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The initial stimulus to launch the project “It´s Time to Care” (ITTC) was successful cooperation among 6 European Eco-schools in “It´s Time to Help” (ITTH). ITTC deepened and extended ITTH´s outputs and results and we used gained knowledge, skills and data to achieve continuity in environmental learning and teaching in partner schools. ITTC joined more than 1500 students (11-16 years old), teachers from Eco-schools in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Portugal, former students, future teachers and their tutors, experts from secondary/tertiary educational levels, Eco-organisations, national parks, Eco/Science centres and town representatives and entrepreneurs. It used methodology of international Eco-School Programme in 7 steps (analysis,plan,monitoring,evaluation,informing,involving and dissemination) in line with European 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. All partner schools intertwined the ideas of SDGs into school curricula. ITTC supported it and offered ways and means in practical way. ITTC dealt with problems defined in ITTH. We focused on deeper analyses of ITTC topics and possible answers and solutions to proven conditions in partner schools´ environments. All partners worked on: sustainable water, sustainable power sources, sustainable towns, sustainable society, climate changes and sustainable use of land. ITTC objectives followed SDGs (more cooperation, think more about other people and respect the environment).ITTC´s aims were to intertwine theory and practice in education and encourage teaching of Science and Technology, i.e. develop working skills, support collaborative learning/teaching to increase motivation for lifelong learning and prevent the risk of early school leaving, improve communicative and ICT competences and language learning strategies.For teachers, ITTC offered development and improvement of their professional skills and qualifications to increase the effectiveness of teaching or to gain competences to start follow-up activities aiming at long-lasting sustainability of ITTC and further schools/local communities development. Each school ran websites, cooperated with Eco-organisations, deputies, experts from secondary/tertiary spheres and praxis, organised school-team meetings, did analyses on topics and informed about the events and ITTC activities.The host school organised the meeting (but Malta, due to Covid 19 it was canceled), where all participants worked in a team, took part in ordinary school life, attended workshops, presented data, suggested solutions to problems, exchanged experience, gathered materials for results and evaluated actual work. There were lectures on developing teachers´ professional competences such as constructivist teaching methods, methods of leading students to develop a conceptual framework and problem solving skills and also their future professional life.The evaluation and dissemination were done regularly before and after meetings. All partners took part in webinars and organized events for the public/school community. 6 ITTC´s banners, 6 photo-banners,ITTC website, school websites, eTwinning and info-corners were created. 6 e-Methodologies,6 e-Manuals, 6 e-Video-libraries were compiled. The Interactive map of Europe and digital storage device “Help, Care … and Live Sustainably” were completed. Extra Short-term joint staff training event was held. It focused on practicality, teaching skills and competences of teachers connected with Developmental Continuum in Environmental Education and support of follow-up activities aimed at long-term sustainability of the project ITTC contributed to polytechnic and cross-curricular education in schools. It enabled students to develop talent, knowledge, skills and competences and be active.Teachers shared experience, teaching ideas and procedures. ITTC led all participants that sustainable growth is the only way how to save the Earth for future generations. STEAM concept was the integral part of ITTC. Cooperation among primary, secondary and tertiary/higher education was mutually contributory. Our students had a chance to verify their preconceptions and obtained adequate evidence of scientific phenomena through practical research education and measurements. Students-future teachers tried teaching/learning methods in practice under supervision of their tutors who analysed students-future teachers´ work, evaluated whether theory was in accordance with practice and at the same time verified if methods and methodology of preparing students-future teachers for future job were effective and efficient.Cooperation with enterprisers enabled students to realize that knowledge and skills gained from school would never be enough. Research and development is not going to stop so students have to be prepared for their lifelong learning.It offers chance to gather stimuli from real life, focus on future professional development and motivate for further active participation in everyday life.
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