Nestled in the Czech countryside, the environmental education centre Kaprálův Mlýn became the setting for an immersive two-day seminar that gave Environmental Studies and Pedagogy students from Masaryk University’s Faculty of Social Studies and Faculty of Arts a rare chance to step outside the lecture hall and into hands-on learning.

Rather than simply studying environmental education in theory, students got to experience the centre’s approach from the inside, seeing firsthand how it runs and how its programmes help pupils build the competencies needed for real, individual action on environmental issues.

The workshop was packed with activity. Students dove into Fish Banks, a simulation game designed to sharpen systems-thinking skills, and Heritage, a creative exercise in which they designed environmentally friendly households from the ground up. Conversations around climate change education in schools gave the experience an explicitly pedagogical dimension, while Earth Walks – an activity crafted to nurture environmental sensitivity in younger children – let students explore methods tailored to early learners.

The response from participants was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Students left with more than just conceptual knowledge; they came away with a toolkit of practical, ready-to-use methods adaptable to a range of educational settings. Their understanding of what environmental education can look like in practice was deepened.