- Theme
- European Atlas of the Seas
Monica is an English teacher at Spiru Haret National College and an eTwinning Ambassador. Being in the eTwinning community is a great pride for her. As an Ambassador, she has the opportunity to guide and motivate teachers and students to participate in projects that overcome geographical and language barriers, thus creating an interactive and dynamic learning network. She aims to become a role model in this vast community, sharing knowledge and inspiring a vision for a greater future in education where the exchange of ideas and resources are so much needed.
She has extensive professional experience, spanning since 2002. Her activity as an English teacher at the "Spiru Haret" National College in Tecuci highlights a career dedicated to education and training of students. As a member of the Corps of Evaluating Teachers for National Examinations and Competitions (C.P.E.E.C.N), she contributes to maintaining high standards in national academic assessment.
She uses digital tools to raise awareness among her students about ocean literacy and environmental sustainability. In the following interview, she tells us about her work on the ocean and her involvement in the International eTwinning Project ‘AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths’, as a partner.
How did you get interested in blue education and ocean literacy? What led you to teach about the ocean?
As all partners of our current project, we attended the "Bring the Ocean into Your School" course (MOOC) organised by the Network of European Blue Schools (EU4Ocean Coalition), Europe's ocean literacy programme and Scientix. Our goal was to achieve European Blue School status and foster ocean literacy among our students. During the course we took last year, we aimed to promote blue education across Europe by implementing an international responsibility project based on the knowledge we gained. The initial steps toward this goal were taken through the International eTwinning project.
What is the most amazing thing you have learned about the ocean?
The most surprising thing I've learned about the ocean is that there is still a huge amount of unexplored space. In fact, approximately 80% of the world's ocean is scientifically unexplored! When we think about it, many unknown species, ecosystems and natural processes may be hidden in the depths of the ocean.
In the depths of the ocean, there are creatures that thrive in conditions vastly different from those on land. For instance, while temperatures drop below freezing in the ocean's depths, the water pressure can reach incredibly high levels. Despite these extreme conditions, some marine life forms manage to survive. Furthermore, it's both surprising and crucial to understand that the ocean plays a vital role in regulating the global climate, and that ocean plankton contributes significantly to oxygen production on Earth.
In short, a huge part of the ocean that is still unexplored remains a "dark" area for the scientific world. This shows how mysterious and fascinating the ocean is!
You are currently involved in the International eTwinning Project ‘AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths’. What are the objectives of this project?
The aim of this project is to educate ocean literate individuals by raising awareness about the importance of the ocean and the environment, emphasising global citizenship and environmental sustainability. It aims to teach ocean literacy to students using artificial intelligence tools, encouraging them to analyse ocean-related data and develop sustainable solutions to environmental challenges such as plastic pollution, biodiversity loss and the impacts of climate change. The project also focuses on developing active environmental citizenship skills.
The "AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths" project has five key objectives that align with both ocean literacy and global citizenship, while also integrating artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
Raising Awareness of Ocean Literacy and Environmental Responsibility
The main objective of the project is to educate students about the significance of the ocean and the environment, helping them develop a deep understanding of ocean literacy. This includes recognizing the ocean's role in regulating the planet's climate, providing oxygen, and supporting life. Students are encouraged to critically assess the health of our ocean and the environmental challenges faced, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and the loss of marine biodiversity.
Fostering Global Citizenship
The project emphasises the importance of global citizenship in the context of ocean conservation. It stresses that protecting the ocean is a shared global responsibility. Students from various countries collaborate and work together, understanding that environmental problems like ocean pollution and climate change do not have borders. Through international collaboration, they learn that individual actions can have global consequences, and that collective global efforts are needed to safeguard our ocean.
Utilising Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Data Analysis and Problem Solving
By incorporating AI tools, the project aims to enhance students' digital literacy while teaching them how to use technology to address real-world challenges. Students analyse ocean-related data using AI applications, learning how these technologies can be used to monitor ocean health, track pollution levels, and develop sustainability-oriented solutions. This aspect of the project helps students connect technology with environmental protection, demonstrating how AI can drive positive change for the planet.
Encouraging Active Citizenship Skills
The project also focuses on developing active citizenship skills. This includes encouraging students to take responsible actions in their local communities and online. By participating in discussions and projects related to climate change, ocean conservation, and resource management, students are taught how they can contribute to protecting the environment, both digitally and physically. They are empowered to become change-makers, not just in their local context but also on a global scale.
Promoting Digital and Global Citizenship
As part of the digital component, the project encourages students to practice digital citizenship. This means using digital platforms responsibly and ethically while advocating for environmental sustainability. The project aligns digital citizenship with global citizenship, showing how digital tools and social media can be used for advocacy, education, and spreading awareness about the importance of ocean conservation.
