Making school a happier place for every child – News-Medical

Report on the “Ignite the Spark” Educational Initiative and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

A research project conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Iceland, titled “Ignite the Spark,” demonstrates a successful model for enhancing primary education, directly contributing to the achievement of key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

Methodology: A Holistic Approach to Learning

The study, led by Professor Hermundur Sigmundsson, implemented a multi-faceted intervention for children in Years 1 to 3 at a primary school in Vestmannaeyjar. The core components were designed to foster a more engaging and supportive learning environment.

1. Increased Physical Activity: The weekly schedule was augmented with two additional hours of physical activity, scheduled early in the day to enhance student focus and well-being.
2. Passion Project Classes: A daily class was introduced at the end of the school day, allowing students to choose from a variety of creative and practical activities, including painting, music, crafts, and cooking.

Impact Analysis in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The project’s focus on student well-being yielded significant positive results, directly supporting the targets of SDG 3.

• Students in the program reported significantly higher levels of enjoyment of school compared to a Norwegian control group.
• The combination of increased physical education and creative outlets was shown to increase overall well-being.
• Physical activity and the passion project class were the subjects students reported enjoying the most and in which they felt the highest sense of mastery.

SDG 4: Quality Education

By redesigning the school day to be more inclusive and effective, the initiative advances the goals of SDG 4, promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.

• Improved Foundational Skills: A key academic outcome was a marked improvement in literacy. With focused training, all children in the project successfully learned to read by the end of their first school year.
• Enhanced Engagement: The passion project class was the most popular among all subjects, fostering motivation and a sense of competence that is foundational to effective learning.
• Holistic Development: The model integrates physical, creative, and academic learning, aligning with the principles of a comprehensive and quality education.

SDG 10 and SDG 17: Reducing Inequalities and Fostering Partnerships

The project’s success has broader implications for educational policy and collaboration.

• Reducing Inequalities (SDG 10): By ensuring universal literacy at an early stage, the program helps to reduce educational disparities and provides all children with a crucial tool for future success.
• Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17): The initiative exemplifies a successful partnership between academic institutions (NTNU) and local schools in Iceland. Its principles are now being adopted by schools in Norway, demonstrating the potential for scalable solutions and cross-border collaboration to achieve global education and well-being targets.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article focuses on improving children’s well-being at school through increased physical activity and engaging projects. It explicitly states that the research project investigates how these measures “affect how much the youngest children enjoy school” and that increased physical activity is believed to “increase the children’s well-being.”
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The entire article is set within the context of primary education. It discusses methods to make schooling more effective and enjoyable, leading to better learning outcomes. The “Ignite the Spark” project is described as an “educational research project with a holistic approach to schoolwork,” which has successfully increased literacy rates among students.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being. The article directly addresses this target by implementing measures like increased physical education and “passion project classes” specifically to enhance children’s well-being and enjoyment of school. The finding that pupils in the project “score significantly higher on the question ‘Do you enjoy school?'” is a direct reflection of promoting well-being in a school setting.
2. Under SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.1: Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. The article supports this target by highlighting a key learning outcome: improved literacy. It states, “With focused training, good support and assessment, all the children in our project manage to crack the reading code by the end of their first year of school.” This demonstrates an effective educational approach leading to foundational learning skills.
   • Target 4.7: Ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development… and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. The “passion project class,” which includes activities like “painting, music, crafts, sewing and knitting,” directly contributes to this target by fostering skills and appreciation for arts and culture, which are part of a holistic and culturally rich education.
   • Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child… sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. The project’s goal to “make school a happier experience for more children” and its success in increasing school enjoyment and sense of mastery contribute to creating a more inclusive and effective learning environment. The article notes that the passion project class “is the most popular and gives the greatest sense of mastery among all the school subjects,” indicating the creation of an environment where children feel competent and engaged.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For Target 3.4 (Promote mental health and well-being):
   • Indicator: The article implies a direct indicator through the survey question asked to students: “Do you enjoy school?”. The higher scores of the Icelandic pupils compared to the Norwegian control group serve as a quantitative measure of well-being and enjoyment in the school environment.
2. For Target 4.1 (Effective learning outcomes):
   • Indicator: The article provides a clear indicator for literacy: the rate at which children “crack the reading code.” The statement that “all the children in our project manage to crack the reading code by the end of their first year of school” is a specific, measurable outcome of the educational intervention.
3. For Target 4.a (Inclusive and effective learning environments):
   • Indicator: The article implies indicators related to student engagement and perceived competence. The findings that pupils “enjoy the most and feel they master the best” the physical activity and passion project classes serve as qualitative indicators of an effective and engaging learning environment. The popularity of these classes is a measure of their success in creating a positive school experience.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news-medical.net