VIRTUE-s (Virtual Interactive Resources and Tools in Universal Education-of the Sea), a three years Erasmus+ funded project,focuses on developing innovative, digital and practical tools to increase the quality of teaching natural sciences using ocean-based examples. The methodology used is simple and inexpensive: discs for fouling experiments in the sea.

VIRTUE was born in Sweden in the 70s as a national marine school project. Based on this project, the VIRTUE-s project emerged. VIRTUE-s focuses on developing innovative, digital and practical tools to increase the quality of teaching natural sciences using ocean-based examples. It is a tool for enabling students to take initiative and carry out experiments with aquatic environments. The project provides the opportunity to take an investigate approach to one’s work, setting up experiments, carrying out measurements in the field, classroom or laboratory and interpret and report the results. Furthermore, the methodology used is simple and inexpensive: discs for fouling experiments in the sea.

Why VIRTUE-s?

• It is suitable for all ages, from kindergarten to adult education, and it is easy to get started
• I can be used in several subjects at school
• It can help to establish contact with other schools around Europe
• The tests can be carried out in both saltwater and freshwater

Partners involved in the project

VIRTUE-s has eight partners (five scientific partners and three school partners) from Sweden, Germany, Spain and USA. The scientific partners are the University of Gothenburg, GEOMAR, Hogskolan Vast , University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and SUBMON. The school partners are Öckerö seglande gymnasieskola, Hebbelschule Kiel and Daina-Isard .

Activities that will take place

In the course of the project, different activities are taking place, including a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), two teacher training courses and different videos created by the schools partners. Also, VIRTUE-s teaching packages are created based in the methodology of the project to help teachers implement the project at their schools.  All the material will be developed in five different languages (English, German, Swedish, Spanish and Catalan).

SUBMON is the partner in charge of the MOOC’s development, which consist in a series of Webinars on the following topics: introduction to VIRTUE-s and its materials, marine biofouling and biodiversity, Ocean Literacy and how to organise hands on activities in the classroom that will be held next year.

Furthermore, SUBMON will be the VIRTUE-s hub in Spain.

Would you like to have more information? You can write us an email to proyectos@submon.org

Follow the project in social media with the hashtag #VIRTUESeaProject