The Elementary school Maria Martinolića is the largest school of the island of Lošinj in Croatia. It is attended by all the children from the Lošinj archipelago and the main activities in this local community are highly connected with the touristic sector and are relying on the attractive and pristine natural environment. In the past 15 years, the school has collaborated for several projects around wildlife and environment in the island. The objective by joining SALL was to open the school and the local community in a way that students learn experientially, in direct contact with their local ecosystem.
The project “Hrana s našeg otoka” meaning ”Food from our island” involved 16 students and their geography teacher in collaboration with local farmers, members of NGO and the Director of Island development agency. This living-lab project was chosen in order to rethink food importation on the island and to promote local agricultural production and get to know the traditional island diet and encourage healthy eating habits.
This project has been conducted during the spring 2021 using SALL methodology approach. At the end of the project, some feedbacks were collected:
Geography teacher D.K.D. (39 years old) “I am pleased that, despite the pandemic, we managed to realize this project. My students missed going out on the field like this because they had been closed in their homes for the past year and a half. Geography is best learned through the feet, and I hope that it was instructive for them and that they realized what opportunities our island offers.”
Student N.T. (14 years old) “I participated in the project and in an online conference where I briefly told in English how it was for me at the workshops. I liked the live ones more, and the visit to the cheese factory the most. ”
Fisherman DR (45 years old) “I have never told the students about my job, but I think it is good that they see what the job is like on the spot because you can’t learn it at school. I hope that my experience will help them choose a future profession and that they will understand that everything is beautiful, but at home it is the most beautiful.”
Contact
Jelena Basta
National coordinator, Blue World Institute
Mail
School website