On November 4th, Luxembourg Creative Lab (LCL) hosted a pivotal hands-on training session in Luxembourg, marking an essential step in the Erasmus+ co-funded project, Green Horizons. This event brought together a dynamic mix of professionals from the Cultural and Creative Sector (CCS) and renowned climate change experts to test and validate the initial results of the project. The collaborative session fostered a unique synergy among experts, educators, and freelancers, contributing significantly to the project’s progress and refinement.

About the Green Horizons Project

Green Horizons aims to equip educators and learners with tools and methodologies that align with sustainability-focused education, as outlined in GreenComp: The European sustainability competence framework. The project emphasizes integrating sustainability practices into the curriculum and supporting educators with comprehensive resources to deliver impactful lessons. Key components of the project include the Green Insight: Harmonizing Educational Practices with GreenComp Competencies, the Online Assessment Tool Framework, and the Online Assessment Tool.

The Training Session: A Day of Collaboration and Insight

The hands-on training held at LCL on November 4th was a significant milestone for Green Horizons. The event was designed to test and validate the early outcomes of the project while fostering an environment of shared learning and improvement. LCL brought together freelancers from the CCS—creative minds who bring practical experience and innovation—as well as two high-qualified experts in climate change mitigation. This mix of creative professionals and experts facilitated a balanced discussion of educational practices and environmental sustainability.

The session was also enhanced by the participation of High School Educational Technologies, a key partner who joined the meeting online, offering their unique perspective and contributing to the discussion on implementing these educational tools in high school settings.

Key Results Discussed and Updated

During the session, the following project components were thoroughly examined, tested, and updated based on collective feedback:

1. Green Insight: Harmonizing Educational Practices with GreenComp Competencies

This component of the project aims to ensure that educational practices align with the core competencies defined by GreenComp. The training session allowed participants to assess the effectiveness of these practices and their applicability in real-world educational scenarios. The experts and CCS freelancers provided insights into how to adapt teaching methods to better reflect GreenComp’s sustainability principles, leading to valuable recommendations for enhancing this component.

2. Online Assessment Tool Framework

The Online Assessment Tool Framework was presented and tested, with attendees exploring its practical application in assessing the integration of sustainability practices in educational settings. The tool’s framework was praised for its potential to guide educators in refining their teaching methods by providing specific, actionable feedback. Participants noted the importance of ensuring that the framework is intuitive and adaptable, particularly in creative environments where learning is often project-based and hands-on.

3. Online Assessment Tool

The Online Assessment Tool itself was a focal point of the training. Designed to capture learner feedback and measure the impact of sustainability-based learning (SBL) initiatives, the tool was put through real-time simulations. Feedback from the session highlighted areas for improvement, such as enhancing user experience and ensuring that the tool could effectively measure the key categories of Relevance, Feasibility, Community Impact, Creativity, and Behavior Change. Updates were made to the tool’s scoring system and functionality to ensure it delivers accurate and constructive feedback for educators.

Synergy and Success of the Meeting

The hands-on training showcased the power of interdisciplinary collaboration. The combination of CCS freelancers, climate change experts, and educational partners resulted in a rich exchange of ideas. The freelancers brought a creative and practical lens, suggesting real-world applications for integrating sustainability into various CCS projects. The climate change experts provided evidence-based insights that reinforced the importance of teaching sustainability in a way that inspires both awareness and action.

The online participation of High School Educational Technologies added an invaluable perspective, emphasizing how these tools could be scaled and adapted for use in different educational contexts. Their feedback on potential challenges and opportunities in high school settings was instrumental in fine-tuning the project’s direction.

Benefits for the Green Horizons Project

The success of this collaborative training session has several significant benefits for the Green Horizons project:

• Enhanced Tools and Frameworks: The feedback and testing allowed for immediate updates to the Online Assessment Tool Framework and the Online Assessment Tool, making them more robust and user-friendly.
• Broader Perspective: The inclusion of experts and freelancers from diverse backgrounds brought new ideas and practical strategies for integrating sustainability into education.
• Strengthened Partnerships: The event reinforced partnerships between LCL, climate change experts, CCS freelancers, and educational partners. This strengthened network will continue to support the project’s development and implementation.
• Improved Educational Outcomes: By refining these tools, Green Horizons is better positioned to help educators integrate sustainability into their curriculum, ultimately leading to more impactful and effective learning experiences for students.

Looking Ahead

The Green Horizons project will continue to build on the momentum of this successful training session. The refined tools and updated practices will be piloted further, ensuring they are ready for broader adoption across schools and VET programs in the CCS. The collaborative spirit that defined the November 4th session will remain at the heart of the project as it moves toward its goal of fostering sustainability-focused education across Europe.

The hands-on training hosted by Luxembourg Creative Lab was a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in education. By bringing together creative professionals, experts, and educational partners, the project has taken a significant step forward in harmonizing educational practices with GreenComp competencies and ensuring that educators have the resources they need to inspire the next generation of environmentally conscious leaders.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Anefore asbl. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.