Abstract
This pre-study explores the potential for adapting the Irish educational concept The aquaculture remote classroom (The ARC) to a Swedish context. The ARC is a mobile classroom that, through experiential learning and interactive activities, introduces students to aquaculture, sustainable food production, and the blue economy.
Through study visits in Ireland, interviews with key stakeholders, and pilot implementations with Swedish students in grades 4 and 5, the concept's potential has been tested in a Swedish setting. The results show that students generally have limited knowledge of aquaculture, but that engagement increases rapidly when teaching is hands-on, concrete, and experience-based.
The study demonstrates that the concept has strong alignment with the Swedish primary school curriculum and considerable potential to increase interest in future food systems. At the same time, a clear national adaptation is required, focusing on local conditions, species, and career opportunities.
The presentation will highlight insights from the pilot work, provide concrete examples of teaching approaches, and discuss the opportunities and challenges of developing engaging learning environments focused on sustainable food production in Sweden.
One of the conclusions
The pilot study shows that there is a need to increase knowledge about aquaculture among young people. If Sweden is to develop future sustainable food production and strengthen skills supply within the blue economy, more students need to have the opportunity to engage with these issues early in their education. Strengthening awareness and understanding at an early stage is also important for building social license, as public acceptance and trust are crucial for the long-term development of aquaculture. A Swedish concept inspired by The ARC could form an important part of this effort.