A comic about the Monk Seal

 One of the creative things Daniela Sannino ( Bachelor Degree in Natural Science and a Master's Degree in Land and Environmental Management, Marine Ecology, Zoology and the management of marine ecosystems) prepared for us during her Erasmus+ Traineeship in our Center was the creation of a comic series about Sea Animals of the Mediterranean. It is in three languages, English, Italian and Greek (with our help). We publicize today the comic about the Monk Seal:

You can download it from here.

A comic about the Cetaceans

 One of the creative things Daniela Sannino ( Bachelor Degree in Natural Science and a Master's Degree in Land and Environmental Management, Marine Ecology, Zoology and the management of marine ecosystems) prepared for us during her Erasmus+ Traineeship in our Center was the creation of a comic series about Sea Animals of the Mediterranean. It is in three languages, English, Italian and Greek (with our help). We publicize today the comic about the Cetaceans of the Mediterranean:

You can download it from here.

Erasmus+ Traineeship at Environmental Education Center of Vamos

 

The Pedagogical Team of the Environmental Education Center of Vamos had the opportunity to welcome to our Center Daniela Sannino, sent from the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy of the University of Sassari, Sardinia, Italy. Daniela has a Bachelor Degree in Natural Science and a Master's Degree in Land and Environmental Management, Marine Ecology, Zoology and the management of marine ecosystems.

Although we did not have the opportunity of live lessons with kids because of the COVID pandemic, we were able, during her three-months traineeship (from 1st of September till 9th of December), to design and prepare together a new Environmental Education program about the Mediterranean Sea and the Marine Ecosystems, using a lot of digital tools and applications.

We only have publicized a few pieces of this material. We have a lot more to be presented later in January 2021, as our contribution the launch of the UN's Ocean Decade (2021-2030).

Daniela taught us a lot of new things about the Sea and Marine Life and Ecosystems. We were really glad and lucky to have the opportunity to get to know her, learn from her and work together. 

We hope to be able to continue our cooperation with Daniela!

Arrivederci, Daniela!

Advent Calendar with cretan plants

 The Environmental Education Center of Vamos created an Advent Calendar with plants of Crete (photos from Natural History Museum of Crete).

Open one image every day until the 24th of December and discover plants and trees of Crete!

https://calendar.myadvent.net/?id=f50c0ce3741964af4b415ce985c3f1cc 

Greek brochure about the Greenopolis Erasmus KA2 project

The Environmental Education Center of Vamos participates in the  Erasmus+ KA201  project "GREENOPOLIS – INTERACTIVE EBOOK ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT", that has been approves in Poland (PROJECT NUMBER 2019-1-PL01-KA201-064753).

           There are six participant organisations from 4 different countries (Kroatia, Portugal, Poland, Greece) in this project: The project is coordinated by Szkoła Podstawowa im. ks. Jana Twardowskiego w Nowej Wsi Nowa Wies and the partipant organisations are, from Greece, the Environmental Education Center of Vamos from Portugal ADVANCIS and BOON who specialize in design and production of educational material, from Poland Szkola Podstawowa (Primary School and Kindergarten in the center of Nova Wies )and the Center of Education and Entrepreneurship Support, NGO that supports educational institutions, from Kroatia Dječji vrtić "Radost, Nursery and Kindergarten that includes 43 educational groups.

            Greenopolis is a project to develop a new learning approach to Sustainable Development Education of pre-school children.

The interactive Ebook will address specific learning objectives on Sustainable Development adequate to the age-group 3 to 6 years old, and in accordance with European and Members States objectives.

It provides a simulated and meaningful context in which children, with the aid of educators or by themselves, may learn about Sustainable Development at various levels, topics like climate change, biodiversity, energy, etc. that have a strong STEM background and contribute to the development of their transversal competences.

The interactivity is added by the inclusion of elements such as quizzes, mini-games, puzzles or other elements embedded in the story that make the experience more engaging and unique.

Animali Marini del Mediterraneo

An e- book about the Sea Animals in the Mediterranean

 An e-book in Greek and English about the Sea Animals in the Mediterranean that you may see in computer, tablet or mobile phone, pressing here.

