Cooperation among schools …on environmental topics Part one – Local level

Water Note N.12 on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive A Common Task: Public Participation in River Basin Management Planning “European citizens have a key role to play in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. The directive calls for the public to be informed and involved in the preparation of river basin management plans, which identify measures to improve water quality. Public input will help Member States balance environmental, economic and social priorities in these plans.”

Why cooperation? Specific benefits for teachers (I) Contacts with teachers who work in different schools (technical and scientific training and up-dating) Sharing of resources and high standard professionalisms Common projects, introducing different aspects of the same environmental topics into the curricula

Why cooperation? Specific benefits for teachers (II) Experimenting different teaching methods (co-operative or collaborative learning, peer-tutoring) Sharing experiences in international projects and cultural exchanges

Why cooperation? Specific benefits for students (I) High increase in motivation: - with peer-tutoring activities: - with “solving problems” connected to environment and their territory - cooperating with friends of the same territory - with different learning-style Better consciousness of their own personal vocation and/or relationship skills To play a role in the community

Why cooperation? In general… To exchange knowledge and to improve sensitivity to specific environmental topics or emergencies To share/compare data and information To reinforce the contacts with the business community and with research and work training centres To reinforce the contacts with the local authorities

Why cooperation? Specific benefits for students (II) Increase of scientific approach, using tools, laboratories and lessons/tutorials offered from other schools Opportunity to share and compare data and infos To know personally the schools/university, as opportunities offered by the territory

How to cooperate at local level? Connecting to an existing network: ask if in your territory there is a school with plays the role of coordinator for environmental projects Becoming a local network coordinator: if your school and team is well- structured offering a technical/knowledge support

Methodology for a local network management (I) Select a common theme, i.e.“water” Give a “structure” to the network, with aims, outcomes, rules and responsibilities (not compulsory to have an official agreement) Consider how different schools, based on their specific curriculum guidelines, can participate to the project

Methodology for a local network management (II) Consider the availability of time, human resources, money in planning actions Possibly, search for it! Are the project at local level supported by.. Ministry, local community, national/regional environment agencies, private foundations…?

Methodology for a local network management (III) Plan some official meetings during the school-year (planning, monitoring, evaluating) Plan (quick) teacher training actions, to support the activities with students Plan how to share resources (labs, tools) Plan some common events, where schools can meet each other Plan an event inside the community

Problems with network at local level There are not… if activities are correctly planned You can re-arrange your own network or your role inside it, in order to fit your necessity and possibilities

Cooperation among schools …on environmental topics Part two – International level

Why cooperation? In general… To develop a topic (Water in this case…) with a path common to different EU countries To give the chance to students to experiment and become aware that river basin management and water protection is a supranational problem

Water Note 1 Joining Forces for Europe's Shared Waters: Coordination in international river basin districts The European Union is a land of shared waters. About 60% of the EU's surface area lies in river basins that cross at least one national border, and all Member States except Cyprus and Malta contain sections of at least one international river basin district (IRBD). Under the Water Framework Directive, each Member State is responsible for implementation in the portion of an IRBD lying within its territory and should coordinate these actions with the the other Member States in the district.

To know more about the implementing of Water framework directive in different countries To learn more about best practise in Water management in EU To build-up the awareness of a common European feeling in environmental management, in spite of the differences between countries

Water Note 7 Intercalibration: A common scale for Europe's waters Parts of The Tagliamento River (Italy) presenting high and good ecological status have been used for the intercalibration of Alpine Rivers Arno Mohl, WWF Austria …The goal of intercalibration is not to establish common assessment systems. Each Member State chooses its own methods according to the provisions of the directive. Intercalibration ensures that the different national systems achieve comparable results.

At last, but not least… The opportunity to communicate in foreign languages The chance to communicate at distance with IT-tools and experiment the use of technology and web in working (according to Lisbona key- competencies)

How to cooperate at trans- national level? (I) Subscribe a didactical project in one of the international programs such FYR FYR is open to everybody, if they log-in (not all the international projects are open) FYR permits to create an easy partnership No special resources are required Few tools to permit the field activities

How to cooperate at trans- national level? (II) to link a virtual partnership with a real students’ exchange FUNDING Long Lifelearning Programme (LLP) Comenius – Gruntvig Inter-reg transborder projects Local (regional) grants

Issues with network at international level Searching for partners not always succesfull Strict planning of projects Official agreements and rules Working without knowing the partners is not so motivating for students