99 citizens, authorities, universities and other ENSInetwork schools. 4. T he technical aspect: a diversity of information and communication technology (ICT ) related tools to enhance learning and interaction (i.e. Smart Board, emails, videos, photos, web pages). 5. T he didactic-pedagogical aspect: the most important environment was the ‘attitude of open mindedness’, as well as collaborative knowledge building and quality education. Learning Packages The goal of the Encounters project was to ensure that development and ESD take place as part of a school’s daily life. To reach the objective, five learning packages were created taking into account all dimensions of sustainable development, including: - T he ecological dimension: biodiversity, ecosystem function and interaction, environmental exploration, human responsibility and influence, environmentfriendly practices in everyday life, and the relationship with the nature. - T he economic dimension: energy and water saving, sorting and recycling, consumption, equity, and procurement. - T he social dimension: well-being, relationships, respect, safety, equality, participation and influence, finding the joy of learning, empowerment, discovery, and systemic, criticial and innovative thinking. - T he cultural dimension: traditions, roots, multiculturalism, justice, tolerance, science and art. The learning packages help children develop their perception of the socio-cultural history of the area. They learn to perceive the relationship between man and nature; to see how the activities of various age groups affect nature; how people learn differently; and how to approach differences. Finally they learn to understand how sustainable ways of life make a difference in building the future. 14 Box 1 Learning Packages: Ancient Espoo helps to build empathy with nature, its moods and seasonal changes. In ancient time, nature was respected and appreciated. This package combines art, music and history (mythical stories) into a fascinating entity. It allows students to become familiar with their own roots, and cultural history. Also, in other cultural areas, students can identify with the history of their native country. The units cover the cultural sustainability of the region and consist of six workshops. The package is carried out in collaboration with the Espoo City Museum and Art Center Pikku Aurora. Medieval Espoo helps build an understanding of how human beings are dependent on nature, including soil, water and forest areas. The package familiarises students with medieval times, both ordinary life in those times and special occasions. Medieval people were strongly linked to their environments, their land and the forest. Students learn about medieval occupations in different workshops and also come to understand how life changes over time and how one might deal with those changes. They also learn the history of the region and how Espoo came to be what it is today. The package is carried out in collaboration with the Espoo City Museum and the Museum of Finnish Theatre. Espoo’s 550th anniversary, in the spring of 2008, was part of the learning. Nuuksio National Park helps build a relationship with nature. It is important for individuals to have their own experiences in nature, thereby creating the basis for a future relationship. This package includes a comprehensive experience of Nuuksio nature during different seasons. The aim is to confirm a participant’s relationship to nature through their own experiences and help them to understand how man is dependent on nature: soil, air, water and energy. The package includes instructions on how to learn about Nuuksio through stories, art and history. Nuuksio’s natural surroundings also provide an ideal setting for nature photography during different seasons. The package gives instructions for observation, exploration and even for nature tour organisations. The package is implemented in cooperation with the National Board of Forestry/Nuuksio team and deals with ecological sustainability. In the Encounters project, learning was seen in a sociocultural framework, as a process of transformations
Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity
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