ERASMUS+ KA2 GREENOPOLIS 1st MEETING IN POLAND JAN 2020

The Environmental Education Center of Vamos participated in the First International Meeting of the approved Erasmus + KA201 program "GREENOPOLIS - INTERACTIVE EBOOK ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT" PROJECT NUMBER 2019-1-PL01-KA201-064753 on 27 and 28 January 2020, held at Nova Wies, Czudec, Poland. On behalf of EEC of Vamos, the Deputy Head Papadogiannaki Konstantina and the member of the Pedagogical Team Eleni Despotidou participated.

A total of six organizations from four different countries (Croatia, Portugal, Poland and Greece) are participating in this international program. It is coordinated by Szkoła Podstawowa im. ks. Jana Twardowskiego w Nowej Wsi Nowa Wies and the participating parties are: from Greece, the Environmental Education Center of Vamos, from Portugal the companies ADVANCIS and BOON who specialize in the production of electronic educational material, from Poland ''Szkola Podstawowa' (Primary School and Kindergarten located  in Nova Wies) and the ''Center for Education and Entrepreneurship Support'', an NGO involved in the organizational support of educational institutions, from Croatia ''Dječji vrtić "Radost', a nursery school and kindergarten that includes 43 educational groups.

The Strategic Partnership Plan in the Education Sector aims to develop innovative pedagogy that uses the interactive e-book as a tool to promote Environmental Education for Sustainable Development in children aged 3 to 6 years, increasing their interest, through play. Within the framework of the Plan, an educational interactive e-book will be created to be used in environments of formal, non-formal and informal education. At the same time, a Guide for the use of the e-book and Parallel Educational Activities will be created, so that it can be used pedagogically by teachers. Presentations of the e-book, when ready, will be made in all participating countries, to teachers and additional pilot training for all in Chania in Greece.

At the first Meeting of this Strategic Partnership held in January 2020 at Szkoła Podstawowa im. ks. Jana Twardowskiego w Nowej Wsi Nowa Wies the approved Plan was presented. The participating organizations presented their action, the timetables were analyzed and the continuation was planned. The Environmental Education Center of Vamos undertook the part of pedagogical documentation and the definition of pedagogical goals and objectives.

ERASMUS+ KA1 MOBILITY TO ITALY 2017

The member of the Pedagogical Group of the Environmental Center of Vamos, Eleni Despotidou, attended the seminar “Facing Diversity: Intercultural Classroom Management” organized by Europass Teacher Academy on 1-7 Octomber in Florence, Italy. This seminar attended teachers/tutors and head masters from Greece, Germany and Hungary and was implemented in English.

This Erasmus+ course is for Teachers (primary, secondary, vocational, adult, special needs), Teacher trainers/ Careers officers, educational guides and counsellors, Headteachers/ Principals and Managers of schools/organizations offering adult education working in multicultural classes and Other (Paid or voluntary) management staff in institutions/ organizations.

Diversity challenges traditional teaching strategies and asks for innovative solutions.  This introductory course addressed issues such as: how is it possible to create a syllabus suitable both for native and for non-native students. How can educators face language and communication difficulties. How can students interact in a productive way regardless of their cultural belonging. 

Through case discussion, sharing of good practices and engaging activities, participants explored intercultural educative practices. They received prompts to foster communication in their classes and explored solutions to plan activities aiming at meeting newcomers’ needs without interrupting the regular didactic flow. Teaching strategies with concrete, across-the-board objectives were presented (role-playing, cooperative learning and many others).

Specifically, the objectives of the seminar were as follows:

·      Students’ different learning approaches: knowing about them to be able to choose the correct teaching strategies,

·      Ability to choose suitable methods for different classes, contexts and moments during the lesson,

·      Teaching strategies with concrete, across the board objectives: roleplaying, cooperative learning,

·      Expertise related to intercultural communication.

Overall the course helped participants gain broader awareness about different learning approaches, intercultural communication, innovative methods, and how to convert diversity from burden to opportunity.

EUROPASS is an international course provider with over 15 years experience in organizing courses for European teachers.  The main trainer of the seminars was Sheila Crown, English teacher. 

ERASMUS+ KA1 MOBILITY TO ICELAND 2017

The member of the Paedagogical Group of the Environmental Center of Vamos, Adriana Bassiou, attended the seminar "Sensitisation with Reference to Migration, Racism and Discrimination" organized by Intercultural Iceland on 24-30 September in Borgarnes, Iceland.

