The Akrotiri Environmental Education Centre (AEEC) is located in the South of the island, West of Limassol. It is next to an important protected natural habitat, the salt lake of Akrotiri. This is a unique wetland that provides a home for many birds like flamingos or storks. The centre belongs to the British Sovereign Base Area Administration (BSAA), but it’s educational personnel is provided by the Cyprus Department of Education. The teachers offer a range of courses and programmes on topics relating to this unique flora and fauna region, the laguna and the seashore. Schools from all over Cyprus come to take part in experiential learning activities.
From the profile of the AEEC, it is easy to recognise that there is a lot of shared interest with the TEASPILS objectives in generating environmental awareness. Hence, it was not surprising that the staff were enthralled by the presentation of the TEASPILS project. This led to a brief demonstration of the Spike instrument with ist sensors and pedagogic applications along the lines of the Digital Green Competence framework.
From the ensuing discussion with the teachers and the centre manager their enthusiasm about dataification of their botanic environment by measuring soil and air data became ever more manifest. Finally, it was arranged that our partners from OUC will give training session on the TEASPILS learning ecosystem and the Spike in particular. This will be followed by the centre teachers piloting the Spike and TEASPILS tools in their educational courses in real settings. Much to the benefit of our project and further development.