The project is addressed to children aged 6-15 from Estonia, Greece, Italy, Poland and Spain. It will be conducted from IX 2017 till  VIII 2020 in all these partner schools. The results of the project will be shared by this project website, a Facebook profile page, Twin space /announcements and all available dissemination tools.  In all partners schools we face the same problem – children have low achievement of Math/Science/ foreign Language skills. We based our statements on a reliable source of information like the external and internal evaluations, the final exams results and students’ marks. When we checked European sources of data about STEAM like Eurobarometer -European Commission and STEAM Alliance, we realized that not only our schools have the problem but it is a much bigger issue.  Europe needs an adequate output of qualified scientific specialists to foster a dynamic and innovative knowledge-based economy. To achieve this goal we need to increase participation in Science, Technology, Art, Engineering and Mathematics (STEAM) studies and careers.  We should start this input from the very beginning -from the primary education but the term STEAM  is rather unknown in most European countries. The typical school gives students ‘the ready-made” knowledge/facts. Through this project we will give our students chance to conduct experiments, looking for their own solutions, collaborate in peer groups, learning outside the classrooms, get problem based and inquiry based learning. In most schools Math, Technology, Science and Art is taught separately. In this project we will integrate these entire subjects and what is more we will integrate STEAM and ICT teaching all these subjects bilingually.

Our organizations need the project which will bring the new elements in the typical education through exchange of ideas and  experiences between organization, implemented during the whole project and especially during STEAM WEEKS  and STEAM summer/ winter CAMPS.

Our main aims are to:

1. Foster the development of social, civic, intercultural competences, media literacy and critical thinking.
2. Promote innovative methods, develop learning materials and tools and effectively use the ICT in education.
3. Promote the acquisition of skills and competences by addressing underachievement in Math and Science effectively through effective and innovative teaching

Specific objectives

• Discovering the new forms of teaching/learning through STEAM.
• Motivate the pupils to critical thinking, collaboration rather than competing, persistence, creativity.
• Create a bilingual e-book with STEAM lesson plans in each country.
• Motivate and support teachers in implementing these forms in practice.
• Promote our common achievements indicating values and the opportunities included in implementation the results in the STEAM education.
• Project “STEAM Children Engineers Academy” to respond to our common needs and meet the objectives referred to above.
• The project allows to create interactive learning/teaching environments for students and teachers.

 

Finally, there are some important aspects which indicate that this project should be implemented in the form of international exchange of experience and trainings in innovative STEAM techniques. These aspects are:

1. The object of the project are the innovative forms of teaching using STEAM which needs a direct contact with all partners. Participants come from different countries representing various cultures, languages, lifestyles and different approach to the STEAM. The fact that project will be realized in multicultural environment is a huge advantage which raises its educational value.  It will be an extraordinary experience for teachers and pupils which will teach all of them being open-minded, accept all people and respect their cultural diversity. This universal goal can be achieved only through mutual understanding of cultures.
2. The STEAM lessons created by different countries will contain some exceptional elements of national culture which will make them unique.
3. The final product of project will be bilingual e-books ( written both in English and the mother tongue of each partner country) which will contain  a set of scenarios of STEAM lesson plans. It will contain also the information and photos about experiences conducted in different countries. We cannot know if the perception will be similar or completely different in partners schools. It may be that in spite of the differences such as education, teaching, culture and experience there is something that connects all of children.   It may be also that the factors such as culture, education and local habits determine the children perception in the way that in each   country STEAM will be taken differently. In that case the approach to STEAM will have its own unique form in each country.
4. Both of the results will be considered as a success. The project aims is to unite not divide. It will show the common elements connecting all people and the beauty of diversity.