Pedagogical Resources IN Teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics Erasmus Project

Project Title

Pedagogical Resources IN Teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

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 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Pedagogy and didactics

Project Summary

CONTEXT
Among the causes of early secondary school leaving by students with a low level of basic skills, there are failures in learning the skills of mathematics and scientific literacy, and more generally of formal and coded. languages. According to the “Strategic Framework for European Cooperation in Education and Training (ET 2020) Council Conclusions”, the goal is to decrease the number of 15-years aged European students with insufficient skills in the field of mathematics and science, to less than 15% by 2020. For this reason, it becomes essential to develop training methods that foster interest and motivation in mathematics and the sciences.
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To develop, carry out and validate training programs and related tools for transferrable use of 3D printers in secondary schools, in order to foster pedagogical innovation according to
2 pursued logics:
a) the logic of the project work (with a focus on design and applied technology), through which you look at the process of engineering and production of an object: the conception, design, modelling, creation;
b) logic of pedagogical experimentation, through which it is possible to print three-dimensional objects that support reflective observation and abstract conceptualization of calculations, measurements and geometric figures (mathematics), magnitudes, motions and forces (physical) particles and structures of organic matter and inorganic (biology, chemistry).
PARTNERSHIP
PRINT STEM Partnership involves 10 organizations of different and complementary nature: 5 Secondary Schools (2 Italy, 1 Greece, 1 Turkey, 1 UK), 1 VET centre (Italy), 1 training service company of entrepreneurial association (Italy), 2 IT companies (1 Spain, 1 Poland), 1 European Development Agency (Czech Republic).
ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT
Logical and sequential activities, related to the 5 Intellectual Outputs:
1) Identification, by a panel of experts at the transnational level, the hypothesis of profitable use of 3D printing technology in relation to specific critical points in the learning curriculum of the literacy skills of mathematics and science. Delphi method will be used; 2) Establishment of Teachers Team (one for each partner education-oriented) and familiarization of teachers in the subject areas involved in experimenting with 3D printing technology, also with the support of partner technology / business-oriented; 3) Implementation of pupil-led experimentation in methods of project work, which aims to cover the entire production process of an object (conception, design, modeling, creation).
At least 1 experimentation carried out by each school partner; 4) Implementation of teacher-led experimentation mathematical literacy skills, according to a disciplinary logic of experimental teaching refers to the key ideas and / or mathematical processes and / or contexts / situations scientific. At least 1 experimentation carried out by each school partner; 5) Implementation of teacher-led experimentation of scientific literacy skills, according to a logic didactic sperimentation that refers to knowledge, and scientific concepts for the understanding of the phenomena; scientific processes of description, explanation and prediction; contexts / situations in the areas of life-health, land and environment, science and technology. At least 1 experimentation carried out by each school partner.
All experimentations have been modelled and released as OER Open Educational Resource.
ACHIEVED RESULTS AND IMPACTS
The project involved at least 2 different classes of specialization, for each experiment (Output 3,4,5) conducted within each partner school and in which it has been activated one Teachers Team, composed of at least 4 teachers representative of each STEM discipline. As a whole, 624 students have been involved and 25 teachers. Impacts on students: over 85% with higher appreciation of the experimental methodologoy in comparison to traditional didactic methods and average reduction by 7% of low achievers in Math and Science ex-post experimentations. Impacts on STEM teachers: development of new competences related to experimental and innovative didactics. Impacts on schools: innovation of own pedagogical context, improvement of effective didactic teaching of STEM subjects, validated introduction of 3D printer use in curricula activities, 10 new school-business partnerships with local companies for the carry out of work-based learning experiences with use of 3D printers, increase in reputation on the territory and increase in number of students enrolled in the schools. Impacts on technology/business oriented organizations: 6 new cooperation with local schools, development of know-how in development of experimentations with use of 3D printers for didactical aims.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 259283 Eur

Project Coordinator

Istituto di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore “A.Berenini” & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Istituto Istruzione Superiore “C. E. Gadda”
• Kirkby Stephen Grammar School
• SABANCI MESLEKI VE TEKNIK ANADOLU LISESI
• 1epalchanion
• DANMAR COMPUTERS MALGORZATA MIKLOSZ
• Evropska rozvojova agentura, s.r.o.
• ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE LA INDUSTRIA DEL JUGUETE, CONEXAS Y AFINES