About

In response to growing concerns about the limitations of traditional educational models in meeting the demands of learning for the 21st century, the project “Collaborative Learning Communities for Redesigning Primary Education Towards Innovative & Sustainable Learning Environments” (ISLE) brings together a collaborative network of stakeholders from initial teacher education (ITE) and continuous professional development (CPD), aiming to foster a professional learning community where knowledge, practices, and experiences around innovative and sustainable learning environments can be shared and developed. A consortium of 10 partner organisations from 7 European countries—Cyprus, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Spain, and Latvia—has come together to launch the ISLE project, seeking to address pressing needs and persistent gaps within primary education systems across Europe, such as low educational quality, inequality and discrimination, insufficient teacher and school leadership competencies, and a lack of data-driven practices. By leveraging the expertise and perspectives of diverse educational contexts, the consortium aims to foster high-quality, inclusive, and future-oriented learning environments that support all learners—particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Aim & Objectives

The ISLE project aims to address the challenge of establishing high-quality and inclusive primary education across Europe by equipping and supporting teachers and headteachers to establish innovative and sustainable learning environments that promote students’ learning (quality) and enrich students’ learning opportunities for all, particularly disadvantaged students (equity).

Objective 1

To identify the existing policies (system and school) and current needs and challenges for establishing innovative and sustainable learning environments in primary education.

Objective 2

To empower and equip in-service and pre-service primary teachers and headteachers/leaders with knowledge and skills essential for effectively designing innovative and sustainable learning environments for promoting quality, equity and inclusion.

Objective 3

To foster evidence-based policy and awareness for establishing innovative and sustainable learning environments across Europe.

Methodology

The project is structured around seven Work Packages that guide its development and implementation. These work packages are organised across three interrelated phases that reflect the project’s evidence-based, collaborative, and action-oriented approach.

Phase 1

The first phase focuses on mapping current national and international policies related to the design of primary education learning environments, with a particular emphasis on innovation, sustainability, ICT integration, and the green transition. Using a combination of desk research and field research methods, the project collects data from network members—including experts, researchers, policymakers, and ITE/CPD providers—on the systemic needs, challenges, and gaps. Parallel to this, insights are gathered from in-service primary teachers and headteachers to understand both school-level learning environment needs and teacher professional development needs in relation to ISLE.

Phase 2

In the second phase, the findings inform the design and implementation of a School-wide Professional Development Program. This program is designed to build the capacity of in-service and pre-service teachers, as well as school leaders, in creating and applying innovative, inclusive, and sustainable teaching practices. Educators are presented with tools, resources, and practices to design ISLE that improve student learning outcomes (quality) and promote equity and well-being. Headteachers receive guidance on school-wide policies and strategic practices to establish ISLE, while learners are supported through interactive and participatory learning activities. The program also includes training for staff members of partner organisations, equipping them to deliver impactful professional development.

Phase 3

The third and final phase focuses on policy development, evaluation, and scalability. Evidence collected through both quantitative and qualitative research methods is used to assess the effectiveness of the implemented professional development activities and their impact on learning environments. The insights gained contribute to the development of theory-driven, evidence-based policy recommendations at both national and international levels. These policies aim to address systemic equity gaps, improve teacher effectiveness, and promote innovation and inclusion. The project also emphasizes the importance of aligning policy outcomes with broader EU educational priorities and ensures their long-term sustainability by designing mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating, and scaling the developed approaches across diverse educational contexts. A strong focus is placed on international collaboration and stakeholder engagement throughout the process to enhance relevance, ownership, and impact.