Interdisciplinary use of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for teaching non-STEM subjects in compulsory education Erasmus Project

Project Title

Interdisciplinary use of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for teaching non-STEM subjects in compulsory education

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 school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Creativity and culture; Pedagogy and didactics

Project Summary

Several studies show that technology has been actively used in everyday life, but much less in the learning context (The 25th International Conference on Computers in Education, 2017). According to our preliminary research, there are no European projects focused on teaching non-STEM subjects (e.g. history, social sciences, geography, arts, music, literature, foreign languages, religion) by using STEM, nor projects focused on using interdisciplinary approach, STEM and serious games at the same time, in teaching non-STEM subjects in compulsory education.
In the light of the current situation in Europe, the InterSTEM project is innovative as it aims to use the inquiry-based learning approach in compulsory education at all levels by linking pedagogy, technology and STEM for more successful school results in learning non-STEM subjects. Moreover, as a result of the project, the role of the teacher shifts from delivering classroom instruction to giving guidance and support students’ self-regulated learning. Furthermore, InterSTEM project aims to support the development of innovative teaching strategies, increase the students motivation and the quality of education, as well as promote strategic cooperation between schools and other educational organizations. It is for all these reasons, the partners from France, Netherlands, Spain, Greece and Romania gathered to attempt to make the most of modern technology to develop a user-friendly, engaging and interactive digital tool for teaching and learning non-STEM subjects in compulsory education.
The InterSTEM project targets firstly non-STEM teachers involved in compulsory education and secondly teachers of all subjects and educational staff from all compulsory education levels (e.g. primary, secondary and VET), as well as their students.
The project intends to gather about 250 stakeholders during the national and European dissemination events (with an average of 50 per partner), as well as at least 150 people involved in compulsory education at all levels during the multiplier events (with an average of 30 per partner).
The participants will be selected and involved in the different project activities according to the project needs, as well as to their background and experience in compulsory education.
The main focus of the InterSTEM project is on the use of digital technologies, interdisciplinary teaching methods, gamification and STEM for teaching non-STEM subjects in compulsory education, with the following objectives: develop innovative didactic strategies and creative resources for teaching and learning non-STEM subjects in a more motivating way in compulsory education; build educators’ awareness on the advantages of using combined interdisciplinary teaching methods, storytelling and STEM in teaching non-STEM subjects in compulsory education; empower non-STEM teachers with the necessary soft skills to support students’ self-regulated learning, digital competence and autonomy in learning so that the student will have an increased learning motivation, will be able to lead the own learning process and choose the way of reaching the learning objectives required by the curriculum.
The InterSTEM project starts from the experience of Quarter Mediation in the creative use of interdisciplinary teaching methods, storytelling, serious games, science and technology, as well as the experience of Cookie Box in creating computer games and using gamification techniques to create interdisciplinary games based on all of the above and STEM for teaching non-STEM subjects at different levels of pre-university education. The project includes two short-term training events: “Interdisciplinary methods of teaching based on storytelling and gamification” to be organised by Quarter Mediation in the Netherlands in May 2021, in preparation of the work to the InterSTEM game, and “Testing and fine tuning of InterSTEM serious game” to be organised by Cookie Box in Spain, after the creation of the InterSTEM game.
During the entire project, the five organisations involved in the InterSTEM consortium will create interactive interdisciplinary InterSTEM serious lesson-games adapted to different levels of compulsory education and to teaching various non-STEM subject.
It is expected that the 5 Intellectual Outputs of the project will have a significant impact on the teachers of non-STEM subjects and their students, as well as on teachers of other subjects involved in compulsory education at all levels. Moreover, they have a big transferability potential, as they will allow teachers to choose different levels of the lesson-game, depending on the students’ level of education and the lesson-games will be available in 5 languages. Furthermore, the InterSTEM serious game will be optimized for mobile access and will function equally well on desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 221253 Eur

Project Coordinator

Coopérative pour le Développement de la Créativité et de l’Innovation & Country: FR

Project Partners

• 1o EPAGGELMATIKO LYKEIO PERAMATOS
• QUARTER MEDIATION
• COOKIE BOX,SL
• Asociatia de Studii Socio-Economice