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Description
The project Blue Alternative aims to bring the blue school closer to local communities and the sea sector by promoting activities of an artistic nature, among schools and artists / entities / cultural organizations that work on the maritime theme, as well as the interaction between students and the nautical industry. We also propose encouraging blue entrepreneurship and promoting students'' awareness of blue careers, by promoting the aforementioned contact between students and the professional path in the nautical and maritime areas.”
The project consists of 5 activities, with activities 1,2 and 3 having an education perspective regarding artistic knowledge with inclusion of ocean literacy, where each activity will give way to a deliverable that will include an artistic piece made by a class, together with a professional from the corresponding artistic area. The fourth has a focus on professional and practical of students from companies in the nautical sector, which will give rise to a report of the experience by each student. The last activity includes the dissemination of these activities to the school and surrounding community that will have as deliverable a final report regarding these activities.
The main recipients of this project are the students from the partner school, as the main beneficiaries of the activities, as well as the general school community in the final activity.
Summary of project results
The project Blue Alternative bring the blue school closer to Alto Minho local communities and the sea sector by promoting non-formal education activities in schools, such as artistic actions and actions that favour interaction between students and the blue economy. In addition, it intended to encourage blue entrepreneurship and promote awareness among students of blue careers, through interaction between students and the professional path in the nautical and maritime areas.
Activity 1 "See the Sea": primary school students created a video about the ocean with the help of students from the multimedia professional course. This was the first contact with photography and video for many children, giving them the opportunity to learn basic notions and allowed them to explore tools that are often less accessible to them. The fact that two different age groups were present, had a double positive impact, on one hand the younger ones felt that their participation was important and responsible, and the older ones shared their knowledge with the younger ones. Besides these results, one cannot fail to mention the way ocean literacy is presented to children, having been transmitted in a different and more appealing way, using the senses (sight and hearing).
Activity 2 "Touch the Sea": students designed and constructed a sculpture about the sea, climate change and the preservation of marine ecosystems. With the support of a local artist, delved into the world of plastic arts as a means of having greater contact with ocean literacy. By collecting trash on the beaches, the youngsters had a moment of environmental awareness. The main sculpture and individual artworks perfectly mirrored the impact of man on the seas, allowing the students to become aware of the acts of all of us on the planet.
Activity 3 "Listen to the Sea": students composed a musical piece related to ocean. Besides using normal musical instruments, they used materials collected on beaches to produce different sounds more directly related to the sea, for example, sand, or that demonstrate the wrong actions of human activities, using plastic objects as an example. This composition tells a story about the sea, making us aware of the importance of preserving marine ecosystems. This activity allowed developing the students'' sense of hearing and gave them the opportunity to play an instrument or compose a piece of music.
Activity 4 "Living the Sea": students had contact with professionals with activities related to the sea, being sensitized to the importance of these professions in the preservation and safety of the seas, adding the possibility that they will play an intervening role in society in the future through their professional choices.
Finally, the final conference, besides being a moment to share experiences among the students involved in the project, allowed to explain ocean literacy to the school and social community.
The Blue Alternative project brought together around ocean literacy the arts and professional experiences that are connected to the sea for the benefit of education and awareness of students, but also teachers, artists, parents and community on issues related to the marine ecosystem.
The implementation of the project resulted in increased awareness of ocean literacy in education, improving education, training and cooperation in the marine and maritime areas. This awareness resulted from activities that allowed an increase in contact between the Group and students with organizations in the Vianese community linked to the arts and the professional sector, culminating in communication with the community about the work developed.