The EcoPodcasts Network (PR5)
The EcoPodcasts Network aims to exploit the EcoPodcasts project's outcomes within existing open access initiatives, along with the integration and networking with a range of infrastructures and users at European and worldwide level.
The use and promotion via media friendly to generations Y and Z will be also supported. In particular, the data visualization will be used to support storytelling and to monitor proposed actions for change. The same tool will also allow to mainstream sound messages on social media, without breeching privacy of the participants and their sensitiveness or believes.
Outcomes planned for the EcoPodcasts Network aims to:
. Support teachers from primary and secondary education apply the EcoPodcasts curriculum and offer training on how to measure own actions towards actions environmental attitudes change and system thinking.
. Offer teachers a pathway to discuss the use of open access social media as a tool for synthetizing, sharing and learning.
. Sustain students in a healthy approach to open access social media, showcasing their work and returning measurable feedback at worldwide level.
. Interlink the EcoPodcasts with other experiences, to take mutual inspiration and further ideas, establishing a positive loop which will remain after the completion of the project.
. Support other school disciplines, e.g. art for the data visualization or the participation to environmental science actions requiring pictures, and maths for the analysis of reaches and engagements in social media.
. Establish connections with European Research Infrastructures, paving the way for a long lasting tie between primary education and climate change education supporting R&D at European level. The network will in synthesis link the EcoPodcasts with the outside world, suggesting inspirational experiences and tools, inter-linking them in the online open access environment (like bloggers to follow, suggestions for reading on specific problems, identification of specific issues and solutions).
In terms of innovation, the EcoPodcasts Network aims to become an active reference for the educational community. It will engage teachers and students that will be both transformed into learners, users and producers. The support in the use of a range of social media for the communication of EcoPodcasts vision will serve as a training of youngest generation in the use of social media as tools for bringing social change and sustainable lifestyle. The integration of climate change related topics and the participation to community-based actions at school level, with the engagement of teachers across school disciplines to produce open access media suitable material will also grant a significant innovation.
The participation of members in the network, will be monitored, in terms of reaches, engagements, followers as well as qualitatively evaluated after the release of single outcomes (a post; a tweet; a podcast) with a standard one-week interval. These results will be periodically shared with the EcoPodcasts community and serve as a tool for self-evaluation, and to identify gaps or leverage points, establishing a constructive and dynamic environment for co-learning. The established network is expected to last beyond the completion of the project.