Each virtual focus group meeting – holding, on average, 8 to 12 stakeholders and lasting 2 to 3 hours – aimed to gather existing ocean literacy school projects, to capture opinions on good practices, obstacles and challenges, and about the certification process, content of a handbook and conditions for ensuring a successful Network of European Blue Schools.
The outcome of these virtual meetings specified the right conditions to settle the Network of European Blue Schools and all invited participants acknowledge the need and showed interest in taking part of the European community of practice on ocean education to share experience, practices, tools and methods and contribute to the development of new ideas and solutions.
Participants stressed the clear interest in the European Blue School concept and in bringing the ocean to the classroom – and vice versa – showing that being part of a European community on ocean education is a stronger incentive to participate in a long-lasting alliance across Blue European classrooms than the label the network will deliver.