Methodological materials in environmental management and digital production are published

Within the framework of the European Economic Area and Norway (EEA/N) financial instrument program project “Development of Innovation Center in Liepaja City” (hereinafter – the Project), Science and Education Innovation Center of the Liepaja Municipal Education Department (hereinafter – ZIIC) from September 2021 till 2023 developed and implemented lessons related to environmental management and digital production for Latvian students and teachers.

One of the goals of the Project has been to ensure the free availability and distribution of the developed educational programs without exclusivity and discrimination, therefore ZIIC has developed methodical materials that summarize what was implemented in the lessons and in the future the materials will be available digitally on the website www.ziic.liepaja.edu.lv.

3 (three) methodical materials have been developed for educational programs of students’ interests:

• “Environmental management” content is suitable for students from 5 (five) to 10 (ten) years and is related to ant and bird research, botany, eco-technology, geography and water quality.

• The content of “Environmental Management II” is suitable for students from 11 to 18 years old and is related to human internal organs, biotechnology, zoology and the layers of the earth.

• “Digital Manufacturing” content is suitable for students aged 11 to 18 and contains information and instructions related to practical online project management, 2D and 3D computer-aided design and printed circuit board assembly.

The methodical materials of the developed educational programs of student interests can be useful for educators to use in the learning process both in their educational institution and, using the material and technical base of ZIIC, during free access.

On the other hand, 2 (two) methodological materials have been developed for the non-formal education programs of pedagogues:

• “Eco-technology for the improvement of the learning process”, which includes content related to the processing of algae, the conditions for making insect houses, as well as other useful information and teaching methods for teachers of natural science subjects.

• “Digital production in education” differs from other materials in its format, the content is published on the online site “Miro” and it gathers information about the potential of using digital production equipment in education and explains the principles of operation of the equipment. The partners involved in the Project have also played an important role in the content of the methodological materials of the informal education programs for teachers. So, for example, the program on eco-technologies was developed in cooperation with the teaching staff of the Liepājas University, the information obtained on composite materials – making paper from algae is especially important. In turn, it became possible to structure the knowledge and skills of the foreign partner, the regional museum of Jaermuseet (Jærmuseet) in the methodological material, thanks to visits to ZIIC, during which these specialists conducted master classes both on the conditions for creating houses for living creatures and on vision experiments.

The partners involved in the Project have also played an important role in the content of the methodological materials of the informal education programs for teachers. So, for example, the program on eco-technologies was developed in cooperation with the teaching staff of the Liepājas University, the information obtained on composite materials – making paper from algae is especially important. In turn, it became possible to structure the knowledge and skills of the foreign partner, the regional museum of Jaermuseet (Jærmuseet) in the methodological material, thanks to visits to ZIIC, during which these specialists conducted master classes both on the conditions for creating houses for living creatures and on vision experiments.    

Methodological materials were developed within the project "Development of Innovation Center in Liepaja City" which is financed within the framework of the European Economic Area and Norwegian grant program "Research and Education". The total cost of this project is EUR 986,049, of which EUR 754,327.4 is co-financing from Norwegian grants, EUR 133,116.6 is co-financing from the Latvian state budget, and EUR 98,605 is co-financing from the municipality of Liepaja.