Future Inventors, New Discoveries Erasmus Project

Project Title

Future Inventors, New Discoveries

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 : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

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

Project Summary

The FIND project (Future Inventors, New Discoveries) had three main aims:
• To close the gender gap in the uptake of and interest in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) subjects by developing a curriculum that engages and motivates both female and male students.
• To develop innovative teaching methods in STEAM subjects and to ensure that teachers are confident in using them.
• To raise achievement by all pupils in STEAM subjects by developing a methodology that makes best use of the latest technologies.
The rationale for this project was that significantly fewer women than men study Science, Technology and Maths at University thus limiting their options of pursuing a career linked to these subjects. Staff had low levels of confidence using the latest technologies and innovative teaching methodologies in STEAM. STEAM curricula were sometimes dated in their approach and did not always make most effective use of latest technologies. This project directly addressed these issues.
The partners in this project were Howes Primary School, UK; Zespol Szkol Nr 10, Poland; Gozo College Boys’ Secondary School; I.C. Bagheria IV-Aspra; 49 Dimotiko Scholeio, Greece and Lunde 10-arige skole, Norway. All partners have proven experience of participating in and managing successful international projects. All partners have different levels of expertise in STEAM subjects which enabled them to benefit from working together.
The project was comprised of four phases. In the first phase students considered what they wanted to know about STEAM subjects and how they wanted to be taught. They moved on to examining ‘big questions’ and using Inquiry Learning Spaces such as Go-Lab. Staff developed their knowledge of innovations in STEAM teaching and learnt about barriers to learning especially for girls. They developed new teaching methods such as using the Future Classroom Lab. In the second phase students and staff innovated using new technologies such as robotics and coding. Links were made between technology and the arts with the successful creation of art galleries with pictures made entirely from coding. In the third phase students started to think about extending their learning in STEAM by considering careers in STEAM. In the final phase students created new inventions using the latest technologies and staff developed teaching methods that made effective use of multimedia technologies. Throughout the project staff and students were encouraged to use the latest technologies to enhance learning and to develop the project. On-line courses, videoconferencing, social media, YouTube and augmented reality were employed in a variety of ways. This was in addition to face to face learning in lectures, learning activities and meetings with experts. All partner schools in the project developed a new and innovative teaching methodology for STEAM subjects. This included using the latest technologies in class and using teaching methods such as flipped learning and blended learning to foster independent learning skills. Staff developed a much greater understanding of how to engage female students in STEAM subjects and now use what they have learned as part of their teaching practice. The impact of our project is that there are many more female students actively engaging with STEAM subjects. They are motivated by the new teaching methods and approaches and will feel more confident that STEAM careers are open to them. Staff have confidence using the latest technologies to deliver an exciting and relevant STEAM curriculum. The project has raised standards in STEAM subjects enabling students to make greater progress. This will give them more employment options in the future.Through a structured and wide ranging dissemination plan, our project has had a much wider impact than just on the partner schools involved in the project. We have started to influence the teaching of STEAM in many schools and this will raise the numbers of women going into STEAM careers.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 258276,7 Eur

Project Coordinator

Howes Primary School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Zespol Szkol nr 10 im.prof.J.Groszkowskiego
• Gozo College Boys’ Secondary School
• Lunde 10-årige skole
• I.C. “BAGHERIA IV-ASPRA”
• 49 Dimotiko Scholeio Patras