Co-funded by the European Union

SOFIA UNIVERSITY ST KLIMENT OHRIDSKI

Conference

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International Conference in Canakkale: "Strengthening Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow" On April 25–26, 2025, within the framework of the project GreenwithAR – Green Deal Awareness through Augmented Reality in Primary School Education (2022-1-BG01-KA220- HED-000087414), funded by the Erasmus+ programme, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMU) hosted the international conference "Strengthening Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow", organized in a hybrid format. The conference brought together representatives from the five partner institutions: the hosts from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (Turkey), the project coordinator Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" (Bulgaria), University of Latvia (Latvia), "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu (Romania), and the technology company Gedonsoft GmbH (Germany). Representatives from academia, education experts, and specialists in sustainable development from Moldova, Serbia, and Poland also participated. During the conference, new pedagogical models promoting creative thinking, environmental awareness, and social responsibility were discussed. The thematic areas that generated the greatest interest included:

  • Innovative teaching methods through technology
  • Digital resources for sustainable education
  • A multidisciplinary approach to sustainability in higher education
  • Teacher training and capacity building at universities

Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski“ was represented by Prof. Albena Vutsova, PhD, Chief Assist. Teodora Varbanova, PhD, Olga Ignatova, PhD, and MSc. Maya Todorova.

Plovdiv Science Festival 2024

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GreenwithAR project during the Second Plovdiv Science Festival, 2024 As part of the Science Festival in Plovdiv, held on 28.11.2024, the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" presented to visitors the innovative project 2022-1- BG01-KA220-HED-000087414, Green Deal Awareness Through Augmented Reality in Primary School Education (GreenwithAR), funded by the Erasmus+ program, which combines technology and environmental education and is aimed at raising awareness of the European Green Deal among the youngest - primary school students. Visitors got to know the project activities and the upcoming mobile application initiative for an interactive and fun learning experience. The youngest guests, mostly second, third and fourth grade students, had the opportunity to experience video lessons and presentations, focusing on sustainable practices for reducing waste and protecting nature and biodiversity. The main goal of GreenwithAR is to build understanding and responsibility for environmental protection among young people, and augmented reality as an innovative approach that allows children to realize the importance of a sustainable lifestyle.

Sofia Science Festival 2024

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On May 10-12 May, 2024, within the 14th Sofia Science Festival, Sofia Tech Park, the GreenWithAR project "Green Deal Awareness through Augmented Reality in Primary School Education" 2022-1-BG01-KA220-HED-000087414, funded by program "Erasmus+ KA220 - Partnership cooperation in Higher education was presented. During the event, young people's digital and green skills and ways to raise their awareness of a sustainable environment in the context of environmental and climate change were discussed with the visitors. The upcoming training modules to be tested were also presented, designed not only to educate but also to inspire the young generation to advocate for sustainable practices and environmental awareness. The project duration is 28 months, the Coordinator is Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", partnering with LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATE (Latvia); UNIVERSITATEA LUCIAN BLAGA DIN SIBIU (Romania); GedonSoft GmbH (Germany); CANAKKALE ONSEKIZ MART UNIVERSITESI (Turkey).

Sophia Science Festival 2025

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Between May 9–11, 2025, the project GreenWithAR „Green Deal Awareness through Augmented Reality in Primary School Education“ (2022-1-BG01-KA220-HED000087414) was presented at the 15th Sofia Science Festival, held at Sofia Tech Park. The project is funded under the Erasmus+ KA220-Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education programme. During the event, visitors had the opportunity to learn more about the project’s goals and activities, focused on developing digital and green skills among young people. In the context of climate change and environmental challenges, the team engaged with participants to explore various ways of raising awareness about environmental sustainability. A key highlight of the presentation was the introduction of the project’s mobile application, which uses augmented reality (AR) to make learning more engaging and effective. The app is part of a series of educational modules that will soon be piloted in real classroom settings. These modules aim not only to educate, but also to inspire the younger generation to embrace sustainable practices and develop strong environmental awareness.

 

Seminar 1

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On April 8, 2025, a seminar was held at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” dedicated to the presentation of an innovative platform and training guide for environmental education, designed for teachers and based on Augmented Reality (AR) applications. The event brought together students and university lecturers interested in contemporary educational approaches. During the seminar, participants had the opportunity to explore and test the digital application GreenWithAR, which integrates AR technology with educational content focused on climate change and environmental protection. Attendees were introduced to research findings related to the application and discussed how these innovations could be implemented in their teaching practice. They also provided valuable feedback and recommendations regarding the app’s functionality and overall effectiveness. The seminar was organized as part of the project coordinator’s commitment to promoting innovative teaching methodsto diverse target audiences. The main objective is to support primary school teachers by providing tools that not only increase student engagement but also address global challenges such as climate change and preserving a clean and sustainable environment. The event was part of the project 2022-1-BG01-KA220-HED-000087414, titled Green Deal Awareness Through Augmented Reality in Primary School Education (GreenWithAR), funded by the Erasmus+ Programme.

