TINKERING for sustainability at school

TINK@School

The project is co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme KA2 Cooperation Partnership project n° 2022-1-IS01-KA220-SCH-000087083

Mission

What we aim for?

The project envisages to use tinkering as an engaging experiential method to unlock the student’s creativity and support the teachers and schools in their efforts to design and apply meaningful interventions on sustainability and climate change topics.

TARGET-GROUP

Whom do we serve?

The project is designed to address the needs of audiences coming from both the formal and the non-formal education sector. The ultimate target group is students who will benefit from the application of the project activities.

TEACHERS

Teachers of late primary and early secondary level, with classes of students between 8 and 12 years. All specialities can be involved (STEAM relating, and beyond).

STAFF

The support and administration staff within and around an educational institution (e.g. caretakers, headmasters, curriculum designers, ESD officers etc).

NON FORMAL EDUCATION

Museum animators, facilitators in NGOs, science centres, as well as outdoor learing guides, etc. can all benefit from the project activities.

Climate Change

The complexities of climate change and sustainability challenges of today require holistic approaches in our educational methods combining science, but also culture and emotional learning.

The project supports learners in responding to vast global challenges through translating what may seem overwhelming into aspects (choices, habits, creations) of everyday school life. Within a collaborative setting, using tinkering, STEAM and real life problem solving the project aims to enable learners to grow up being eager and committed “change agents”.

Tinkering approach

Tinkering is a hands-on learning approach and way to develop understanding about the world. Learning through tinkering relies on direct experiences with real phenomena, things that learners can see and touch.

The apporach emphasizes the importance of the child’s play and exploration which is at the center of the learning experience. It all begins by playing with physical objects, engaging in an iterative process of trial and error, pursuing tentative ideas, and focusing on the process of discovery, rather than a final end product.

What is tinkering?

the method

Learning Dimensions of Tinkering one-pager This document outlines the five learning dimensions in one page. For each dimension specific indicators are used to help practitioners recognize and interpret learners’ behaviors.

Credits: Exploraturium | The Tinkering Studio | 2017

While Tinkering activities vary in their style and content, they have 6 common core features:  

1. Tangible / Hands on

Something physical is created using various tools and materials.

2. Atmosphere

The atmosphere should be playful, innovative and creative. 

3. Personalised learning

Learners follow their interests and can therefore pursue their own path of learning. 

4. Outcomes

Outcomes are highly variable and sometimes unexpected.

5. Goals

Although a broad goal is given at the start, while Tinkering learners can add or set their own goals. Therefore, they can progress through the activity in a way that is interesting and personally meaningful to them.

6. Trying things out

The learner works on the activity by trying things out: They might start by improvising, but move to planning designing, testing, redesigning and refining.

A Word on

ESD

“We are increasingly asking if what people learn is truly relevant to their lives, if what they learn helps to ensure the survival of our planet. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can provide the knowledge, awareness and action that empower people to transform themselves and transform societies.”

– Stefania Giannini

Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO

Calendar

Past and upcoming events

Find a calendar of the activities taking place throughout the lifetime of the project TINK@School in the patner countries.

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NEWS

Our News & Announcements

Find below news from the project activities and other interesting articles relating to tinkering, sustainability and/or climate change. 

Tink@School Closing Event

Tink@School Closing Event

The Tink@School closing conference and last Partners’ Meeting was organised and kindly hosted at the University of Iceland, in Reykjavik, between 25 and 27 September. On September 25th, Partners gathered at the “Iceland Ocean Cluster” to discuss implemetation of the...

Tinkering with 3rd grade students in Athens

Tinkering with 3rd grade students in Athens

On the occasion of the upcoming end-of-school year ceremony, the teacher of the 3rd grade of the 70th Primary School of Athens , who was actively involved all activities of MIO-ECSDE, had the idea to hold a fun tinkering "competition" for parents and students...

Get In Touch

Wish to get in contact with any of the partners?
Find their emails in the respective section

Wish to contact the webpage admibistrarors?
Email: info@medies.net