personal interest and their desire to help in whatever is needed. Also, no one raised an issue or refused to pay when needed for our travel on educational trips. All this shows that the program was accepted and therefore, even just by talking with their children, some parents more or less engaged in science through it.
2. The girls in our school, and in general I believe, have a better presence in the classroom and in the lessons than the boys, at least on average. Nevertheless, there are stereotypes and prejudices against science and mathematics. Many girls have the opinion that they don’t understand maths, physics or chemistry. The subject of biology, at least in our school, was not very popular. However, slightly more girls than boys participated in the program. Most of the students were hardworking and responsible, participating and asking questions. In my opinion, on the contrary to what they wanted to believe, some of them are, “born researchers”. They were oblivious to the microscope, while being particularly skilled with the tools and inventive in the way they carried out the activities. Through the program inclinations were encouraged and revealed. One student revealed that she liked to observe and photograph spiders, but had never shared it with her friends since “spider observation” is not considered a “female activity”. Along with the foraminifera, we also worked on and identified the student’s spiders, something that the others eventually found interesting as well. The girls enjoyed working with the laboratory and microscopes as well as tinkering with the tweezers. The visit to the Mediterranean Agricultural Institute of Chania (MAICH) where all the research staff we met were female biologists and agronomists, I believe contributed to breaking the convenient stereotypes of female students. However, if I judge from their reaction, the publicity of our research in the media and at the conference
   played a role. Apart from the fact that they want to make their own people happy, girls at this age are very involved with celebrities, social networks and want to project themselves in a corresponding way. They like to have an audience. It is characteristic that both in the presentation at the conference and in our presence on Crete TV, no boy wanted to appear in any way, while most of the girls, on the contrary, wanted to and showed remarkable seriousness and discipline throughout the preparation of the presentation. Our 16-minute appearance in a midday light show of general interest on Crete TV, with TV presenters from the modeling field, was important, I believe, in showing some girls that science and these areas are not completely incompatible after all. How the “beautiful” appreciate and admire science and there is general acceptance and appeal. That various avenues open up through research, which may include publicity. Likewise with the conference, although online, the fact that they will be seen by students from many parts of Greece appealed to the girls, especially since they were convinced of the importance of our work. In conclusion, I believe that the area in which the program was most successful was in relation to girls and their engagement in science.
3. The reasons I mentioned above also apply to boys. Therefore, as a whole, through a research process, the students came into contact with the real tangible world of natural sciences, which is admittedly if not always exciting, certainly interesting. In summary, I will dare to “predict”, although this also depends on their teachers in the years to come, that this High School will produce natural scientists…

Care: The students studied a real problem concerning the reintroduction of the lynx that has disappeared from the Greek area. The students who participated in the activities were 12, aged 17, from the 3rd grade of EPAL.

Know: Students used knowledge of food chains and food webs. Students practiced being able to describe the effects of ecological restoration on an ecosystem. They also learned to weigh evidence to support or refute a claim.

Do: At the end, the students, with the help of the teacher, prepared a map using the ArcGIS program showing the lynx population by country, as well as the project poster. They completed the activities as a group, supported by their families.

Conclusions on Open Schooling: The activity was integrated into the curriculum. It was innovative because the general knowledge they had about food chains was applied to a real problem. Open schooling can be useful for other teachers because it helps students learn experientially and develop metacognitive skills..

The change/innovation was supported by:

[ x ] School management [] school association/network [] Local government [ x ] Other: Regional Directorate of Education, Natural Hostory Museum

Student results: The students were happy with the app as they were able to apply their knowledge to solve a real problem. As an example, one student mentioned “it’s nice to learn in a different way what we do in class”.

This practice contributed to the increase of:
[ x ] engaging families with sciences [ x ] involving girls in science [ x ] raising awareness among students about careers in the natural sciences

Please specify: Student participation was universal regardless of gender, performance, presence or absence of learning disabilities.

Care: The students were interested in a real problem, which is how elephants lose their tusks and cannot attack or defend themselves in the environment they live in. This problem was said among others and the students voted it as the most interesting for further study and research. Twenty-two students participated in the activities. The students were 13-14 years old and attend 2nd grade of High School.