In summary, the project focuses on:
- Ocean Literacy and Awareness: understanding the vital role the ocean plays in sustaining life and recognising the need to protect the ocean;
- Global Citizenship: recognising the global dimension of environmental problems and working collaboratively to find solutions;
- Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis: using AI tools to analyse ocean data and develop innovative, tech-driven solutions for ocean conservation;
- Active Citizenship: encouraging students to take responsibility for the environment, both locally and globally;
- Digital and Global Citizenship: promoting responsible use of digital tools to advocate for the environment and raise awareness about ocean protection.
This project is a unique combination of environmental education, technology, and global collaboration, aiming to empower students to be responsible citizens in both the digital and physical worlds, with a particular focus on ocean conservation and sustainability.
How old are the students who are participating in this project?
The primary beneficiaries of this project are high school students aged 16 to 19, who actively participate with the support of their mentor teachers. The project encourages students to collaborate, learn about global environmental challenges, and contribute to sustainable actions for ocean conservation. Teachers and mentors play a crucial role in guiding and supporting students throughout the project.
This age group is ideal for fostering youth literacy, while also providing an opportunity to develop digital and global citizenship skills. Throughout the project, students enhance their knowledge and skills in ocean literacy, sustainability, and artificial intelligence, while also improving their ability to generate solutions for global issues.
This period in their lives offers students the chance to take both local and global responsibility, protect the environment, and act conscientiously in the digital world.
Can you tell us more about the international aspect of the project?
Teachers and students from 11 schools from Romania, Türkiye, Albania, Italy and Portugal are working together on the project and are carrying out collaborative studies on ocean literacy and European citizenship and our responsibilities as citizens to protect the ocean.
The project "AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths" is carried out by a team of valuable teachers and schools as an international eTwinning project. Project partners work collaboratively with teachers and students from different countries.
Project Founders are:
Gonca Bahar – Yusuf Kalkavan Anatolian High School, Türkiye
Gonca Bahar, the founder and leader of the project, teaches students the concepts of ocean literacy and digital citizenship while leading projects that develop solutions for environmental problems.
Anjeza Çerri– Vasil Kamami, Albania
Anjeza Çerri is a founding teacher from Albania who contributed to the project. She works with students on ocean conservation and the use of digital tools.
Project Partners are:
Imsal Işıl Kılıç – Mersin, Türkiye
İmsal Işıl Gılıç provides education to students in schools in Mersin on ocean literacy and environmental sustainability and also develops projects on ocean protection with digital tools.
Alice Severi – Italy
Alice Severi is a teacher from Italy who teaches her students how digital technologies can be used to protect the ocean.
Sandra Melro – Portugal
Sandra Melro works on environmental sustainability and ocean literacy in schools in Portugal. She trains students on how to use artificial intelligence tools for ocean conservation.
Havva Ünlü – Ankara, Türkiye
Havva Ünlü raises awareness on environmental problems by providing training to students on ocean protection and digital citizenship.
Züleyha Bozan – Adıyaman, Türkiye
Züleyha Bozan works with students in Adıyaman on ocean literacy and sustainable environmental awareness and contributes to the project using digital tools and artificial intelligence.
Zeliha H. Kayhan – Mersin, Türkiye
Zeliha H. Kayhan gives lectures to students on ocean protection and environmental sustainability in Mersin and provides students with the ability to produce solutions with digital and artificial intelligence tools.
Olivera Chaushi – Albania
Olivera Çaushi is a teacher who educates students about ocean conservation and responsible citizenship in the digital world.
Emine Gül Avcı – Mersin, Türkiye
Emine Gül Avcı provides training to students on sustainability and ocean literacy in schools in Mersin and contributes to the project using digital tools.
Each project partner brings their own unique contribution to the project, working with students on topics such as ocean conservation, digital citizenship, sustainability and artificial intelligence. These partnerships present a great opportunity for international cooperation and cultural exchange. Students take responsibility for creating solutions to global problems by working with teachers and friends from different countries.
International Cooperation and Cultural Sharing: project partners share the ocean and environmental problems encountered in their own countries and offer students the opportunity to develop solutions to these problems. This collaboration helps students develop their understanding of global citizenship.
Partners are developing innovative solutions for the protection of the ocean by using digital tools and artificial intelligence in the project. Using these technologies, students analyze data for environmental problems and offer solutions.
As a result, the "AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths" project is a powerful platform that allows students to develop their knowledge and skills on key topics such as digital citizenship, sustainability and ocean literacy through international collaboration. Project partners aim to make a global difference by working together to achieve these goals.
What activities are planned within the project?
