Teaching Sustainability Through Project-based Learning

Location: Dublin 2, Ireland

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30 Certified Hours Per week
City Centre Location

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teaching sustainability through project based learning, for teachers

The Teaching Sustainability through Project-based Learning (PBL) course aims to give teachers a pedagogical framework to introduce project work into their classroom practice, as a way to explore themes around sustainability, and develop students’ communicative competence in this important area.

Students engaged in project work have the opportunity to develop those important ‘21st century skills’ of inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. They develop communication skills of negotiation, mediation, information exchange, and goal-oriented cooperation.

Project work in the language classroom specifically encourages deeper engagement with the target language as students work to explore complex problems and, through collaborative research and discussion, consider and present solutions.

On this course teachers explore how to design, develop and implement projects that meet the high pedagogical standards of PBL. With lesson procedures, activity ideas, resources, and teaching techniques, by the end of this course teachers can confidently engage and support their students to develop the language and skills needed to talk about a more sustainable future, through English.

The main aim of this course is to help teachers:

The main aim of this course is to help teachers:

  • plan and implement a successful project on a sustainability initiative,
  • support students in developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to achieve a sustainable and green future,
  • develop students’ language around themes of sustainability, helping them use their Green Voices.

    ATC’s 1 week Teaching Sustainability Through Project-based Learning course can be combined with another Teacher Training and Development course or a General English course, to form a 2-week programme, contact us for details.
    For teachers applying through the Erasmus Plus scheme the OID for ATC Language Schools is E10365795.
    For details of this course on the European School Education Platform (ESEP) please see – ATC Teaching Sustainability Through Project-based Learning.

    For more course choices please see the link – ATC Teacher Training & Development.

    ATC Dublin
    Maximum group size: 15
    Minimum English Level: B2
    Applicable for Erasmus+ KA1
    Dublin Course Dates 2025:

    Monday 13th to Friday 17th January 

    Monday 7th to Friday 11th July 
    Monday 21st to Friday 25th July 

    *Courses can also be organised year-round for closed groups in our Dublin City Centre or Bray school.

    Requirements:

    Participants should bring their own laptop / tablet to work use.

    Project Based Learning for Teachers

    What you get

    N

    20 hours tuition + 10 hours of project work per week

    N

    Course materials included

    N

    Trainer feedback on project work

    N

    Interactive discussions with other teachers

    N

    End-of-course certificate

    N

    Join ATC's optional cultural programme

    Is Teaching Sustainability Through PBL for you?

    This course is suitable for language teachers, or subject teachers, who want to better understand how to design, develop and implement engaging projects on sustainability, through English language medium instruction.

    Applicants must have a minimum B2 level of English, as outlined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. If you would like to confirm your level, please contact us.
    Teachers should bring a laptop or tablet.

    For teachers applying through the Erasmus Plus scheme the OID for ATC Language Schools is E10365795.

    Project-based Learning in the Digital Age - Teachers Around a Laptop

    Student Reviews

    Our teachers’ and students’ feedback about the course was enthusiastic and we owe this great result to the high professionalism of the teacher trainers from ATC and the perfect organisation of the course.

    Carmine, Italy

    Pedagogically speaking, we are given all sorts of support, such as online support material given by the teachers according to our needs. The teachers are very high profile and committed to helping us develop.

    Wesley, Brazil

    further information

    Course Content

    Using ATC’s highly successful project-based learning course for Secondary-level students (‘Green Voices’) as a model project, teachers work through the project tasks and processes, discussing the teaching techniques and resources, and reflecting on how they might be adapted to suit their students and their teaching context.

    Exploring the elements of good project design, teachers are supported to develop their own sustainability projects. They learn how to create digital project walls to organize and manage their projects and log their work; and how to create fun and engaging podcasts to present their project ideas and initiatives to others.

    On this course teachers will learn how to:

    • use an enquiry-based approach to help students create projects that explore how they, as active and global citizens, might take action for a more sustainable and green future
    • support students to understand the aims of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to consider a variety of initiatives taken by other young people around the world
    • help students create focused driving questions to guide them through their project work
    • develop project action plans and create digital project walls
    • incorporate language support techniques into all aspects of project work
    • guide students in target language research
    • create tasks and activities to foster collaborative work, critique and reflection
    • create engaging podcasts as authentic final project products

    Project Work
    Teachers are set assigned project work which they carry out after their lessons. They are set a maximum of 10 hours of project work, which they carry out over the course of the week.  Teachers will also be asked to take this time to record their reflections on their work, and on the processes involved in PBL.

    Course Modules:

    PBL for Sustainability

    • Examine the core concepts of the PBL Methodology and its benefits for teaching themes of sustainability.

    The Green Voices Project

    • Work through ATC’s project-based learning course for Secondary-level students, reflecting on how it might be adapted to suit your students and your teaching context.
    • Develop your own Green Voices project.

    Planning a Project (From Idea to Output)

    • Key elements of good project design.
    • Appropriate sustainable initiatives or projects for research and implementation.
    • Guide project work with focussed driving questions.
    • Develop project goals and objectives and create an action plan.
    • Consider ideas for final project products.
    • Develop a digital project wall and learn how to help students organise and manage project work.

    Teaching Research Skills

    • Ideas and lesson resources for supporting students in their research.

    Language Support in PBL

    • Support students in the development of their language around themes of sustainability, helping them to communicate, through English, about their project work.

    Podcasting

    • Explore podcasting as a medium for communication and storytelling.
    • Understand the structure and components of an engaging podcast script.
    • Craft compelling narratives and incorporate research findings into podcast episodes.
    • Record and create a finished podcast episode.

    Reflection and Feedback in PBL

    • Create a classroom culture of reflection, self- and peer-assessment and autonomous learning.

    Learning Objectives:
    By the end of the course teachers should be able to:

    • Use an enquiry-based approach to help students explore the challenging issues facing us today, from the local to the global, and develop their understanding of sustainable development goals and initiatives.
    • Create authentic projects that connect to students’ interests and identities and help them explore how they, as active and global citizens, might make a difference towards a more sustainable and green future.
    • Organise and manage projects using digital ‘Project Walls’.
    • Use differentiated teaching techniques to meet the individual needs of students throughout a project cycle.
    • Support students in the development of their language around themes of sustainability, helping them to communicate with confidence, through English, about their ideas and initiatives.
    • Encourage reflection on work and reflection on learning, helping to develop students’ critical thinking skills and independent learning strategies.
    • Use podcasting tools, to help students develop engaging and meaningful final project ‘products’, where they use their ‘Green Voices’ to share their project ideas with others.

    Teaching Style
    In-person training carried out in our Dublin City Centre or Bray schools, delivered by our experienced teacher trainers.

    Certificated hours
    At the end of the course, teachers will receive an ATC Language Schools’ Certificate of Attendance for the 30 hour programme of: Teaching Sustainablity Through Project-based Learning.

    The 1 week course can be combined with a General English course, to form a 2-week programme. Please contact us for details.

    For teachers applying through the Erasmus Plus scheme the OID for ATC Language Schools is E10365795.

    Project Based Learning in The Digital Age - Erasmus Course for Teachers

    Teaching Sustainability Through Project-based Learning - Brochure (pdf)

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