From 5 to 7 November 2025, the Erasmus+ GreenTech Kick-Off Meeting took place in Graz, marking the official start of the international project GreenTech with micro:bit.
All project partner organisations were represented: bits4kids (Austria) as the coordinating organisation, BRG Keplerstraße (Austria), Het Fluoriet and Dalton IKC Sint Joris from the Netherlands, as well as Osnovna škola Vidovec from Croatia.
Our Agenda for this meeting contained the following:
- Introduction of Project Partners
- TimeTable and individual ToDos
- Training with the micro:bit
- Implementing the micro:bit in the classroom
- Brainstorming environmental Project Ideas
Introduction of Project Partners
From the very beginning, the project kick-off was characterised by a warm, open and welcoming atmosphere. Alongside the reunion with partner organisations from previous Erasmus+ projects, new partners were warmly welcomed and quickly integrated into the international project team. This positive start created a strong foundation of trust and cooperation for the joint project work.
Timetable and individual ToDos
During the Kick-Off Meeting, the project plan, timeline and key responsibilities were discussed in detail. Workshops and discussions on working with the BBC micro:bit, initial ideas for environmental and GreenTech projects, and reflections on classroom implementation provided an important basis for the upcoming project phases.
Training with the micro:bit
As part of the Kick-Off Meeting, the participants also took part in a hands-on micro:bit training session, which introduced the BBC micro:bit and its use in educational contexts. The training covered basic programming with Microsoft MakeCode, working with sensors and pins, and simple practical projects such as light switches, servo motors and environmental sensing activities. Through concrete examples and small experiments, participants gained ideas and confidence for implementing micro:bit-based GreenTech projects with their own students.
Implementing the micro:bit in the classroom
As part of the visit to BRG Keplerstraße, the partners were shown how the BBC micro:bit can be used constructively in everyday classroom practice. The teachers demonstrated how to introduce the micro:bit to students and how to start working with it step by step in a lesson setting. The partners were also able to observe students working individually with the micro:bit and gained practical insights into classroom requirements, such as the need for longer cables when using the micro:bit in a school environment.
Brainstorming Environmental Project Ideas
During a joint brainstorming session, the partner organisations developed first concrete GreenTech project ideas. The discussions focused on environmental challenges faced by the different regions across Europe and on how the planned projects can highlight these issues in a tangible way and raise awareness among students, parents and, where possible, local authorities. The exchange resulted in several creative and region-specific concepts that will be further developed during the project. The brainstorming was followed by a short shared Austrian cooking activity, which provided an informal setting for continued exchange and team building.
Environmental Sightseeing
A particular highlight of the meeting was the joint GreenTech activity at the Murkraftwerk Gössendorf. The visit allowed all participants to experience renewable energy generation up close and to explore a hydropower plant from the inside. This excursion was made possible with the support of the Energieforum Steiermark. The guided tour conveyed technical knowledge in a clear, hands-on and didactically well-structured way, using models and explanations suitable for educational contexts. Many of the approaches and ideas could be directly transferred to the partners’ own school and project activities.
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