Maker schools: Enhancing Student Creativity and STEM Engagement by Integrating 3D Design and Programming into Secondary School Learning Erasmus Project

Project Title

Maker schools: Enhancing Student Creativity and STEM Engagement by Integrating 3D Design and Programming into Secondary School Learning

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: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

This project is an initiative of 7 partners from Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. The partnership includes 2 universities, 1 private company, and 4 directorates of education (one local and 3 regional).

TARGET GROUPS
The project addresses the needs of the following target groups:
-secondary school teachers (especially in STEM fields)
-secondary school students
-regional and local educational authorities
-school managers and administrators

CONTEXT
STEM knowledge and skills are regarded as key to Europe’s competiveness and its ability to address societal challenges. Currently, there are not enough STEM graduates to meet the demand for STEM professionals. It is therefore necessary to increase the proportion of students interested in, and well prepared for, STEM studies and career. STEM needs to respond to the latest changes in technology and industry demands. At the same time, it needs to become more inclusive, engaging and attractive to students.
3D technology, especially when combined with Programming, can greatly enrich current STEM initiatives. It develops students’ creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills. It sensitizes students to the link between STEM and the production process. It also fares very well in terms of student engagement. 3D leads to results that students can literally touch and see, which is satisfying and can make STEM activities more agreeable to otherwise reluctant learners. Finally, it is one of the best technologies for seamlessly integrating STEM into Arts & Design.

OBJECTIVES
The project’s overall objective is to enable the application of 3D design and printing in STEM education in secondary schools.
The specific objectives are to:
-Provide teachers and students with learning/teaching resources on 3D design and printing
-Provide teachers and students with learning/teaching resources on the application of the Python programming language in 3D design and creative explorations of 3D models
-Equip teachers with methodological and didactic guidance for the design and delivery of STEM education in the 3D technology area.

MAIN ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS
The partnership will produce the following intellectual outputs:
1. Extracurricular Training Program “Introduction to 3D design and 3D printing”
2. Extracurricular Training Program “Python for 3D printing and creative explorations of 3D models”
3. Classroom Guide for Applying 3D Design, Printing and Programming in Learning Activities
The following events will be organized during the project:
-A Stakeholder Buy-In Workshop
-Creativity workshops
-Dissemination Conferences
-A joint staff training
-Trainings of Maker School Trainers
-Demonstrations of the process of 3D design and printing to students
-other dissemination events.

EXPECTED IMPACTS
Like many other new technologies, 3D technology is becoming cheaper, adapted to a greater variety of uses and users, and thus increasingly affordable. With this project, we seek to provide schools and their teachers with the tools, confidence and support to do the best with this technology in both curricular and extracurricular activities once it arrives in their school.
At local level, the project will target local schools, teachers, students, local authorities and local educational directorates. It will aim at raising awareness that 3D technology creates many opportunities for improving the quality of curricular teaching and for delivering engaging and effective extracurricular STEM and STEAM (STEM and Arts) activities that are suitable also to reluctant STEM learners. It will also raise awareness among teachers and students that 3D technology can be integrated in learning in the areas of Informatics and Computer Science to build competitive skills and knowledge. In the long run, the project will seek to contribute to improved extracurricular STEM and STEAM education in schools, stronger involvement of students in such education, and new professional development opportunities for teachers in STEM and all other disciplines.
At regional level the project will target public bodies responsible for education and in the long run will aim to contribute to better strategies for enhancing student results in the area of STEM learning at secondary school level. At national and international levels, the project expects to contribute to raising awareness of the full potential of 3D technology to improve STEM and STEAM learning, to advance students results in computer science and programming, to build design thinking skills and to prepare learners for Industry 4.0.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 230519 Eur

Project Coordinator

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY – GABROVO & Country: BG

Project Partners

• POLYTECHNEIO KRITIS
• Directorate of Secondary Education, Chania
• Regional Inspectorate of Education – Stara Zagora
• EUROPEAN CENTER FOR QUALITY OOD
• MANISA IL MILLI EGITIM MUDURLUGU
• MUGLA IL MILLI EGITIM MUDURLUGU