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Description
Despite the recognized importance of intertidal rocky shores, there are still gaps in the conservation of the vast group of intertidal species, many of which are threatened by habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, fishing, among others (Abidli et al. 2019; Marchini et al. 2019).
To motivate behavior change towards the protection of these areas, the bLueTIDE operation proposes to increase the knowledge about, and the emotional bond with, these coastal systems, targeting elementary students and teachers. To achieve its goals, 1 private institution and 4 public education entities have joined to design and implement awareness-raising activities for children, as well as training courses and resources for teachers. The operation will be developed within blue schools (located in coastal areas), but also within non-blue schools (located away from coastal areas) benefiting approximately 615 students and 200 teachers. The implementation phase in each location will be coordinated by one of the four education institutions and its researchers, all belonging to MARE, a R&D institution focused in marine and environmental sciences. The management and harmonization of activities will be mediated by IEFF that will make use of its vast experience in implementing projects related to the sea and sustainability.
The project will deliver a set of internal outputs to support marine researchers in the implementation of the activities, but also a set of outputs to support and inspire teaching practices. The project will contribute to strengthen the connection of children with the ocean and motivate them for conservation, in particular of intertidal rocky shores; promote the interaction between schools and ocean science researchers; stimulate the cooperation between blue schools and non-blue schools; foster pupils’ creativity, initiative and communication skills; strengthen marine science-based teaching practices; and ultimately, encourage the application of new blue schools.