Pollution! Find a STEM solution! is a cross-curricular project which aims at developing students’ STEM and ICT skills and motivating students to take sustainable actions for themselves and future generations.

Pollution! Find a STEM solution! is a two-year cross-curricular project at five elementary schools in Europe. Schools are located in the Czech Republic, Croatia, France, Poland and Spain. The project stemmed from the need to develop students’ skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and ICT.

The main objectives of this project are to increase students’ motivation for STEM subjects, raise interest in STEM education and careers and introduce them to all available new trends in technology, engineering and science in their region by visiting clean technology industries and strengthening links with them. It also introduces some future digital jobs and integrates more ICT into classroom practice as indirect preparation for rapid technological changes. Furthermore, the project highlights the importance of solving global environmental issues and improves knowledge in the areas of sustainable development and renewable energy. It develops collaborative partnership between schools and the wider community in formal, non-formal and informal learning. In addition, it supports multilingualism by publishing Open Educational Resources in eight different languages.

Project activities are divided into four categories:

• STEM ACTIVITIES: are focused on building devices for measuring air, light and noise pollution in students’ schools and homes. The data is analysed through a scientific method and the results compared with those of their peers in order to find a solution to pollution.
• E-SKILLS, DIGITAL LITERACY and DIGITAL JOBS: introduce career opportunities in STEM and ICT, meetings with scientists and engineers, the development of 21st century skills and e-skills to make students more employable in the future. During the digital month students from each school included in the project choose one Web 2.0 tool that they find very useful and present it to their peers in other countries through the eTwinning platform or at the project’s meetings.
• CLEAN TECHNOLOGY and CLEAN ENERGY: activities give students the chance to build windmill models and solar collectors and visit facilities for clean technology and engineering.
• CULTURAL AWARENESS AND THE EUROPEAN DIMENSION: is achieved through collaboration and communication, exploration of the culture and the history of countries involved in the project.

Collaborative design tools and numerous other Web 2.0 tools are used to produce Open Educational Resources about the subject of pollution which are available for download. Their aim is to foster the quality of educational outcomes and to support long-term effects on the participating schools and participants. The goal is to motivate students to take action in order to increase air and light quality at schools for themselves and future generations. Students are taught how to make ecological cleaning products and to organise workshops for other students. As part of this, they create an informative eco-friendly corner with purifying plants which they also take care of.

Pedagogical practices that teachers have applied in their work include project-based, child-directed learning and also peer-learning methods.

This project is a beneficial experience for all participants and an important networking platform with the partners and local communities.