Know: The students used knowledge of Biology and in particular topics of natural selection and evolution. The skills students practiced were collaboration and communication, critical thinking, question processing, discussion, digital literacy, creativity and reasoning.

Do: At the end, the students prepared a game, presentations, interviews, interactive map, experiments and a storymap. They completed the activities as a group or individually, supported by their families. Conclusions on Open Schooling: The activity was integrated into the curriculum. The activity was innovative because for the first time the students were asked what problems they had heard or experienced and really wanted to deal with. For this reason, the students discussed in plenary after they had also discussed with their families and voted for what they considered the most interesting topic. Open schooling can be useful but also challenging for teachers and teachers because they are usually involved in problems outside the standard curriculum such as climate change etc.

The change/innovation was supported by:

[ x ] School management [ x ] school association/network [] Local government [ ] Other: ________________________________

Student results: The students were participative, interested from the beginning to the end of the project. They got in touch with their parents and relatives to ask them questions and get interviews. They worked as a team and through communication they achieved tangible results. They played a game that they created themselves and that was related to the topic of the project. They made presentations on various related topics. A group of students presented the work of all the students at a student conference organized by the Regional Directorate of Crete.

This practice contributed to the increase of:
[ x ] engaging families with sciences [] involving girls in science [ x ] raising awareness among students about careers in the natural sciences

Please specify: A seemingly “innocent” and “irrelevant” observation a student had about a population of elephants raised many questions for the students to investigate and discuss with the appropriate scientists. The families were interviewed at the beginning of the project but also during it in order to give their own opinions and some due to profession were interviewed through an interview by the students themselves. Students became aware of the environment and climate change.

Care: The students dealt with the issue of the integration of RES in the landscape, a real problem that occupied the students of Tinos in view of the massive installation of wind turbines in the landscape of Tinos. The students who participated in the activities were twenty-eight (28), 14-year-old students of the 2nd Class of the High School.

Know: The students used knowledge about the role and importance of RES considering their rational integration in landscapes and ecosystems, considering their functions and value.

The skills the students practiced were:

• question processing,
• data analysis,
• discussion of claims and evidence,
• drawing or drawing conclusions,
• familiarity with the ways and stages of conducting a research,
• familiarity with techniques for searching, evaluating and presenting information through a variety of sources,
• development of collaboration, creative expression and presentation skills.

Do: At the end, students put their knowledge into practice by doing field research. A 2-day Educational Visit was made to the landscape of the paths of Andros (in collaboration with KPE Korthiou). The program of the visit included group work in and outside the field, namely: Practical-Experiential Part: hiking, information, observation, photography, exploration and activities, landscape experience with all the senses.

In detail, the practical-experiential part contained:

• Observation and recording of field characteristics
• Familiarity with the space through all the senses
• Perception of space through various games
• Identification of species of flora (mainly) and fauna
• Map reading
• Completing worksheets
• Presentation of the habitats of Andros and the most important historical stations
• Discussion about the needs of the people who created the landscape of Andros.

Creative Part: recording of valuable elements and problems of the landscape and ecosystem, discussion related to threats and proposals for better management. The result was a group presentation of the results of all work groups through a powerpoint work, which was presented by student representatives at an event organized by the High School of Tinos at the Spiritual Center of the Holy Foundation of Evangelistria on Thursday 25 May 2022 at 19.00, in which they took part and their parents/guardians. The presentation emerged from the discussions with the scientists in the context of the “learn” section and from the practical-experiential part of the training which included filling in worksheets (of the KPE), individual notes and group discussions.

The parents/guardians of the students who participated in the CONNECT program were informed about its content both in person (those who visited the school) and electronically with frequent messages describing the activities. This ensured as active an involvement as possible them in the whole project (a fact that helped to cultivate the scientific capital). The results of their program were presented extensively at a live event organized by the school.

