"Main idea of the project is to create innovative pedagogical and teaching methods which will be based on digital technologies. The aim of our idea is to learn and encourage educators/teachers and students to collaborate and use technology in a creative and effective way. In present education systems in most of the EU countries, it is becoming very challenging for teachers to motivate students to learn the material presented in the classroom. Surveys made in the project partners secondary schools, in the phase of project idea development, just prove the well-known fact that students easily ""get bored"" by the academic content presented in formal education process. Traditional teaching methods are focused on providing facts; however, having access to and consuming a lot of information isn’t learning. Being informed isn’t the same as being educated. Virtual Reality (VR) can motivate students towards academic achievement. By using of VR technology, teachers can attract the attention of students to developed VR education material and make studying process exciting and more effective. VR is on the doorstep of education, and without a doubt, it’ll change the world as we know it. New school classrooms will be technologically advanced places of learning, with VR technology, that will allow significantly increasing of students’ engagement and learning. The present limits can be notified in the lack of necessary IT equipment, as well as lack of teachers skills in ability of the underlying technology to customise the material on such way that it can be easier to implement VR material as a part of the class curriculum. Main project objectives are to improve quality and attractiveness of education process in regions of Municipalities of Ludbreg, Croatia, Kocani, N. Macedonia, Limassol, Cyprus and Pazardzhik, Bulgaria by development and implementation of innovative VR based learning methodology; to increase secondary schools teachers’ and students' competences and skills in using of online available VR educational contents in everyday classes; to establish strategic partnership among different socio-economic types of organisations for increasing of quality level of education with implementing of the best practices and development of innovative education methods.The specific objectives of the planned activities will be: to develop own innovative ICT - based educational module with utilisation of VR technology; to improve students achievements in school subjects with help of VR educational technology; to improve students teamwork skills through the transnational competitive event in the frame of long-term teaching assignment; to establish transnational teacher's network by using of eTwinning networking modules and to create of a strategic Action plan for transnational cooperation in the field of education.Partnership include different types of organizations: Local government of Ludbreg (CRO), four secondary schools (Ludbreg, Pazardzik, Kocani and Limassol), two NGOs LAG Kocani (MK), and CSEG(BG) and SMEs (CRO and CYPRUS).Local public bodies and NGOs will prepare a document for development of strategic transnational partnership among local public bodies, schools and NGOs from four municipalities (Ludbreg, Kochani, Pazardzik and Limassol) for development of educational process by using of innovative ICT based methods and best practices. Teachers from schools will be trained for for using of and completing of the tasks for newly developed VR education module; also a number of students (436) in testing the education methods and to actually follow the course in full shape and content.Trainers (SME) will have responsibility to deal with preparation of education module and materials (Guidelines); NGOs will take over dissemination of project results, organisation and realisation of events and realisation of trainings.The main activities foreseen in the frame of the project are: management and coordination of the project; transnational meetings; theoretical and practical short term training events, long-term teaching assignments and short term exchange of groups of pupils; development of the intellectual outputs (Strategic document, Guidelines and education module); development and maintenance of project web-site; organisation of media publications and press releases for the project activities and results; preparation of presentations for final dissemination events.With realisation of project activities and dissemination of project results in front of local and national authorities that are dealing with education, project partners are expecting that impact of this project will be very positive and will lead to significant further efforts for increasing of implementation of ICT - based educational approaches in education process, as well as increasing of attention of authorities on possibility for “moving of” education activities beyond the classroom borders."

Light pollution today is a global problem, which is attributed to economic, astronomical, safety and health issues that affect humans and cause numerous adverse health effects. All beings are dependent on natural body cycles called circadian rhythms and the production of melatonin, which are regulated by light and dark (e.g., day and night). We all live in areas where these rhythms have been disrupted because we are exposed to light all the time. While sleeping, melatonin production can be suppressed, which can lead to sleep disorders and other health problems such as increased headaches, worker fatigue, medically defined stress, some forms of obesity due to lack of sleep and increased anxiety. Students are not exempt from these side effects because of their obsession with modern gadgets that emit artificial blue light. In fact, they predominantly experience all the consequences of being exposed to too much light. Main objective of the project is raising awareness in teachers and students about the need to protect and preserve the environment, to protect the dark sky areas from light pollution and encourage sustainable environment protection. Specific aims of the project are: encouraging initiative and entrepreneurship in students aiming at environment protection; empowering students to take action in order to protect the environment against light pollution by designing and producing solutions and tools for light pollution; empowering students with disabilities to actively participate in project activities; encouraging sustainability of the project activities aiming at protection against light pollution; protecting and preserving natural heritage – natural dark sky; promoting science, astronomy, ecology and entrepreneurship; deepen and broaden students’ knowledge and competencies in science; promoting inclusion and empowering students with disabilities; establishing strong ties with other European schools and sharing best practices with students from other countries; improving language and communication skills; greater intercultural awareness and improving soft social skills as the ability to listen to each other, express opinions, practice tolerance.Target group of the project are: VET secondary school teachers and students (15 -19) who will participate in the project.The results of the project are: - sharing new knowledge and skills among teachers and students- cooperation with international partners, establishing strong ties for future cooperation- brochure on project activities and best practices including multilanguage glossary that can be used by other schools- produced solutions against light pollution by students from VET schools -encouraged surrounding settlements to adapt their public and industrial lighting to minimise light pollution - well informed and environmentally conscious teachers and students who can cooperate with local authorities on management of dark sky parks and environmental issues in general-gained knowledge and skills among teachers and students about light pollution and the ways to fight it-glossary of terms in four languages-adapted lighting around school-contacted and threatening surrounding settlements to adapt their public and industrial lighting to minimize light pollution- creation of a student-made barn door tracker - a useful tool in astrophotography- established cooperation and understanding with local authorities- confident and active student citizens in the field of health and environmental protection issues- developed intellectual outputs