Geoschools Final Conference
Location: Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
Date: 11 March 2025
Host: Ali Çağlar Anadolu Lisesi in collaboration with Afyon Kocatepe University
The final conference was the concluding event of the GeoSchools project, bringing together all partners for a day of reflection, sharing, and celebration. Held at the Afyon Kocatepe University Küçükkurt Conference Hall, the event welcomed over 100 participants, including educators, students, local authorities, and school leaders from the region. The conference focused on sharing the outcomes and lessons of the GeoSchools project with a wider audience. It highlighted the value of international cooperation, place-based learning, and creative student involvement in climate education.
Purpose and Highlights
The purpose of the final conference was to present the key results of the Geoschools project, including the student-designed board game, the multilingual teaching booklet, and the shared Geoschool Policy developed by all partners. The event provided a platform for students to take the lead in sharing their experiences, showcasing their work, and engaging the audience through interactive presentations and games. Each country offered national perspectives on how climate change education and geoscience were addressed in their schools and regions, especially through collaboration with local UNESCO Global Geoparks. The conference played a vital role in strengthening the project’s dissemination efforts and encouraged further cooperation beyond the formal end of the project. It concluded with a celebration of shared achievements and a certificate ceremony honouring the contributions of both students and educators.
Summary of Presentations
Iceland – GeoCamp Iceland [PDF]
Arnbjörn Ólafsson, Managing Director of GeoCamp Iceland, gave a presentation titled “Innovative Teaching of Climate Change: Lessons from Iceland.” It explored how Icelandic schools use local geothermal and volcanic landscapes for climate education. The talk also highlighted the importance of renewable energy and place-based learning in fostering environmental awareness among students.
Poland – Szkoła Podstawowa w Barcianach [PDF]
Polish teachers and students presented examples of geoactivities used in the classroom to promote sustainability. Their focus was on water systems, local biodiversity, and glacial landscapes. They also shared reflections on the student collaboration that led to the first version of the board game.
Romania – Colegiul Național Tudor Vladimirescu [PDF]
Dumitru Nicolae delivered a session on the role of fossils and paleontology in climate education. He introduced how students explored climate history through the Hațeg UNESCO Global Geopark and how those insights were turned into engaging educational content. Romanian students also shared their experience designing educational posters and participating in the Erasmus Forest tree planting.
Turkey – Ali Çağlar Anadolu Lisesi [PDF]
The Turkish team presented a multimedia overview of the entire Geoschools journey. They shared videos, reflections from students, and showcased their own contributions to the board game and webinar series. The presentation included an interactive climate quiz and visual demonstration of student-led activities such as clean-up campaigns and workshops.
Additional Activities
The conference served as both a showcase and a launching point for the continued use of Geoschools materials in classrooms, teacher training, and community outreach. It reflected the spirit of the entire project: student-centred, collaborative, and grounded in local and global action for climate education.
Press Coverage [link]
Date: 11 March 2025
Host: Ali Çağlar Anadolu Lisesi in collaboration with Afyon Kocatepe University
The final conference was the concluding event of the GeoSchools project, bringing together all partners for a day of reflection, sharing, and celebration. Held at the Afyon Kocatepe University Küçükkurt Conference Hall, the event welcomed over 100 participants, including educators, students, local authorities, and school leaders from the region. The conference focused on sharing the outcomes and lessons of the GeoSchools project with a wider audience. It highlighted the value of international cooperation, place-based learning, and creative student involvement in climate education.
Purpose and Highlights
The purpose of the final conference was to present the key results of the Geoschools project, including the student-designed board game, the multilingual teaching booklet, and the shared Geoschool Policy developed by all partners. The event provided a platform for students to take the lead in sharing their experiences, showcasing their work, and engaging the audience through interactive presentations and games. Each country offered national perspectives on how climate change education and geoscience were addressed in their schools and regions, especially through collaboration with local UNESCO Global Geoparks. The conference played a vital role in strengthening the project’s dissemination efforts and encouraged further cooperation beyond the formal end of the project. It concluded with a celebration of shared achievements and a certificate ceremony honouring the contributions of both students and educators.
Summary of Presentations
Iceland – GeoCamp Iceland [PDF]
Arnbjörn Ólafsson, Managing Director of GeoCamp Iceland, gave a presentation titled “Innovative Teaching of Climate Change: Lessons from Iceland.” It explored how Icelandic schools use local geothermal and volcanic landscapes for climate education. The talk also highlighted the importance of renewable energy and place-based learning in fostering environmental awareness among students.
Poland – Szkoła Podstawowa w Barcianach [PDF]
Polish teachers and students presented examples of geoactivities used in the classroom to promote sustainability. Their focus was on water systems, local biodiversity, and glacial landscapes. They also shared reflections on the student collaboration that led to the first version of the board game.
Romania – Colegiul Național Tudor Vladimirescu [PDF]
Dumitru Nicolae delivered a session on the role of fossils and paleontology in climate education. He introduced how students explored climate history through the Hațeg UNESCO Global Geopark and how those insights were turned into engaging educational content. Romanian students also shared their experience designing educational posters and participating in the Erasmus Forest tree planting.
Turkey – Ali Çağlar Anadolu Lisesi [PDF]
The Turkish team presented a multimedia overview of the entire Geoschools journey. They shared videos, reflections from students, and showcased their own contributions to the board game and webinar series. The presentation included an interactive climate quiz and visual demonstration of student-led activities such as clean-up campaigns and workshops.
Additional Activities
- A short video recap of all four mobilities
- Interactive demonstration of the board game
- Climate-themed Twister-style activity and quiz
- Certificate ceremony and closing remarks from the host school and university representatives
The conference served as both a showcase and a launching point for the continued use of Geoschools materials in classrooms, teacher training, and community outreach. It reflected the spirit of the entire project: student-centred, collaborative, and grounded in local and global action for climate education.
Press Coverage [link]
