Biosphere reserves as key places for testing educational methodologies

This paper presents the framework of training activities addressed to young professionals with a university degree conducted as a part of the project “Environmental Education for Sustainable Development (EESD) - A regional training project scheme for the Adriatic-Ionian Basin”, financed by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and implemented by UNESCO-ROSTE Venice Office. The aim of the paper is to stress the methodological aspects and the approach to planning the activities, evidencing the importance of evaluation of the quality of the training. Innovative teaching methods were developed in planning the curriculum of the training. The aims were to address participants’ environmental and ethical awareness, and to develop values and attitudes, skills and behaviour consistent with sustainable development. The activities were evaluated as an important step for verifying the effects and the processes induced. The results of the evaluation plan were used as a feedback to the implementation of the ongoing training initiatives of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within the project EESD.