Conclusions on Open Schooling: The action was not embedded in the curriculum, but indirectly related to it. It was useful and innovative as it related to the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes (as discussed below). Open schooling can also be useful for other teachers because it can combine knowledge and apply it in the field (eg identifying and valuing natural and cultural wealth of an area)..

The change/innovation was supported by:

[ x ] School management [ ] school association/network [ ] Local government [ ] Other: ________________________________

Student results: The students showed interest in the thematic subjects of the program, submitted questions and participated in discussions. They took into account what the scientists conveyed to them and a relationship of trust was cultivated. This was reflected in the results of the action. Notably, there were also examples of relatively weak students showing great interest in the collaborative method and field research and taking initiatives. They responded with particular enthusiasm to the educational visit (outside the island), which was an important motivation for their activation at all levels of thinking and action.

This practice contributed to the increase of:

[ ] engaging families with sciences [ x ] involving girls in science [ x ] raising awareness among students about careers in the natural sciences

Please specify: Parents participated in the collection of questionnaires for the student survey. The girls actively participated in the mapping and literature review and in general all students showed a special interest in digital maps and the contribution of geomorphological terrain to road construction.

CARE: A list of questions was sent to the scientist and through his presentation on the Webex Meet platform where answered.

KNOW: The school curriculum was satisfactorily connected with the chosen topic to work with. The greenhouse effect is integrated in their curriculum and was highly connected with the global warming issue. Discussion supported by participatory science has led to greater awareness of global warming and chemical pollution and provoked actions to confront and eventually solve these issues. It also changed the up to that point indifferent attitude of some of the pupils towards scientific methodology and science in general, to clear interest and positive attitude to science.

DO: Since we used an open scenario approach the students either found themselves sources or used some, we offered them. In this context they developed videos, presentations, and a game.

FINDINGS: This initiative had the consent of the parents and opened opportunities for dialogue with the family, pupils and teachers. After the appropriate modifications was integrated in the curriculum making the scientific approach a handy tool for the pupils to understand scientific methodology and to a certain degree apply it.

RESULTS FOR STUDENTS: The students who participated seem now more confident with science, they really enjoy science lessons and they have increased interest in scientific approach and problems.

1)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGXgNx3U9gM

2)https://pantou.sites.sch.gr/connect/%CE%A1%CF%8D%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%B9%20%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85%20%CE%B5%CE%B4%CE%AC%CF%86%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%82.pdf

3)https://pantou.sites.sch.gr/connect/%CE%A1%CF%8D%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%B9%20%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%20%CE%88%CE%B4%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%BF%CF%82-1.pdf

4)https://pantou.sites.sch.gr/connect/%CE%98%CE%AD%CF%81%CE%BC%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%83%CE%B7%20%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9%20%CF%87%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE%20%CF%81%CF%8D%CF%80%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%83%CE%B7%20on%20Scratch.html

CARE: Students discussed with their parents in the “Care” phase about the pollution from the electric plants in Greece. In the first part of the “Know” phase students used a mobile application to compute their electric energy consumption where they were helped by their parents.

KNOW:  Students prepared the questions for the scientist in the padlet for the “know” phase.

The renewable energy resources scenario was performed as a continuity in the electric energy chapter of the Physics Greek curriculum. Students showed interest and wanted to learn what are the photovoltaic systems. They had some misunderstandings as concerns the wind generators but after finalization of the project they showed confidence in science.

DO: Students made a poster (“Do” phase) divided by smaller parts in which they show the environmental problems that arise from the conventional electric plants and what are the renewable energy resources. Also, they put in the poster two small photovoltaic panels that are connected through wires with a small fan.

Findings about open schooling: The benefits of these science actions are that students become more active, and they care about problems that exist, but they never think about them. Teacher’s role was to facilitate the process and to help the students. We faced some problems during the implementation as was for example the minor participation of parents.

Results for students: Connect gave us the opportunity to relate the curriculum with a real problem. Our students learned how is possible to be “connected” in the real problems.   Students like to work in teams and to learn about real problems concerning the environment. They also want to take actions and to give solutions, they want to be more active and not pathetic as they do unfortunately during school routine.