Project “Wind Whisks Out” donates modern learning tools to schools 

The renewable energy developer Utilitas Wind and the educational company Huvi are donating outdoor learning kits about wind energy to eight Estonian schools. The kits help elementary school children learn different subjects in a connected way while catching the wind outdoors. 

The aim of the project is to introduce the opportunities provided by wind energy to help school children connect the theory they learn in the classroom to the skills and knowledge they may need in real life. The outdoor learning kits, created by the Estonian educational company Huvi, consist of buildable wind turbines as well as tools and learning materials based on the STEAM approach. 

The STEAM approach means combining learning in the five fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics with practical studies, which pay a lot of attention to the development of general competencies besides the subject knowledge. 

“Through STEAM projects, we teach children to find solutions the way we do in our lives as adults – by combining our various knowledge and experiences and in cooperation with colleagues or friends,” explained Triin Visnapuu-Sepp, CEO of Huvi. “How much energy does our classroom use? Where does this energy come from? What kind of blades should I design for a wind turbine in order to make it charge my phone? These are examples of the real-life problems that young people are trying to solve within the project,” she added. 

“In cooperation with Huvi, we want to give school children the opportunity to combine the knowledge acquired in the classroom with real-life challenges and discover the exciting possibilities of the rapidly developing field of wind energy,” said Kristiina Nauts, Development Manager of wind farms at Utilitas Wind. “Project-based learning, as offered by Huvi, allows you to connect the knowledge learned in the classroom with practical works, which certainly makes learning easier and hopefully creates interest in natural and exact sciences in young people.” 

The project “Wind Whisks Out” involves eight schools: Abja Gymnasium, Kihnu School, Kilingi-Nõmme Gymnasium, Lihula Gymnasium, Pärnu Old Town Primary School, Surju School, Tori Primary School, and Vändra Gymnasium. This March, all schools will receive wind turbine kits by Huvi and STEAM learning materials, which can also be used in the following school years. 

Inspirational training days are organized for teachers, during which they learn about STEAM outdoor learning, share experiences with colleagues, and visit the Utilitas Saarde wind farm and the Väo energy complex in Tallinn. Wind projects carried out in schools also provide an opportunity to involve parents and the local community in the education process. 

Huvi is an Estonian company whose outdoor learning tools help to foster interest in natural and exact sciences and engineering disciplines and to develop the skills needed in real life – from self-management to teamwork. Outdoor learning contributes to a deeper understanding of learned material, allows children to move more during the school day, and gives them the opportunity to explore, experiment, make mistakes, and succeed. It operates as a subsidiary brand of Motor OÜ. Motor OÜ designs and produces exhibitions for museums and research centers.