About
e^4 aims at both supporting and reforming teacher education at academic level in matters concerning energy, by training University professors charged with teacher education (Initial Teacher Education, prospective and in-service teacher education at primary and lower secondary school level) in new imaginative teaching methods to facilitate the transfer of energy-related scientific knowledge to students. Academics will be able to develop lectures based on teaching approaches encouraging imagination and creativity to science education, so to transfer these practices to future and in-service teachers. They, in turn, will be able to integrate these approaches in their school lessons, in order to adapt to the new generation’s learning capacities and needs, and to educate and sensitize their students to take care of the environment and to help tackle climate change and promote conscious technological change.
Moreover, we feel the need for Univerisities charged with teacher education (Educational Science Faculties) to reach out to the wider community and become meaningful partners in a network with companies, organisations and institutions working on our energy future.
On this scenario, we intend to create (1) innovative materials for teacher education to upskill university professors and school teachers with new narrative and imaginative approaches to teaching and science education and (2) a network of academic institutions charged with teacher education and external stakeholders dealing practically with energy matters. The results of this project—both learning materials for university courses and access to material, knowledge, and opportunities provided by the network— shall be made available on a dedicated web platform.
GOALS
I
to develop and/or enrich higher education curricula (in teacher education for primary and lower secondary school levels), following a didactic approach based on “tools of imagination”, to facilitate the transfer of energy-related scientific knowledge to primary and lower secondary school students
II
to offer professional learning opportunities, for academics charged with teacher education, in innovative pedagogies and approaches to teaching science courses (including the use of appropriate aids and materials)
III
to support the strengthening of science skills of EU citizens and professionals to make conscious choices and use creativity and a critical mindset to contribute to lower CO2 emissions towards EU 2050 targets
IV
to upskill future and in-service science teachers with new approaches to teaching to encourage girls for scientific careers and fight against gender stereotypes in STEM
V
to promote learning and teaching partnerships between universities charged with teacher education and the private energy sector
ACTIVITIES
Creating guidelines for a Network of academic and private/public partnerships
“Imaginative course” Curriculum for teaching through imaginative tools
Interactive web platform supporting the Curriculum and the Network
TARGET
RESULTS
increased competences and skills of partners’ staff
increased competences in teachers of primary and secondary schools: 20 teachers (5 for each of the 4 countries involved) will participate in a transnational training session to get acquainted with the offline workshop activities proposed
30 prospective teachers in each country will join local testing and implement full testing of the blended course (web and software-based activities plus workshop activities). We expect 75% to 85% of participating teachers to be women. Thanks to local testing the project will reach about 1000 students in the 4 countries
produce a change in teaching approaches at all levels: at university level, improving professors’ science teaching approaches, also blending online and in presence courses, raising the efficacy of their courses
at university and school level, helping students in Initial Teacher Education, prospective and in-service teachers to be more motivated for and engaged in new imaginative teaching methods, will lead to innovation in primary and lower secondary school curricula
at primary and lower secondary school level, integrating the new creative teaching methods in the current didactical practices, will encourage students to take care of the environment and to help tackle climate change and promote conscious technological change
PLATFORM
VISIT THE INTERACTIVE IMAGINATIVE PLATFORM
The Project is funded by the European Commission in the framework of Erasmus+ programme KA220-HED – Cooperation partnerships in higher education
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.