Eco-friendly training for “Green Heritage” from Medipol

The project titled “Green Heritage for the Future: Climate Change and Sustainability Education for High School Students”, conducted by Prof. Rana Atabay Kuşçu, Director of Istanbul Medipol University Vocational School of Social Sciences and supported by the Social Contribution Commission, was successfully completed. For the project, a total of 1,036 students from 8 high schools in Beykoz were trained. In the 20-week project team, Lecturer Yusuf Bilgi, Ahmet Faruk Korkmaz, İlayda Teper, and İbrahim Emre Ötegen took part, and the School of Education, Sustainable Development Application and Research Center (SURKAM), and Distance Education Application and Research Center (UZEM) also contributed to the project. The study, which was carried out within the framework of social contribution, aimed to raise awareness of young people about environmental problems and to take responsibility. 

PROJECT STARTED WITH TRAINING OF TRAINERS
In the first phase of the project, university students received 45 hours of training on the main themes of “Climate Change and Environment”, “Sustainability”, and “Educational Sciences”. With the “Training of Trainer” program, university students were provided with the skills to carry out training in high schools. In the second step, university students made presentations on climate change and sustainability to raise awareness among high school students. The study succeeded in raising awareness on climate change and sustainability issues among the targeted student population and enabled scientific research about students’ attitudes towards climate change. The project, which was carried out under the supervision of academicians who are experts in their field, also evaluated the effect of awareness-raising education provided through peer education method on student attitudes.