We are creating STEAM Embassies in the European School Network Erasmus Project

Project Title

We are creating STEAM Embassies in the European School Network

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Natural sciences

Project Summary

Context of the project – Our Erasmus plus KA 229 project promotes STEAM education. We are creating STEAM embassies in the European partner network. We encouraged STEAM subjects among teachers and students, improved their competencies, and changed their outlook. This was an educational approach that aimed to transform theoretical knowledge into practice, product and innovative inventions, and incorporate it into partner country’s curriculum. STEAM is to develop the skills of creativity, scientific thinking, algorithmic thinking, critical thinking and problem solving, flexible thinking, aesthetic skills, design skills and risk taking that form the basis of innovative research. The Schools from 6 countries involved in our project. The children and teachers participated in mobilities and then shared project activities in our respective schools and on the etwinning forum. The children involved were between 10 and 16. The individual projects involved hands-on, problem solving activities for learning which are completed by students in all partner countries.

Objectives were achieved through a range of methods including workshops and training, lessons with teaching and learning activities, cultural visits, school activities which involved members of our whole school communities. The need for an innovative, interactive and engaging teaching approach in 21st-century schools emerged, thereby ensuring that students achieved higher success.
Failure rates decreased as the Swedish school reported less failure in science and technology as it reduced from 4.8% in 2019 to 1.4% in 2019. In maths the failure rates decreased from 1.36% in 2019 to nil in 2020.This is based on internal assessments conducted in school as due to Corono the national tests were cancelled in 2020 and 2021.
In Romania the failure in final exam Maths: 24% in 2018, 23% in 2019 to 15% in 2020 and failure in final exam English language is as follows 20% in 2018, 15% in 2019 to 2% in 2020.
In Turkey the failure in national test exams Mathematics is 22% in 2018, 17% in 2019, 13% in 2020 and Failure in Turkey school in the- national test exams Science: 18% in 2018, 12% in 2019 and 9% in 2020.
In Latvia, failure in national test exams Mathematics: 21% in 2018, 18% in 2019, 12% in 2020 and Failure in Latvia in national test exams English: 18% in 2018, 11% in 2019 and 7% in 2020.
The Irish Context is assessed differently at a national level in a primary school setting. There are no specific state exams for any subjects although standardised testing of attainment is used for maths and English. Results are not available for 2019 due to school closures related to Covid 19. Standardised testing has shown an increase in attainment since 2018 in 2021 in terms of an increase of 12% of pupils attaining at the highest level. At all other levels of attainment have remain reasonably constant although their was an increase in the lower average range of attainment from the higher average scores. School closures due to the pandemic are also attributed to the changes observed in attainment in the average range of results in our school. This pattern had emerged throughout the Irish school system.
In Italy students in 2/5/8/10/13 class are subjected to Invalsi National Tests of Italian Mathematics and English, the students of our Istituto Comprensivo Privitera Polizzi reach medium-high level in the standardized tests of Mathematics(2018-19 level 1 20,9% level 2. 25,5% level 3.33,6% level 4. 8,2% level 5.11,8% )The activities conducted in our project are all described in our twinspace on the etwinning portal. Some important ones include – Logo work, EUCode week, dissemination activities after the mobilities, Erasmus days, etc.
Long term benefit of the project –
With STEAM embassies in the European partner network, we encouraged STEAM subjects among teachers and students, improved their competencies, and changed their outlook to make teaching learning more exciting. We saw the variety of educational systems in different countries working with the same goal. It was amazing to see how all countries spoke the same scientific language and communicated in English . This project helped us all to grow interest in learners in the STEAM fields. We improved existing knowledge and skills as well as acquired new ones. The most successful result is that our schools can now be considered a STEAM oriented school.

Project Website

http://steamembassies.blogspot.com/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 169495,23 Eur

Project Coordinator

Internationella Engelska skolan i Kista & Country: SE

Project Partners

• St. Damian’S NS
• YENISEHIR ANADOLU IMAM HATIP LISESI
• Istituto Comprensivo Statale Privitera Polizzi
• Smiltenes vidusskola
• Scoala Gimnaziala Gheorghe Magheru Caracal