Interactive wetland education: Classroom materials following a constructivist instructional framework (Horizon Europe Restore4Life)

Wetlands are some of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. There is an urgent need for large-scale wetland restoration and protection efforts that involve local community support. In our Horizon Europe project, Restore4Life (https://restore4life.eu/citizen-science/), we have developed a range of innovative offline and online educational materials to raise awareness of the vital ecosystem services that wetlands provide to humans.

Our materials are based on the 5E constructivist learning model. This inquiry-based, student-centered approach encourages active learning as students’ knowledge is built on understanding connections and processes. The five phases start with capturing students' interest and assessing prior knowledge/misconceptions (Engage), leading to investigating topics through hands-on activities and observations (Explore). In the Explain phase, students interpret their findings with the teacher's support. The last two phases focus on the application of the students’ newly acquired knowledge to deepen their understanding (Elaborate) and, finally, on the knowledge assessment by students and teachers (Evaluate). While our materials were developed for 12-14-year-olds, they can be easily adapted to younger or older kids.

Beyond these core teaching packages, the project developed additional tools, such as the “Blue-Green Space4All” game, a dynamic Wetland Fresk, available in both online and offline formats. A manual and a video provide instructions for building a simple treatment wetland, and our Wetland4Life App can be used to assess the wetland status directly in the field. All resources are freely available online (Zenodo) and have been successfully tested in classroom settings. Together, the Restore4Life materials provide a robust set of educational tools for fostering understanding of the significance of intact wetlands for human well-being.

In this presentation, we will showcase 5E teaching materials on the social, economic, and ecological benefits of intact wetlands, including supplying construction materials, providing recreational areas, and mitigating climate change and pollution. Participants can explore, test, and interact with the materials. Restore4Life is funded by the European Union.