Category Archives: tools

TECCHED project results get a full score

10 March 2025climate, Project, toolsKarl Donert

The TECCHED project was completed at the end of 2024. It has recently been awarded a full score in the evaluation of the project results.

TECCHED was developed based on the need that most teacher training faculty members were concerned that they did not feel prepared enough to teach about climate change, and as a result they were not confident in teaching it.

TECCHED has addressed this by developing a digital learning platform in which faculty members are able to freely examine the content of online training modules as well as teaching tools and resources to prepare themselves to confidently teach about climate in their own courses.

The platform helps them by increasing their knowledge about the topic and providing pedagogical skills related to teaching climate to their students.

TECCHED also prepared an online, media-enriched, interactive climate book as an open-access resource for faculty members to use in their own courses.

Faculty members were also aware that the teacher training curriculum did not foster the “character and values” of their pre-service teachers.

TECCHED has therefore designed a technology-enhanced curriculum for character and values development, meeting faculty members’ curricular needs in terms of teaching an affective domain of climate change through a technology-enhanced curriculum.

TECCHED thus encouraged innovative practices, as it focuses on climate change, as the most important global and ecological challenge.

Visit the Project results
digital learning platform
enriched, interactive climate book
technology-enhanced curriculum
technology teaching tools

Where do teachers find the resources for teaching Climate change?

19 January 2025climate, Project, research, schools, toolsKarl Donert

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and teachers play a crucial role in educating the next generation about it. However, with the vast amount of information available online, it can be challenging for teachers to find reliable and accurate sources of information on climate change.

Research undertaken in preparation for the TECCHED project showed that most teachers rely on television reports and social media to get information on climate change, however unbiased reporting is not very common on many new channels and there have been many disinformation and misinformation campaigns spread on social media.

FInd out more about these issues.

To address this challenge, many teachers turn to trusted sources such as government agencies, scientific organisations, and educational institutions. For example, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a website called Climate.gov that provides a wealth of information on climate science, including articles, data, and multimedia resources. Teachers can use this website to access reliable and up-to-date information on climate change to incorporate into their lessons. The European Commission has an EU Science Hub on climate change and has established the EU Climate Pact to encourage people to build a more sustainable Europe.

The Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe is Europe’s leading NGO coalition. It aims to fight dangerous climate change misinformation. It has more than 170 member organisations active in 38 European countries, representing in excess of 1.500 NGOs and more than 47million citizens, CAN Europe promotes sustainable climate, energy and development policies throughout Europe.

The European Climate Foundation (ECF) is a major philanthropic initiative working to help tackle the climate crisis by fostering the development of a net-zero emission society at the national, European, and global level. The ECF supports over 700 partner organisations to carry out activities that drive urgent and ambitious policy in support of the objectives of the Paris Agreement, contribute to the public debate on climate action, and help deliver a socially responsible transition to a net-zero economy and sustainable society in Europe and around the world.

Another source of information is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is an organisation that brings together scientists and policymakers from around the world to assess the state of knowledge on climate change. The IPCC produces reports that summarise the latest research on climate change and its impacts, which teachers can use to stay informed and incorporate into their curriculum.

Educational institutions such as universities and research centres are also valuable sources of information for teachers. They often have specialised departments or programs dedicated to climate science that provide access to cutting-edge research and resources for teachers to use in their classrooms.

In addition to these sources, there are also numerous non-profit organisations that focus on climate education, such as the Climate Reality Project and Action for Climate Emergency. These organisations offer a range of resources, including lesson plans, webinars, and professional development opportunities, to help teachers incorporate climate education into their curriculum.

By staying informed and up-to-date on the latest research and information, teachers can help their students understand the science behind climate change and the importance of taking action to address it.using the TECCHED interactive e-book

Find out more about learning, tools, resources and information from the TECCHED Learning Platform

Bringing resources, tools and training for climate education

4 January 2025climate, data, Project, toolsKarl Donert

The TECCHED project is set in the context of the European Green Deal and the Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

TECCHED is based on the need to tackle the climate emergency and ecological crisis by ensuring the training of next generation teachers addresses climate issues.

Curriculum opportunities and relevant teaching approaches have been evaluated and a teacher education curriculum established. Gaps in content knowledge and innovative are encouraged that can be used in response to local issues.

TECCHED through its Learning Platform establishes access to tools and resources that makes scientific resources on climate change education available for teachers and educators. Visit the Learning Platform

TECCHED provides access to climate information through its Learning Platform with climate education projects, climate visualisations and multimedia tools. This provides access to reliable climate change data and maps for use in teacher training . Climate simulations and games have also been reviewed which encourages high engagement and deep affective learning to take place.

The project offers open access online teacher training for teachers through an interactive climate book to help them get informed and empowered to address the urgency of climate futures, understanding the background and science behind climate change.

The training resources encourage teachers to create opportunities for the critical assessment of information reliability and establish and use innovative approaches to teaching and learning about climate in curriculum areas and include interactive assessments at the end of each unit.

