Experiential Learning to Advocate for the Future

The Case Study of Trentino

June 20, 2025

Environmental Education plays a crucial role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, pollution, and ecosystem degradation [1]. As one of the many species inhabiting the planet, humans have a moral obligation to mitigate their effects. Schools, through education, along with the responsibility of preparing young generations for work, are also engaged in shaping young individuals in the care and respect of the environment. Despite this, in reality, the sustainability of environmental education has so far received little attention, and the consistency and commitment of teachers and schools to environmental education efforts have also declined [2]. As environmental problems increase and governments implement environmental policies, environmental education becomes an urgent concern as a process aimed at raising awareness among children and young people about local and global environmental issues, encouraging them to reflect on the relationship between humans and nature. Environmental education goes beyond the transmission of scientific knowledge: it promotes a shift in attitudes and everyday behaviors, such as waste reduction, energy saving and respect for biodiversity.

But how would an effective environmental education program need to be? An effective environmental education program should have a clear and coherent vision and goals that guide its design, implementation, and evaluation. The vision and goals should reflect the values, needs, and aspirations of the program stakeholders, including learners, educators, community members, and partners, as well as align with the national and international frameworks and standards for environmental education, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. An effective environmental education program should have a relevant and engaging curriculum and pedagogy that foster the development of environmental knowledge, skills, attitudes, and actions. The curriculum and pedagogy should be based on the principles of inquiry, experiential learning, critical thinking, problem-solving, and action-oriented learning and should also be responsive to the local and global environmental issues and contexts, and incorporate the perspectives and voices of diverse and marginalized groups [3]. The challenge then is to find an engaging, effective and experiential project to foster critical thinking and problem solving and GreenMarked, in collaboration with Econtrovertia APS and with support from the Fondazione Cassa Rurale di Trento, has therefore launched the educational project Environmental Quizzes for a Greener Trentino!, inspired by the Provincial Strategy for Sustainable Development [4].

Figure 1: Quiz Day for the students involved in the Pillole d’Acqua Piana Project. Author, 2025.

Environmental education empowers youth to tackle climate crises. In Trentino, students created quizzes after field trips, turning learning into action for a greener future.

TAGS: education sustainability trentino

The project features four themed quizzes, each focused on one of the major environmental challenges identified by the SPrOSS plan which are Water, Biodiversity, the Reduction of Emissions and Safety of the Territory and it is aimed at raising awareness among students and citizens about the environmental impact of everyday actions, aligning them with both global commitments under the 2030 Agenda and local goals set by the Province of Trento [5].

Two school institutions of Piana Rotaliana (Centro Istruzione e Formazione della Fondazione Edmund Mach and Istituto Martini) have been involved in multiple educational opportunities based on interaction, active participation and intergenerational dialogue. Each of the four classes involved has focused on one of the four environmental challenges. The first stage of the project has been a field trip, accompanied by an expert of the four involved local institutions (Ufficio Aree Protette e Biodiversità della Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Ambios- per una comunicazione dell’ambiente, Agenzia Provinciale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente and Servizi Bacini Montani della Provincia Autonoma di Trento) to see the importance of the themes in defining a “Greener Trentino”.

Locations have been reached by bikes to foster a sustainable mindset, and students could mingle with the experts to capture as many ideas as they could for the follow-up stage, which was the creation of the quizzes. This stage was done in class, and the four classes focused on the creation of Kahoot© quizzes based on the Provincial Strategy for Sustainable Development (SPrOSS) document and the highlights of the experts they had the chance to meet. The actual making of the quizzes has been an entertaining stage as students could really try out first-hand the participatory education that links youth to critical sustainability issues while encouraging active engagement with their local environment. Quizzes have been deposited on the GreenMarked platform and can be used by other institutions and individuals.

Figure 2: Quiz Night at the Istituto Martini Auditorium in Mezzolombardo (TN). 30th May 2025. Photo Courtesy of Marcelo Olivera Prada.

The third stage of the project was the final conclusive event to present the project to the wider public: on the evening of May 30th 2025, participants could play out the quizzes in a fun event, and the most virtuous participants (the winners of the quizzes) received a sustainable award.

As one of the teachers involved in this project, I was pleased to see the involvement of my students and to see the spark in their eyes for taking care of their future. Environmental education is not just a subject—it is a movement, a mindset, and a moral imperative. It equips individuals with the knowledge, values, and tools they need to become agents of change in their communities. As environmental crises intensify, the need for informed, engaged, and empowered citizens has never been more urgent. Investing in environmental education is investing in the planet—and in our future.

References:

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[1] Salazar, C., Jaime, M., Leiva, M., & González, N. (2024). Environmental education and children’s pro-environmental behavior on plastic waste: Evidence from the green school certification program in Chile. International Journal of Educational Development, 109, 103–106.

[2] GreenMarked. (n.d.). Environmental education for the future. Retrieved June 15, 2025, from https://greenmarked.it/it/environmental-education-for-the-future/

[3] Husin, A., Helmi, H., Nengsih, Y. K., & Rendana, M. (2025). Environmental education in schools: Sustainability and hope. Discover Sustainability, 6(41).

[4] Provincia Autonoma di Trento. (n.d.). Strategia provinciale SProSS. Retrieved June 15, 2025, from https://agenda2030.provincia.tn.it/Trentino-2030/Strategia-provinciale-SproSS

[5] GreenMarked. (n.d.). Participatory process for Trentino’s sustainable development. Retrieved June 15, 2025, from https://greenmarked.it/participatory-process-for-trentinos-sustainable-development/

Cover image: Quiz Day for the students involved in the Pillole d’Acqua Piana Project. Photo Courtesy of Mark L. Miller.

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