Seminar 2

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On April 15, 2025, within the framework of the project GreenWithAR – Green Deal Awareness through Augmented Reality in Primary School Education (2022-1-BG01- KA220-HED-000087414), funded under the Erasmus+ programme, the Faculty of Educational Studies and the Arts at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" hosted the second seminar dedicated to the presentation of an innovative platform and a training guide for teachers in environmental education, based on augmented reality (AR) applications. Students specializing in Primary and Preschool Education participated in the event. The project focuses on the development of a mobile application for "green education," utilizing augmented reality (AR) technologies to foster environmental awareness among pupils and students in the field of primary and preschool education. During the event: • Assoc. Prof. Todor Yalamov, PhD (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration) presented the concept and functionalities of the mobile application for green education. • Dr. Nikolay Yanev (Researcher) explained the process of creating visual content and the technical challenges faced in the project. • Dr. Olga Ignatova (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration) discussed the risks and opportunities associated with the use of digital technologies in primary education, presenting specific observations from the GreenWithAR project. • Prof. Milen Zamfirov, DSc (Faculty of Educational Studies and the Arts) led a discussion on "Pros and Cons of Technology in Education," focusing on future steps and development opportunities. The event generated considerable interest and active dialogue among the participants, during which new pedagogical models promoting creative thinking, environmental awareness, and social responsibility were discussed.

Seminar 2

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On April 15, 2025, within the framework of the project GreenWithAR – Green Deal Awareness through Augmented Reality in Primary School Education (2022-1-BG01- KA220-HED-000087414), funded under the Erasmus+ programme, the Faculty of Educational Studies and the Arts at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" hosted the second seminar dedicated to the presentation of an innovative platform and a training guide for teachers in environmental education, based on augmented reality (AR) applications. Students specializing in Primary and Preschool Education participated in the event. The project focuses on the development of a mobile application for "green education," utilizing augmented reality (AR) technologies to foster environmental awareness among pupils and students in the field of primary and preschool education. During the event: • Assoc. Prof. Todor Yalamov, PhD (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration) presented the concept and functionalities of the mobile application for green education. • Dr. Nikolay Yanev (Researcher) explained the process of creating visual content and the technical challenges faced in the project. • Dr. Olga Ignatova (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration) discussed the risks and opportunities associated with the use of digital technologies in primary education, presenting specific observations from the GreenWithAR project. • Prof. Milen Zamfirov, DSc (Faculty of Educational Studies and the Arts) led a discussion on "Pros and Cons of Technology in Education," focusing on future steps and development opportunities. The event generated considerable interest and active dialogue among the participants, during which new pedagogical models promoting creative thinking, environmental awareness, and social responsibility were discussed.

Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University

Pilot Study of Modular Curriculum (COMU)

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Pilot Study of Modular Curriculum was carried out by Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, one of the project partners, on 02.01.2024 within the scope of WP2. In the pilot study, the modular curriculum produced within the scope of WP2 was analysed in detail with pre-service teachers. 23 students participated in the study, which was announced to the students in advance. The introduction of the project and then the application of the modules were given by Prof. Dr. Hasan Arslan, Assos.Prof.Dr. Berfu Kızılaslan Tunçer and Distance Educatiton Center Asso. Director Kadir Tunçer. The students actively participated in the study, being extremely interested and highly motivated. The following modules were explained separately and students were given the opportunity to practice. Students' questions were answered and at the end of the training program, a certificate was issued to the students and sent digitally.

International Conference “Empowering Education for a Sustainable Future

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Within the scope of GreenwithAR project, an international conference titled “Empowering Education for a Sustainable Future” was organised on 25.05.2025 in Çanakkale - Turkey. The hybrid conference, which brought together educators, researchers, university students, prospective teachers and technologists at the Faculty of Education of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, was organised to raise awareness on environmental challenges, introduce cutting-edge technologies such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence, and promote effective educational initiatives. The conference was organised by Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty of Education with the contributions of Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, University of Latvia, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Gedonsoft Gmbh within the scope of KA220-HED-Project. During the conference, innovative topics such as sustainable environmental policies, digitalisation in education, AR/VR technologies and gamification were discussed. Within the scope of the conference, practical workshops and interactive presentations were held on the use of many innovative tools such as course materials enriched with AR/VR technologies in environmental education. Participants had the opportunity to get to know the latest developments in educational technologies closely and exchange ideas. During the conference, invited speeches were given by academics specialised in education and technology. Topics such as sustainable environment, the future of educational technologies and the effects of digital transformation on education systems were discussed in detail. Within the scope of the conference, e-certificates were presented to all participants.

Project Seminars

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Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, one of the project partners, organised seminars in two different sessions on 07 - 08 May 2025 to share the results of the GreenwithAR Erasmus+ project. Academic staff, school administrators, teachers and prospective teachers attended the seminars. In the events where the project results were shared, the participants also experienced the augmented reality application produced in the project.

GedonSoft GmbH

Seminar 1

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Within in the Erasmus DAYS Celebrations in Turkey , as a Gedonsoft Company , we found a chance to disseminate Green With AR project to the 60 participants . The Workpackages ,the meetings , the aim of the project and the responsibilities of GEDONSOFT GmbH as an IT Company were presented. Up to now, the surveys were completed and the new curriculums for teachers were prepared .

Erasmus Project Meeting of LCAMP

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In Erasmus Project Meeting of LCAMP project in Turkey, as a Gedonsoft we found a chance to disseminate GreenwithAR project to the 40 participants from Germany,France,Spain,Malta,Italy,Slovenia,Sweeden,Basque Country,Belgium,Netherlands and Turkey.