Explore the tools and resources on the TECCHED Learning Platform

Climate games and simulations for training teachers

18 November 2024climate, Project, publication, toolsKarl Donert

The TECCHED project promotes the use of innovative teaching and learning resources in education. The project has explored some useful simulations and visualisations as well and games that help present climate change issues.

Climate simulations use advanced models and digital tools to replicate Earth’s systems, enabling users to analyse and interpret climate patterns, predict impacts, and explore solutions for environmental challenges.

Gamification can be described as using the mechanics of gaming into non-game environments, like education to increase participation. The goal of gamification is to engage with participants to engage, involve, inspire and interact.

Gamification in teaching about climate change uses game-like elements, such as challenges, rewards, and interactive scenarios, to engage learners. It fosters critical thinking by simulating real-world climate issues, encouraging students to explore solutions. This approach enhances motivation, deepens understanding, and empowers learners to adopt sustainable behaviors in creative, impactful ways.

A catalogue of interactive visualisations, simulations and games has been created as part of the TECCHED learning platform.

Visit the catalogue of climate games and simulations

Recent research by Imperial College, London has shown that young people aged 16-24 are most likely to be particularly concerned about the impacts of climate change. This is partly because climate information is often hard to understand and follow, especially when suggested actions require changes in lifestyle.

A study on climate change anxiety published in the Lancet found that children and young people demonstrated climate anxiety and widespread dissatisfaction with government responses in countries across the world. This is partly because because the climate crisis is so complex and lacks a clear solution. Education clearly has a role to play in dealing with this.

Games on the subject of climate change are well-suited to address the challenge of dealing with the complex issues involved, engaging people in the challenges involved.

Games can help communicate climate change in a manner that spurs involvement and motivates participants to take action. This is partly because many innovative design features of games can be integrated to blur the boundaries between reality and the virtual world.

The integration of game thinking and game mechanics in education has been described as gamification. One of the central advantages of gamification is the enjoyment created by making tasks more engaging, fun and interesting to complete. In turn, that increases people’s motivation to complete them.

Research carried out by Yee (2016) identified six different game elements that motivate gamers and encourage participation.

+  Action (e.g., objectives)
+  Social (e.g., competition)
+  Mastery (e.g., scoring)
+  Achievement (e.g., awards, rewards)
+  Immersion (e.g., role playing) and
+  Creativity (e.g., customisation)

It is important to realise therefore that games and game-based learning are valuable approaches to teaching the complexity of addressing climate change and part of the toolbox that educators can use to engage young people.

Visit the innovative simulations and games.

EU Climate Academy course on effective climate communication

4 November 2024climate, event, tools, UncategorisedKarl Donert

EU Climate Action Academy has a new course focused on mastering effective climate communication to help get your message across. It is based on storytelling skills, connecting with your audience and getting them motivated to combat climate change, and handle difficult climate conversations.

The online course will be divided in two sessions:
* the first on Developing storytelling techniques on 18 November, 12.30 – 14.00 CET; and
* the second on Facilitating difficult climate conversations on 10 December, 12.30 – 14.00 CET.

**Only those who register for and attend the first session will be invited to join the second session.

Course content includes
* Effective climate communication: Why impactful communication is key to driving climate action.
* Storytelling hacks: How to craft powerful, engaging narratives that resonate and inspire action.
* Social media strategies: Best practices for using social media to amplify climate message and grow your network
* Tackling tough climate conversations: Pro tips for starting tricky conversations about climate change.
* Turning potential conflicts into meaningful engagement: how to boost understanding and climate action.
* Real world examples: climate communication campaigns and learn how to apply these tactics yourself.

Find out more about and join the EU Climate Pact

TECCHED Dissemination in Lithuania

26 October 2024climate, event, Project, toolsKarl Donert

On October 23 2024 Vytautas Magnus University Education Academy held a dissemination event for the Erasmus+ KA220 program project TECHCHED “Technology Enhanced Climate Change Curriculum Design.

The meeting was attended by students of the Vytautas Magnus University Master’s study program “Inclusive education: social industries“, as well as university teachers, pedagogues, politicians and other social partners.

The dissemination event of the TECHCHED project was organized in a mixed way, combining contact and remote participation.

Effective teaching tools for solving global challenges developed in the international cooperation project TECHCHED were discussed at the media event: with lesson plans, digital book and the teaching platform. Visit the toolkit

This TECHCHED project dissemination event was one of a series of training activities on climate change that will take place in 2024. in the months of September – November, they are implemented in the project’s partner institutions.

The international project is implemented by Vytautas the Great University (Lithuania), Ruse University (Bulgaria), EUROGEO (Belgium), EOLAS (Spain), Liepaja University (Latvia), Bitlis Eren University (Turkey), Ege University (Turkey).

Erasmus+ KA220 initiative TECHCHED “Technology Enhanced Climate Change Curriculum Design” is supported by the European Commission.

More about TECCHED learning materials

Using a climate data dashboard in schools

12 September 2024case study, climate, data, schools, toolsKarl Donert

Climate data is a crucial resource we should use in education, its visualisation enhances understanding and engagement with complex environmental issues.

