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Description
The “Ocean Routes” project aims to explore, highlight, and relate different dimensions of the maritime culture in Esposende, focusing on the following aspects:
- Local biodiversity;
- Civilizations and history;
- Flavors and local cuisine;
- Water sports;
- Literature and maritime music;
- Future and sustainability.
This is a project in the context of a ‘Blue School’ (‘Escola Azul’) School Group, targeting students from the 1st to the 9th grade. It is a project carried out in partnership, promoted by Rio Neiva - Environmental Defense Association, together with the local School Group Agrupamento de Escolas António Rodrigues Sampaio.
Understanding that the study of Ocean Literacy must start from the territory where it is grounded, and despite the wealth that exists in regards to the maritime culture in Esposende, it remains to promote a global and interdisciplinary vision, as the main motivation of the project. This motivation is reinforced by the opportunity of the Escola Azul program to enhance the development of mentalities and behaviors among the target audience.
An innovative model based on citizen science is proposed as a work method, promoting scientific and critical thinking, as a way of getting to know the territory from the perspective of its relationship with the ocean that runs along the coast of Esposende.
Knowledge routes will be worked through each dimension mentioned above, in view of the following main results and products:
- Maps: based on the territory where the collected data will be mirrored, which visually represent the reality under study as a whole;
- Exhibition “The Maritime Culture of Esposende”: to show the various results of the project;
- Book “The Maritime Culture of Esposende”: based on the maps developed and content produced by students in the school context; and
- Field diaries: in which students are invited and encouraged to share their field notes on an online blog.
Summary of project results
The primary objective of the Ocean Routes project was to mobilize the school community towards an increased knowledge and protection of the maritime culture of Esposende – recognising this connection and awareness has been slowly fading away, most especially among local youngsters despite the natural and cultural richness of this territory.
To achieve this objective, we designed 6 Knowledge Routes, namely: (1) Biodiversity Route, (2) Civilizations Route, (3) Flavours Route, (4) Music and Literatura Route, (5) Sports Route and (6) Future and Sustainability Route that provide a global picture of the maritime culture of Esposende, while representing its own diversity, and contribute to an increased Ocean Literacy and a proactive and participatory attitude towards territory protection.
The routes were created considering a multidisciplinary perspective, anchored in the curricular plan. For each Route, we established a methodology that begins with preparatory work in the classroom, involving different disciplines, followed by field trips for observation and recognition of the territory and data collection, and culminating in its analysis and production of various works, contributing in parallel to citizen science platforms. This new pedagogical methodology was successfully implemented due, in part, to the involvement of 11 local agents working in Ocean related themes, that contributed with knowledge transfer, co-designing and facilitation of visits and field trips.
At the end of the project, we managed to regularly and systematically successfully involve 1327 students, cooperate with 167 teachers, and carry out a total of 93 field trips and visits, in addition to all in-class and in-school activities.
The routes and all the activities conducted were the basis for the production of dissemination materials on Ocean Literacy, such as a scientific publication (also communicated in a congress for a specialized audience), a published book and 2 exhibitions for the general public. These 3 deliverables are essential to promote project visibility and stimulate replicability to other territories and contexts (both national and international).
The project created new opportunities of knowledge and partnerships that are foreseen to continue over the long-term. Indeed, we verified an increase in knowledge about the local maritime culture; a strengthening in the relationship between the school community and local agents; and an understanding of the potential of new pedagogical methodologies (as citizen science) for enhancing ocean literacy.