    The seminar was attended by teachers from different European countries (Spain, Germany, Sweden, Hungary and Italy). The aim of the seminar is for schools and teachers to become aware and sensitive about stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination and inclusion and to know how to deal with these issues with their students. In addition, they develop basic practices in the above areas and acquire clear goals and strategies to improve pupils' communication skills and intercultural competences, using well-structured and creative methods of collaboration.

   The methodology followed in the curriculum was more practical than theoretical, through collaborative work, various activities, debates, and practical training examples. Short lectures took place among the activities aiming at’’ learning by doing’’. All participants discussed and presented activities in English and developed lesson plans that educate their students and their colleagues in social and intercultural competences and raise awareness of these issues.

  Specifically, the objectives of the seminar were as follows:

• Teachers and students to become open, critical and active citizens

• Learn to live and work with others and learn to appreciate diversity

• To make students the center of learning and to strengthen and assess different skills and competences

• Students have access to these skills and competences as supportive aspects of the curriculum

• Teachers become sensitive to issues such as stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination, exclusion and racism

• Teachers learn how to teach and discuss these topics in different age groups

• Teachers learn how to create a safe class environment of trust and security

   Intercultural Iceland is a non-profit consortium that develops innovative educational initiatives and offers a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise and training activities. It was founded in 2003 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The main objectives of ICI are: To combat all forms of prejudice and discrimination through purposeful consultation and education, and to provide practical teacher training, to enhance the awareness of the benefits of diversity and of immigrants as enrichment for every society, the provision of professional interpretation and translation services and the improvement of immigrant access to information and active citizenship. The main trainer of the seminars is the founder of ICI, Guðrún Pétursdóttir.

ERASMUS+ KA1 MOBILITY TO TENERIFE 2020

The Environmental Education Center of Vamos has designed and implemented an Erasmus +  KA1 program approved by the State Scholarship Foundation (programme code: 2019-1-EL01-KA104-062085) on "Nature and Culture as Tools for Intercultural Education", which is being implemented this school year.
The member of the EECV pedagogical team, Basiou Adriana, attended the seminar '' Time to Act: Non-formal education through indoor and outdoor teaching methods to empower students' active participation '' organized by the organisation ''New Horizons Malta'',on 10-17 February, in Santa Cruz, Tenerife.
 The seminar was attended by teachers from different European countries (Romania, Germany, Serbia, Italy). The aim of the seminar is to promote outdoor education in the local environment as part of the daily school curriculum in order to motivate students towards experiential knowledge and to gain more motivation for learning. The seminar presents targeted , purpose-driven activities both inside and outside the classroom that can be integrated into all courses ..
 The methodology followed in the training program was, through collaborative work, various indoor and outdoor activities,and through the creation of intercultural-inclusion activities. Short lectures on key terms ('' Outdoor Education and Sustainability '', '' Distinguishing between Formal,Informal and Non-formal Education '', '' Tools for Motivating and Encouraging Students '') were given, and a training visit to an intercultural schools was made. All participants discussed and presented activities in English and developed lesson plans that train students and their colleagues in social and intercultural skills, and raise awareness of the above issues.
The main objectives of the seminar were as follows:
-to provide theoretical and empirical experiences pertaining to school education in non-formal settings, and their contribution towards developing knowledge and skills for active citizenship and quality of life.
-to learn how to motivate, guide and assess learners to reduce low achievement in key competences, develop relevant, high-level and innovative skills, enhance good quality of mainstream education through outdoor education.
-to understand non-formal education principles, within the context of cooperative learning, blended learning and flipped classroom
-to try experiential learning, experience methods of reflection and develop your ability to give feedback
-to understand the consequences of applying the non-formal methods regarding students' motivation
-to learn new non formal activities, tools, methods and to share best practices regarding outdoor education in Europe
- to exchange and develop skills of leading groups outdoors together with colleagues from Europe
-to increase participants’ confidence in working with non-formal methods in outdoor spaces,
- learn the positive power of team building activities and feel more confident and ready to re-use and adjust the practiced exercises at your own school
-to reinforce continual professional development, re-ignite lifelong learning strategies, build confidence in promoting game based strategies in education, promote pedagogies responsive to real world context

New Horizons Malta is an organization made up of a team of professionals, educators and an international pool of trainers with the aim of developing the capacity of educators to contribute to a more sustainable society, where full potential of individuals can be achieved through quality education and projects .
Through its actions, the organization strives to contribute to the personal and professional growth of individuals of diverse backgrounds, building strong and cohesive educational communities.