In an initiative inserted in the Galician Network of Blue Schools through activities focused on the Atlantic Islands, algae and bodies of water
Bringing ocean culture to the Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital Classroom is the objective of an innovative project that the Marine Research Center (CIM) of the University of Vigo is developing in collaboration with the teaching team of this classroom. This initiative is part of the Nereida project, funded by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) – Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, with the aim of creating the Galician Network of Blue Schools (REAG). Within the framework of this project coordinated by the CIM, the center’s research staff participates in both the design and execution of a set of educational activities adapted to the hospital spaces and which aim to provide knowledge of the marine environment in an accessible, inclusive and participatory way. The first of these took place this Friday and focused on the Maritime-Terrestrial National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia.
“Bringing the ocean to a context such as the hospital is a way of opening windows to the world, awakening curiosity and strengthening the bond with the marine environment, even in complex situations”, highlights Andreu Blanco, researcher at the CIM and coordinator of the Galician Network of Blue Schools. “Ocean culture must be accessible to all people, regardless of where they are”, adds Blanco of a project that reflects the commitment of the CIM, which is part of the CIGUS Network of the Xunta de Galicia, to scientific dissemination and ocean literacy in diverse contexts, ensuring that access to knowledge is inclusive and reaches all areas of society.
An immersive experience to discover the Atlantic Islands
The first activity, carried out this Friday, focused on the knowledge of the Atlantic Islands National Park. It was conducted by CIM staff, in collaboration with the company 13 grados, combining innovative methodologies and immersive experiences. In this sense, tools such as rich pictures were used during the session, which allowed participants to collectively construct a visual representation of the marine ecosystem, incorporating new elements as they receive information, which facilitates the progressive understanding of the natural values of the park and encourages reflection on its conservation. The activity was completed with a 3D experience that allowed students to virtually ‘immerse themselves’ in the marine environment without leaving the classroom, discovering the biodiversity and natural treasures of this protected space.
Other activities to explore the ocean from the hospital
This project is structured in three lines of work corresponding to the three classrooms of this service of the Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital. Thus, in addition to the activity promoted on this day, it includes two other educational proposals. One of them will be developed at the Nicolás Peña Day Hospital and is focused on micro and macroalgae. Organized by the CIM, this proposal includes the observation of microalgae with a microscope and the creation of an algarium to learn about marine plant diversity. The second floor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry will host the proposal focused on water masses and outcrops, carried out in collaboration with the Centro Tecnolóxico do Mar (Cetmar Foundation) and the Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC). This proposal covers a series of practical workshops on ocean dynamics, including outcrop currents and experiments with water masses.
The CIM has the CIGUS recognition of the Xunta de Galicia, which accredits the quality and impact of its research, and its activity is co-financed by the European Union through the FEDER 21-27 Program.
Source: DUVI