The Teaching the Future project has provided access to authentic original climate data using global datasets from scientists and the latest European data from the Copernicus project.

There are several key aspects that teachers and educators should consider:
Enhanced Understanding: Climate data is often vast and complex, encompassing various parameters at different spatial scales. Visual representations, from data dashboards, offers graphs, charts, and maps, which help simplify this complexity, making patterns and trends more discernible. Students can quickly grasp the progression of climate change, which might be less apparent through raw data alone.
Engagement and Retention: Visual aids capture attention and make learning more interactive. Educational psychology suggests that visual learning can significantly enhance memory retention. When students see data in a visual format showing rising global temperatures, they are more likely to remember and understand these concepts. Data from climate models and simulations further increase engagement by allowing students to consider the future and potential outcomes.
Critical Thinking and Analysis: Visualising climate data encourages critical thinking. Students learn to interpret data, identify trends, and draw conclusions. Students can explore cause-and-effect relationships between human activities and climate change. This analytical skill helps in developing informed opinions and considering solutions.
Communication and Advocacy: Effective communication of climate science is essential for public awareness and policy advocacy. Visual data is a powerful communication tool that transcends language barriers and can be understood by a wide audience. Students experienced in visualising and interpreting climate data are better equipped to convey complex information succinctly and persuasively.
Real-World Applications: Incorporating climate data visualisation in education prepares students for real-world challenges. Many professions increasingly rely on data visualisation to inform decisions and strategies. By mastering these skills early, students can contribute meaningfully to addressing climate change in their future careers.

Visualising climate data is therefore fundamental to enhance comprehension, engagement, critical thought and communication skills. The data dashboards transform abstract data into meaningful insights, empowering students to understand and address the pressing issue of climate change.

Access the Climate Data Dashboards

A training module is available to help you and your students navigate the data.

European Green Competence Framework published

1 June 2024publication, toolsKarl Donert

The development of a European sustainability competence framework GreenComp is one of the key education policy actions set out in the European Green Deal. This seeks to act as a catalyst to promote learning on environmental sustainability in the European Union.

GreenComp identifies a set of twelve sustainability competences to feed into education programmes to help learners develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that promote ways to think, plan and take action.

The GreenComp competences are organised into four inter-related ‘areas’, applicable to learners all ages, education levels and settings:
– embodying sustainability values,
– embracing complexity in sustainability,
– envisioning sustainable futures, and
– acting for sustainability.

Access here GreenComp in 24 EU official languages

GreenComp is a reference model for sustainability competences. It provides a common basis to learners and guidance to educators and institutions. It can be used by everyone involved in lifelong learning to design learning opportunities aimed at developing sustainability competences.

GreenComp fosters a sustainability mindset by helping users develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to think, plan and act with empathy, responsibility and care for our planet.

Access the article: From sustainability competences (GreenComp) to sustainable behaviour

GreenComp can be readily applied to the TECCHED curriculum approach to climate change education for teacher training.

Partners publish first TECCHED videos

25 May 2024event, Project, toolsKarl Donert

TECCHED is an Erasmus Plus project that aims to design and implement a technology-enhanced global climate change curriculum for teacher education programs that fosters the development of character and values.

In order to achieve this, TECCHED has;

– designed and started to implement a technology-enhanced climate change curriculum in partner universdities. The purpose is to raise awareness in teacher education programs of the importance of fighting against climate change. The curriculum seeks to foster the development of skills and values for responsible and active citizenship.

– produced resources in an interactive e-book that helps teach scientific knowledge about climate change and which foster ‘character and values’ development of student teachers regarding climate change. This is supported by appropriate pedagogical approaches and valuable tools and technologies through a technology cataloguue.

– design the curriculum for technology-enhanced teaching of climate change that fosters character and values development in education faculties,

The ‘character and values’ help individuals to make responsible decisions about global socio-scientific issues such as climate change. They include developing an ecological worldview (humans are embedded in the environment), socio-scientific accountability by taking socio political actions, social and moral compassion (feeling empathy and respect for others.

The work of partners has been highlighted by short videos of the work of partners in meetings and sessions with staff and students. Go to the videos

Technology tools for teaching about climate

22 April 2024case study, climate, Project, toolsKarl Donert

As part of the TECCHED Project, partners have researched, selected and assessed a large number of technology tools useful for teacher training and teaching in secondary schools. Twenty seven tools of these tools were selected for further analysis and review.

The tools were then classified as either generic or climate-specific. The reviews of these tools have been catalogued and are published on the TECCHED Web site as part of the Learning Platform.

The climate-specific tools include information sites, apps and Web sites with climate data and dashboards, climate games and simulations.

Visit the Catalogue of technological tools.

Visit the Project results digital learning platform enriched, interactive climate book technology-enhanced curriculum technology teaching tools

Find out more about learning, tools, resources and information from the TECCHED Learning Platform

Visit the Project results
digital learning platform
enriched, interactive climate book
technology-enhanced curriculum
technology teaching tools