About Fun and Engaging STEM Activities for Tomorrow's World
This project was developed based on the urgent need to develop and take on new approaches to teaching and learning and to use new technologies to support and facilitate this. COVID-19 has taught us that we must innovate and digitalise STEM teaching resources for primary schools in order for teachers to be able to provide the best possible outcomes for their pupils and to cultivate an enriching learning environment, whether the lessons are delivered online or face-to-face. Teachers need digital resources linked to curricula, so that their pupils can acquire the necessary knowledge and take part in hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities. By developing such digital resources, not only teachers benefit from these outputs, but pupils and their parents. If used effectively and appropriately, digital technology can enhance learning and teaching, equip our pupils and teachers with vital digital skills and crucially, it can lead to improved educational outcomes. Additionally, introducing STEM jobs to pupils in primary school is a great way to dispel gender stereotypes and widen pupil’s career aspirations.
Thus the project will have an effect on three levels:
At an institutional level, the project will maximise the impacts of internationalisation as a process with the potential to further develop and strengthen management structures, international relations, educational services, and to further develop strategic policies related to the internationalisation of education, research, student and staff mobility, and educational technology development.
At national level, the project supports primary school teachers and pupils, the science community, government agencies and bodies and other organisations which are contributing to addressing the challenge of digital skills, future STEM skills and gender imbalance in STEM. The project also allows the partner institutions to have cross-European meetings, exchanges and discussions including multiplier events, on how the project's activities can be adapted by other teachers/schools/education providers/NGOs.
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At an international level, the project supports the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu), which provides a general reference frame to support the development of educator-specific digital competences in Europe. DigCompEdu is directed towards educators at all levels of education, from early childhood and this project will support educators' pedagogic competences and demonstrate how digital technologies can be used to enhance and innovate education and training and it will also help to develop digital, subject specific and transversal competencies in both educators and pupils. The project also supports the Digital Competence Framework 2.0 (DigComp 2.0), which identifies the key components of digital competence in 5 areas for pupils. Additionally, the project also supports the work of the European Schoolnet, STEM Alliance and Scientix.
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With this strategy, the project will have an impact at the local, regional, national, European and international level:
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Boosting a Europe-wide collaboration among teachers as well as education researchers and policymakers regarding the promotion of STEM resources for primary schools, STEM careers and addressing the STEM skills gap.
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Boosting a Europe-wide collaboration among science teachers as well as education researchers and policymakers
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Exchanging inquiry-based and game-based learning, CLIL and other innovative, effective and engaging approaches regarding STEM teaching and learning.
Objectives
Education and training systems need to adapt to the challenges and opportunities posed by fast technology developments. The teachers then can pass on the newly gained knowledge to their colleagues and most importantly to their students.
Objectives:
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Support teachers with high quality teaching resources
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Transfer of innovative STEM teaching methods to numerous teachers, to enable them to explore and share innovative tools and techniques
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Boost a Europe-wide collaboration among STEM teachers as well as education researchers and education professionals, exchanging innovative, effective and engaging approaches to STEM education.
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Enable students to develop STEM and 21st-century skills including technology literacy, productivity, communication, problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, decision making, leadership, entrepreneurship, acceptance of failure and more.
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Explore the use of ICT (web 2.0 tools) in STEM education, to enhance its introduction in traditional teaching methods and create technology-rich learning environments for both teachers and students.
Implementation
The project's main target groups are primary school teachers, students (7-11) and educational institutions. This project will greatly improve students':
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Teachers will be empowered to be more confident, to further developing their capabilities across key competencies such as digital skills, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and the ability to problem solve. Teacher's will:
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Improve their list
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The project activities are developed in order the achieve its objectives, therefore we will implement the following:
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Problem solving workshops, role play, game based learning, interactive workshops delivered to students and teachers during the mobilities
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Share best teaching practice
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Introduce schools/teachers/educators to content and language integrated learning (CLIL), therefore developing cross-curricular teaching programme for the schools
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Use eTwinning in order to collaborate with the partner institutions and the final findings will be published there being available for teachers across Europe
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Develop the Primary Science Education Platform, which will aid target groups to further develop their skills
Additionally, the mobility activities make it possible for both students and teachers to acquire knowledge about the partner institutions' geography, history and culture, including how the institutions function, therefore being part of the citizenship education. We will transfer innovative teaching methods to a large number of teachers, through the development of the project output. We will help students to develop important transversal skills such as creative thinking, problem solving, etc., which they can utilise in school and also in the near future in the labour market.
Expected Impact
It is anticipated that the project will achieve the following short term, medium and long term impacts:
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Increased awareness about the innovative STEM teaching methodologies
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Increased awareness about the importance of cooperation and collaboration among organisations
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Improved conception of social inclusion
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Students will improve their self-esteem and confidence
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Students’ eagerness to learn will increase, regardless of the educational, social and economic obstacles they face.
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Improved ability to stay up to date with the needs of the changing world by means of education
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Increased support and involvement of other local stakeholders, local and regional authorities, companies, etc.