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Description
The project’s intervention strategy is outlined in three combined axes that will act in the promotion of ocean literacy through knowing the sea urchin. These strategic axes (educating, training and communicating) are complementary and together contribute significantly to achieve the goal of increasing the number of people with reinforced skills on ocean literacy, through the implementation of the action plan. The proposed actions intend to reinforce the skills on ocean literacy directed the students of Externato de Penafirme (Blue School), 4th grade students from primary schools in the three civil parishes along the coastline and teachers,
going beyond the target of 350 participants. To do so it is foreseen the implementation of raising-awareness and education activities in places and events with a lot of public. The activities presuppose an active participation from the participants in the acquisition of knowledge regarding the ocean literacy. The development and coordination of this project will be under the Division of Environment and Sustainability (DES), Municipality of Torres Vedras. The DES team is formed by qualified technicians from environmental engineering, environmental education, and tourism, which leads to a multidisciplinary team able to act in nature conservation, valorization of natural resources and biodiversity, as well as conveying information regarding environmental education.
The school Externato de Penafirme, as a partner of the project, ensures the collaboration of two teachers from natural sciences, with vast teaching experience, knowledge of the blue school program, the Externato’s educational program and, consequently, the student profile as it is the center of the pedagogic action.
Summary of project results
The project “Knowing to Preserve - Sea urchin” was developed by Municipality of Torres Vedras, in partnership with Externato de Penafirme (a Blue School) and aimed to increase ocean literacy in schools and general population in Torres Vedras (Portugal). The actions were guided by three complementary axes: Raising Awareness, Training and Communicating. Sea urchin is a well-known species in the region and served as inspiration to increase people’s awareness and motivate them to learn about the Ocean. This specie has high demand in the West region of Portugal by people for self-consumption and local fisherman, representing an important financial resource.
The actions developed throughout the project were directed to different targets, such as schools, general population and the partner of Externato de Penafirme (Blue School).
Regarding students, they benefited from several activities that allowed contact with blue jobs and cientists, inspiring yougsters to develop their own projects at school. As for teachers, they had the opportunity to participate in training sessions in different contexts: classroom, field visits and laboratory. The main goals were to increse their knowledge about the Ocean, encourage them to apply the scientific method, enable their contact with Ocean Science researchers and show how to use the Ocean as inspiration to work in non-scientific courses. Students from Externato de Penafirme (Blue School) were given the opportunity to work on special projects related to scientific illustrations that resulted in an exhibition and scientific projects that were transformed in scientific posters. Both projects were opened to general population to learn about their achievements.
A story book and a field book were also produced as a result of this project, having a greater impact on general population and schools. This resources allow teachers to work with their students on classroom, laboratory or out in the field. Also, a number of field visits to tidal pools and to other natural values to learn about bio and geodiversity were conducted to schools and general population.
Other activities were developed specifically for general population, helping increase their awareness regarding marine species. This project involved 3109 participants, the development of 38 activities, 21 field visits, 4 conferences and exhibitions and 2274 printed resources. This actions reinforced collaboration between the Municipality of Torres Vedras and Externato de Penafirme, and other entities such as Faculdade de Ciências (Universidade de Lisboa).
In conclusion, with this project, teachers were empowered to develop activities related to Ocean autonomously, specially using tools and resources produced under the scope of the project. Also, students 10th to 12th grade (Externato de Penafirme) were also able to replicate some of their learnings with younger students. Some of the activities, such as field visits, still occur even after the end of the project.
The project can be considered as a good practice mainly because of the strong partnership between promoter and partner, giving better learning conditions to students and teachers from schools in the region, specially Externato de Penafirme. Having a close example of a school as part of Blue School project sparked interest in other schools to apply to that project. Also, it strenghten the collaboration with other schools by sharing their experience as teachers and students.