STEAM-H project aims at supporting teachers and educators (with a common European teachers training and supporting materials) in understanding the potential of STEAM approach and organising and implementing STEAM activities in primary schools. This is why the “STEAM-H” project will focus on the potential of the STEAM activities in designing inclusive processes and activities for primary school students (in particular disadvantaged students, students with low STEM performances or engagement) in order to link school STEM experiences to their lives through multidisciplinary activities based on art-making, robotics, home automation, electronics, ICT, high-tech, modelling, 3D printing and other innovative STEAM-based activities. The STEAM-H project will produce the following tangible results: - A competence map identifying the competences acquirable by students with STEAM activities categorised by activity and subject - a collection of Open Educational Resources for primary school teachers, educators and, in general, all people interested in implementing STEAM activities for inclusion purposes in primary schools. - a modularised training programme to promote primary school teachers’ and educators’ proficiency in implementing inclusive processes for primary students through STEAM multidisciplinary activities - A pedagogic handbook with practical information and activities to implement with students. The STEM skills gap in European EMEA countries compared to other regions across the globe is widening: in Asian, for example, countries STEM students can account for up to 20% of the student population, whereas in Europe, this percentage is only around 2% (European Schoolnet, Stem Education Overcoming challenges in Europe 2015). This gap is far from being bridged, considering the level of EU students’ engagement and results in STEM. The share of 15-year-old students failing to reach level 2 (‘basic skills level’) on the PISA scale for mathematics and science is really high reaching 17,2% in Germany, 22.2 % in Spain, 23,3% in Italy, 15% in Ireland (Eurostat 2015). The STEAM learning approach, in which the “A” stands for “art+” (art, design and humanities), offers a real opportunity to face these needs. It aims at engaging students in a multi- and interdisciplinary learning context breaking down barriers that have traditionally existed between different classes and subjects and offers learners opportunities to make new connections. Educators work together across disciplines to develop integrative projects and goals that give students perspective on how a wide variety of knowledge and skill sets tie into each other in the real world. The partnership includes 8 partners (Co.Meta srl, Fablab Munchen, Bylinedu, Istituto Scolastico Comprensivo “De magistris”, La Nostra Escola Comarcal, Grundschule Lehrer Wirth, Steam Education Ltd., Talen S.r.l. ) from 4 EU countries (Italy, Spain, Ireland and Germany). The STEAM-H project is seeking to generate particular impact for primary school teachers/educators (primary target group) and primary school students, potential disengaged students, disadvantaged students and students with low STEM performances (final beneficiaries) through the creation of original materials, activities and training modules to support the implementation of STEAM activities.
STEAM-H project aimed at supporting teachers and educators (with a common European teachers training and supporting materials) in understanding the potential of STEAM approach and organising and implementing STEAM activities in primary schools. Primary school teachers and educators were equipped to work with the disciplines to effectively set up and implement STEAM activities at school that help students connect what they learn in these critical (STEM) areas with artistic practices and design elements. In fact, the STEAM-H project aimed to raise awareness of the usefulness of the STEAM approach to reduce inaccurate stereotypes in STEM education (gender, poor connection to the real world,...) by supporting a positive experience of STEM at school (inspiration, engaging and relevant activities), both among partner organisations and different stakeholders (educational authorities, youth associations, schools, etc.) at local and European level through consistent dissemination activities carried out by all partners throughout the project.
The Europe 2020 strategy sets out a target of reaching a sufficient supply of STEM graduates. The strategy indicates this as the way forward to restore Europe's competitive edge and open possibilities for job creation. The STEM skills gap is far from being bridged, considering the level of EU students’ engagement and results in STEM. The share of 15-year-old students failing to reach level 2 (‘basic skills level’) on the PISA scale for mathematics and science is really high, reaching 17,2% in Germany, 22.2 % in Spain, 23,3% in Italy, 15% in Ireland (Eurostat 2015). This situation is linked to a number of critical points in STEM education: 1) Negative perception 2) Lack of inspiration 3) Lack of up-to-date support for educators Addressing these problems requires an action at an early stage of the children’s education supporting children’s interest in STEM at school in pre-primary and primary education. (STEM Alliance. STEM Education Factsheet 2016). The STEAM learning approach aims at engaging students in a multi- and interdisciplinary learning context breaking down barriers that have traditionally existed between different classes and subjects and offers learners opportunities to make new connections.