Literacy boost through an Operational Educational Ecosystem of Societal actors on Soil health

LOESS will map, connect and engage with multiple actors in Communities of Practice (CoPs) to provide an overview of the current level of soil related knowledge in different educational levels and develop teaching programmes and materials including an Atlas of Soil Education. LOESS will explore educational needs amongst school pupils (primary and secondary levels), students (tertiary level) and young professionals, and society across the European Union and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. LOESS will investigate why existing material is not used to a greater extent and co-create courses and modules for soil education, including virtual reality/augmented reality applications. These resources will target the different stages of education and connect to global and local challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss and the Sustainable Development Goals. LOESS will co-create and test pedagogical techniques to encourage effective knowledge flows and discourse between educators and learners and between different knowledge systems (scientific, political, individual local and collective cultural knowledge). It will carry out activities in 15 countries and provide hands-on activities related to soil education through Community Engaged Research and Learning. To overcome the awareness gap, LOESS will organise focused campaigns and events to exchange knowledge, promote discussion on the results and encourage higher uptake. LOESS will also engage with public authorities and institutions responsible for primary, secondary and tertiary education and provide targeted recommendations and resources for improved knowledge enhancement. Capacity building, knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning will accompany LOESS' education and dissemination activities.