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The
Learning About Forests programme strives to adapt to the local conditions in each
participating country, as it is recognised that the educational
systems and the nature of forests differ widely from country to
country. Each country is thus encouraged to establish a national
Learning About Forests programme, appropriate to local traditions
and the national curriculum.
With this in mind it is also recognised that there is a need for a
common framework of understanding between the various national
programmes, to ensure that the various national programmes are able
to communicate with each other.
PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE
The overall programme objective can be described as follows. The Learning about Forests programme should support learning about
forests by encouraging teachers and pupils to:
1. Actually experience being in a forest,
2. Relate this experience to learning at school, and
3. Through this experience and understanding of forests, develop an
awareness of and respect for forests which will influence future
choices and actions.
The representatives of the participating countries have agreed upon
five common criteria, and they form the basis of the programme. The
criteria were evaluated in September 2001 and the following revised
criteria have been accepted by national operators and the steering
committee. There are two criteria for national operators and three
for participating schools.
CRITERIA FOR NATIONAL OPERATORS
1. Steering Committee
A broad-based national steering committee for the project must be
established with representatives from various interested parties
such as, for example, national authorities of Forestry and
Education, forest economic and industry interests, teacher / teacher
training organisations, labour union for foresters, NGOs, etc. The
main duty of this committee is to guide project activities and to
ensure that good quality materials are used.
2. Reports to International Co-ordination
The National Operator must submit one report each year (due at the
end of April) to the international co-ordination. The report could
include:
- Partners involved (schools and institutions)
- If possible, number and grade of pupils involved
- Project Activities
- Project Resource Materials (if possible copies of materials should
be sent to the co-ordinator for reference to others)
CRITERIA
FOR PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
1.
Forest Project
A school/class/group must work on at least one forest project.
The topic of the project could be chosen from one of the Learning
about the Forests project themes
(the list of themes as well as the
current theme is available on the website or from the
national operator). The forest project must involve at least
one field trip to a forest, as well as work in the classroom.
2. Projects must include:
- An ecological understanding of forests or forest processes,
- An economic dimension of forests,
- A socio-cultural understanding of forests.
3. International Interaction
A school/class/group must interact with at least one other
school/class/group in another country. This international exchange
can take place through contacts on the internet or through the
network of national operators.
For ideas of forest projects and for working together internationally,
see Themes. Contact the
international co-ordinator should you wish to make contact with
schools in other countries.
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