STEAMitUP: Preparing teachers and students for a digital world Erasmus Project

Project Title

STEAMitUP: Preparing teachers and students for a digital world

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 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Occupations of the future are changing rapidly and the knowledge and skills acquired are not foreseen to be sufficient to prepare our students for being the future citizens of our society. Key competences and basic skills are needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability, social inclusion and active citizenship (European Commission- Report on Key Competences and Basic Skills, 2019). One of the key elements in improving the quality, and efficiency of schools is to give stronger support to teachers and school leaders. Teachers play a pivotal role in imparting knowledge and common values and in giving support to students (European Commission- Report on Improving and Modernising Education, 2016). Research also shows that a competent citizenship in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) is more needed than ever since STEAM education and tools offer today new ways of learning, open up new possibilities for education, and give opportunities to access the job market.

The importance for STEAM education for meeting the demands of today’s knowledge-based economy is underlined by European Schoolnet and decades of academics and researchers (e.g., Gunn, 2018; Liao, 2016, Harris & Bruin, 2017; Herro&Guigley, 2016; Ifenthaler & Spector, 2016; Jamil, Linder & STEGELIN, 2018). However, in order for young people to seize the new opportunities and reap the benefits, the education system needs to innovate and respond to these changing realities by equipping students with the necessary skills.

To meet the above-mentioned needs the STEAMitUP project will develop an interdisciplinary STEAM program to empower in a systematic approach teachers, students, school leaders, and school staff to implement STEAM activities using robotics and digital tools to develop 21st century skills for students namely creativity, problem-solving, self-esteem, collaboration and digital skills. Among other, the STEAMitUP project will develop rich pedagogic material, innovative e-learning space, gamified blended learning modules and trainings and will use blended methodologies (f2f, online), tools and activities.

The project will involve students, teachers, school leaders, and school staff in a participatory and empowering manner. We aim to reach 2000 students, 500 teachers, 100 school leaders, and 100 school staff in all partner countries, while more than 10,000 members of the abovementioned target groups, from all EU, will be reached via implementation and dissemination activities.

The consortium is comprised of partner organisations coming from 6 different countries across Europe: UK, Cyprus, Ireland, Greece, Spain and Netherlands, including educational organisations/schools (Lancaster & Morecambe College & Doukas School), educational and/or research centres (FIPL), NGOs active in the school education sector (CARDET, Fundacion Siglo22) and universities (University of Groningen).

The overall objectives of the STEAMitUP project are to:
•Build the capacity of educators, school leaders, and school staff to organise and implement STEAM activities in schools with the use of digital tools (such as robotics) and non-digital tools
•Develop digital skills, creativity, problem solving, self-esteem and collaboration to students
•Design and develop innovative quality resources for school education for all key stakeholders
•Encourage and motivate students to be engaged in the fields of STEAM

The consortium of the project will develop a compendium of learning resources and blended learning activities on STEM, digital tools and robotics to support the development of basic skills to students by enhancing teachers’ education and professional development. The outputs of the STEAMitUP include the STEAMitUP Toolkit, the blended gamified learning modules, the impact assessment study and practice recommendations and a policy recommendations report.

Specifically, teachers in all 6 partner countries will directly participate in STEAMitUP events and trainings to build their capacity on the use of innovative ICT learning tools for STEAM education and be informed on how to use the STEAMitUP toolkit for personal and professional development. They will also be trained on the use of online digital tools, and specific educational robotics kits namely ‘Lego WeDo’ and ‘Lego Mindstorms’, while they will also be supported in their daily practice with students by providing them with pedagogical material which they can adapt and use.

Students will directly participate in the STEAMitUP implementation activities including lesson plans, workshops, thematic school days, and other relevant event with the aim to support them acquiring and developing basic digital and non-digital skills and competences. Students will be reached even after the end of the project since teachers that will be trained/ informed is expected to continue using the project’s material even after the end of the project’s lifecycle.

Project Website

https://steamitup.eu/en/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 275755,42 Eur

Project Coordinator

Lancaster and Morecambe College & Country: UK

Project Partners

• FUTURE IN PERSPECTIVE LIMITED
• CENTRE FOR ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LTD-CARDET
• DOUKA EKPAIDEFTIRIA AE – PALLADION LYKEION EKFPAIDEUTHRIA DOUKA
• Fundación Siglo22
• RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN