Full STEAM Ahead Erasmus Project

Project Title

Full STEAM Ahead

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: Natural sciences; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

The “Full STEAM Ahead“ was a two-year project that helped teachers and students from 5 European countries (Croatia, Portugal, Ireland, Italy and France) to change their way of teaching and learning.Participants of the project were students and teachers from Instituto Comprensivo Statale (Italy), College Edouard Herriot (France), Gortskehy National School (Ireland), Aguramento de Escolas Marinhas do Sal (Portugal) and Osnovna škola Pantovčak (Zagreb). T eams of teachers were very diverse and we manage to divide activities equaly. Schools that participated in the project set up objectives to empower teachers and give them opportunities to gain more experience by working in multicultural, international teams. The goal was to prepare teachers and students to use new technologies more and make research-based materials that will make it easy to integrate STEAM into existing curricula.
Planned activities were divided into main categories: ASTRONOMY, ROBOTICS, TECHNOLOGY (ICT), EARTH SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH and each partner is specialised in a specific area. Activities were also focused on new web 2.0 and 3.0 tools (the list of the used tools and activities on our eTwinning page: https://twinspace.etwinning.net/24870/pages/page/214697) and safety on the Internet (https://twinspace.etwinning.net/24870/pages/page/231656)
The teachers who were included in the project used carefully selected teaching methods. Teaching styles and activities were chosen to enhance the student-centred approach and high-tech approach. Students and teachers were using gamification, as well as education-focused social media platforms like TwinSpace and Facebook page.
A pedagogy we used encourages creativity, vision, cooperation and collaboration in every student and teacher. Project-based, peer-learning methods and learning through teaching concept are used in the project. We use this project as an opportunity to promote teamwork between teachers and students. Students had a chance to hold workshops for their peers from other European countries. Croatian students and teachers are using various web tools and the students have presented Genial.ly web tool and run a workshop. Erasmus group students have prepared tasks for the activity Explore Zagreb with QR codes and also the tasks for the Escape room. Students have also presented the results of the school mini-project. We have planted sunflower seeds that were on the ISS and the “normal” seeds in 2 different pots. The students observed, measured and tried to find differences in the growth of those two plants.
Irish students are experienced in robotics, so they taught other students how to program Exo Mars lego rover and how to make the online Space Game. It can be run on a computer, tablet or smartphone. (https://twinspace.etwinning.net/24870/pages/page/369246). They have also make a video about space(https://twinspace.etwinning.net/24870/pages/page/369251)
French students showed us how they use a 3D printer. The Portuguese students introduced the web tool Plickers. Italians held a workshop on robotics and prepared a competition.
As one of the results, we have created online audiobook Full STEAM ahead together. This open educational sustainable resource can be used for different purposes and throughout different school subjects. A group of students from each country has written one chapter. They have also illustrated the book. We had a school Mars poem contest, and the best poem is also a part of the book, as well as a glossary and the facts about Mars. We have chosen three students that recorded the story, and now you can use it as an audiobook.
(LINK: https://twinspace.etwinning.net/24870/pages/page/400071).
In our Spacebox (a wooden box designed by art teacher and students and have its place in the school library) we keep Space games for different age levels that were created during the project. Each game has cross-curricular tasks that are in connection with the space topic. Teachers can find there and choose from the various worksheets that we have produced over the two years.
The project did reach the project objectives based on the activities and results. That can be measured by increased knowledge of the participants within space topic; cooperation processes and usage of new methodologies and new web tools during lessons; in exchange of ideas and good practice which ought to improve the quality of education to stimulate innovation. The project mobilities enabled more than 100 students and more than 20 teachers to experience how to be a part of the multicultural team.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 126086,17 Eur

Project Coordinator

Osnovna skola Pantovcak & Country: HR

Project Partners

• Scoil Náisiúnta Ghort Sceiche
• Istituto Comprensivo Statale San Giorgio
• Agrupamento de Escolas Marinhas do Sal, Rio Maior
• Collège Edouard Herriot