Minds on Hands on STEM Goes on Erasmus Project

Project Title

Minds on Hands on STEM Goes on

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Gender equality / equal opportunities

Project Summary

The number of reports on science education indicated that in many EU countries, unlike the number of young people entering universities is increasing, studying in the scientific field is decreasing. Students often describe science is interesting, despite their positive attitude; they do not like learning science at school, and the number of students lack basic skills in science.
STEM education has emerged as an innovative approach in recent years, appears to be a remedy for the problem in this area.

According to need analysis conducted in our schools, we have faced with the inconvenient reality; most of the students are unsatisfied with the relevance and success to math and science courses. Because of this reality, the project mainly focused on increasing our children interest STEM subjects and to make science and math education more relevant and meaningful for them in the ways of respect, beliefs and cultural diversity.

In the line of the main aim of the project, we have established a partnership to;
•develop key competencies and basic skills on STEM education
•increase science literacy and student interest in STEM
•improve attitudes toward STEM fields and careers
•acquire 21st-century skills
•engage and support girls in STEM fields
•make students excited and enthusiastic about the natural world, learning about ecology and protect the environment
•understand the “Nature of Science”, how science and scientists work and how science affects society
•develop innovative and research skills
•lead science beyond school time and involve students into scientific activities with head, heart and hand
•Improve teacher competencies and increasing their awareness of pupils’ needs and difficulties in learning science.
•broaden our curriculum, making it more international and more relevant to children’s lives
•have a positive impact on our wider school communities

At the beginning of the project, we have investigated the STEM Ed. models. in order to ensure a common understanding of STEM Ed., a teacher training course organised.15 participants, 2 teachers from each partner school and one administrator, took part in the teacher training. We have investigated STEM Ed. models in the literature then shared our knowledge. After the course, we have developed STEM lesson and activities for implementing.

Developed STEM activities aimed to enhance our children cognitive, affective, social and physical skills. They worked as an engineer/scientist in their team. In this way, collaboration and cooperation, communication in native and English skills of children were improved. Due to its nature of STEM Ed., students learned by doing, used math skills and technological tools, understanding the relation the connection of disciplines.

In the second phase of the project, developed STEM lessons/activities implemented in each school and during the LTTA’s in order to realize our objectives.
The common activities:
-Afterschool STEM Ed.program
-Robotic courses designed for children from 100 of 20 from each partner
-Stem career days organised (invited STEM professional met with the children)
-Led Jewellery/Fashion of STEM activity organised only for girls

During the LTTA’s students participated in STEM activities in the formal and nonformal context. They observed ecosystems in nature and build its models, presented their STEM project during the science fair, participated fossil hunting, visited the factory to see how robots are working in real-life, dissected fish with scientist, investigated rock formation in natural area, participated astronomy lesson in planetarium and attendant experiments and activities science centres and museums. In this way, they have found a chance to meet STEM professionals and scientist in their working place and understood how engineers and scientist work.

From 100 of 20 participants from each partner participated in LLTs. Overall 350 students directly participated in project activities. Participation provided by taking into consideration the conditions of the students who are at risk and lacking in activities especially economic and social obstacles.

The outputs of the project are as follows:
-The project website, facebook groups and e-Twinning page created.
-STEM lessons/activities book created for teachers
-Women scientist in EU digital book created
-Slowmation/slow animation DVD created
-Led Jewels built and exhibited
-“If a scientist writes a fairy tale” DVD’s created
We conducted a survey to evaluate students’ attitudes towards STEM fields at the beginning and end of the project. To evaluate the project impact open-ended questions and interview conducted on students and teachers from each partner schools. The results indicated that the project has positive effects on students and teachers. We have shared our findings in two international conferences as an oral presentation and a poster in ESERA2019 conference. An article about the detailed results will be published in a scientific journal.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 128035 Eur

Project Coordinator

Juhan Liivi nim Alatskivi Kool & Country: EE

Project Partners

• Osnovno uchiliste “Yordan Yovkov”
• OSNOVNA SOLA FRANA METELKA SKOCJAN
• Yenikoy Ortaokulu
• Agrupamento de Escolas Dra Laura Ayres