Once the kick-off webinar on 18 September is over, the actual course pages will open.
The main part of this course (Chapters II, III, IV) consists of a series of activities in which you assume the role of a 17- to 19-year-old student. You will operate in the framework of a fictitious island in the south of Europe.
The broader narrative within which this course sits concerns plans to develop the island - which has always been a quiet and low-key type of place, but now facing rapid and potentially disruptive change. Until now, The economy of the island is based on vineyards, olives, fruit farming, fishing, and a small tourism trade.A wealthy and well-connected developer from outside now proposes that the island needs a hotel in order to boost tourism and attract inward investment. The islanders have mixed feelings on this. Some agree, some don't... which is why they have asked you for your advice. They want to hear the view from young people from across Europe who are not directly involved and who look at the matter from a distance.
As participants in this online course, you take on the role of Outside Expert and need to come up - individually and in teams - with advice that will help the locals to find a compromise between sustainability, environmental issues, well-being and economic prosperity.
This will require you to explore the options, issues and challenges that the proposed hotel development raises, and then draft a well-reasoned, convincing proposal that you will present to all parties involved. To be successful in this, you must try to find a balance between all of the competing priorities and expectations so that sustainability concerns and tensions are addressed. This may not be an easy task!
Of course you are a teacher or educator in your real life and we hope you will adapt this scenario and bring it to your own classroom practice. Chapter V is our Staffroom and there you will find some information to set up your own version of this approach.