The project started on 1 November 2024 and will end on 31 February 2025. Students are divided into international mixed teams named after five ocean basins: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic. Each team will work collaboratively on research and problem-solving tasks. Students will analyse real ocean data using artificial intelligence tools, exploring environmental issues such as pollution and climate change. They will develop creative solutions to ocean- related problems using coding and data analysis techniques. At the end of the project, students will present their findings and solutions in an online exhibition to promote global collaboration and idea sharing. Participants will reflect on their experiences and evaluate their learning outcomes and the impact of their actions on environmental sustainability.
That is a very interesting project! How can we stay informed about what is happening on the project?
We have Facebook and Instagram accounts named after our project. We have started these accounts with our students and teachers for now, and then we aim to expand our project and bring it to a wider audience.
Last December, you participated in the European Atlas ofthe Seas’online workshop‘Bring the ocean into y our classroom with the European Atlas of the Seas’ and created your own map using the ‘My Locations’ and ‘My Maps’ tool. Can you tell us more about this map?
Our purpose in creating the Atlas map is to provide students with more effective education on ocean literacy and sustainability. In conjunction with our AI-Driven Ocean Quest project, the atlas map increases students' awareness of digital citizenship and global responsibility by visualising the geographical distribution of ocean basins, the environmental threats the ocean faces, and solutions to these threats. This map enables students to understand global environmental problems and develop solutions using digital tools.
How do you think students can use the European Atlas of the Seas for their work on the project ‘AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths’?
The European Atlas of the Seas provides a rich, interactive platform for students to explore ocean data, visualise environmental threats, and develop AI-based solutions. By using the Atlas, students gain deeper insights into the global and local dimensions of ocean challenges, while applying AI tools to generate data-driven solutions, thereby enhancing their overall learning experience in the "AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths" project.
Adelina is a 16-year-old student at the "Spiru Haret" National College in Tecuci. She is passionate about the ocean and the marine environment. She aspires to become a marine researcher and actively participates in the "AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths" project, where she learns about the importance of the ocean and ways to protect the ocean. Through this project, Adelina has understood how essential it is to know and protect the marine environment. Last year, she was also involved in the activity "AI-Driven Ocean Explorers: Code the Ocean" as part of EU Code Week, for which she received a certificate of participation.
"The ocean is not just a vast body of water, but a living lesson about how every wave, every current, is connected to something bigger” says Adelina.
What message would you like to share with other teachers who will read this interview?
To my fellow educators, I would like to share the message that ocean literacy and environmental sustainability are not just important topics for science classes—they are essential for cultivating global citizens who will be responsible stewards of our planet's future. Through the "AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths" project, we have the opportunity to equip our students with critical thinking, digital skills, and the knowledge to tackle real-world challenges like ocean pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
I encourage you to embrace tools like the European Atlas of the Seas, which can bring these topics to life in a way that is both interactive and engaging. By integrating AI and data analysis, we can help students understand how technology can be harnessed for positive environmental change. This not only makes learning more meaningful but also empowers students to take action and become agents of change in their communities and beyond.
Together, as educators, we have the power to inspire the next generation of digital citizens who will not only understand the importance of protecting our ocean but also have the skills to make a tangible difference. Let's work collaboratively to foster a sense of shared responsibility, encourage global cooperation, and guide our students toward a more sustainable future for all.
Let’s make a positive impact, one lesson at a time!
What is your favorite map in the Atlas? Why?
My favorite map in the European Atlas of the Seas is the Marine Pollution Map.
This map provides a powerful visual representation of the impact of pollution on the ocean and seas, particularly in terms of plastic waste and oil spills. I find it incredibly impactful because it brings to light the widespread nature of ocean pollution and helps students understand the scale and urgency of the issue. By showing how pollution affects different regions, it can serve as a catalyst for discussion and inspire students to take action in their communities.
As part of the "‘AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths" project, this map is particularly relevant because it allows students to analyse the spatial distribution of pollution, which they can then connect with AI-driven solutions. For example, students can use the map to identify areas with high pollution levels and propose AI-based interventions like predictive models to forecast pollution trends or smart waste management solutions.
The Marine Pollution Map is not only informative but also serves as a call to action—reminding us all of the responsibility we have as global citizens to protect our ocean. It’s a tool that can help students see the bigger picture and understand that every small action counts when it comes to preserving the health of our planet’s ocean.
Could you say, in your mother language (with a translation into English), how you feel connected to the ocean?
“My connection to the ocean comes from my deep relationship with nature. I have always viewed the oceans as a symbol of peace, the source of life, and endless exploration. Their vastness and mystery make me feel both small and incredibly significant at the same time. Oceans form the heart of life on Earth, and protecting this heart is not only a responsibility but also a duty for all living beings.”
In the "AI-Driven Ocean Quest: Finding Blue Depths" project, being able to do something for the protection of the ocean and sharing this deep respect and love for the ocean with my students holds great meaning for me.
Thank you, Monica. All the best for the project!