Teacher Training Course – EDUCOAST
The first Teacher Training Course under the EDUCOAST Project – “Nature-Based Education in Coastal GeoSciences – A field station in southern Portugal” took place between July 13 and 16, 2022, at IPMA’s Tavira Station (EEMT).
The course, under the theme “COASTAL AREAS: A CHANGING WORLD”, was attended by 17 trainees, primary and secondary school teachers, from groups 420 and 520 (Geography, Biology and Geology) and is accredited by the Scientific-Pedagogical Council for Continuous Training.
The team of trainers included Professors from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (FCUL), a partner in the project, and researchers and technicians from IPMA’s Research Vessels and Ocean Observatories and Marine Geology Groups. The course included in-class sessions, and field and laboratory work, to characterize the morphology and sediments of the saltmarsh/barrier island system of the coastal area adjacent to the EEMT, located in Ria Formosa.
The activities included the collection and processing of data and samples using more advanced equipment, as well as simplified techniques, suitable and applicable to the context of classes in primary and secondary schools. In the field, sediment sampling was carried out along the various environments (salt marsh and barrier island) at the surface and at depth (soundings), salinity, temperature and pH measurements of the sea water, inside the estuary and of the interstitial water of the sediment, topographic surveys to characterize the morphology and estimates of wave and current parameters. At EEMT’s laboratory of marine and coastal geology, sediment samples were analyzed, the coarse fraction was characterized with a binocular lens, and morphology data were processed.
In addition to IPMA and FCUL, the Portuguese Environment Agency, I.P. and the Tavira Ciência Viva Centre are also participating in this project. The EDUCOAST project is funded by the EEA Grants Blue Growth Program.
