The most relevant priority of the project is to support individuals in acquiring and developing basic skills and key competences through effective and innovative methodologies that promote interdisciplinary co-operation in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STE(A)M) in connection with IT and Media Literacy). To facilitate access to technology, development of digital competences for all students and enhance the attractiveness of STEAM, we need to find a way to bring teachers closer to methods and projects that can open up the way to new interests. In this project we aim at secondary school teachers and students (aged 11-16). A second priority of the project is the implementation of innovative practices in the digital era promoting new transversal methodologies and pedagogies for developing digital competences and teaching STEAM through training and the production of open source materials and software, that can support teachers both in the development of their own digital competences, as well as develop the competences of their students. New flexible and transversal methodologies and educational pathways are also needed in order to guarantee the integration and inclusion in particular of students that face learning difficulties, poor school performances and are at risk of early school leaving. Therefore, the project will implement an innovative practice of “Digital Atelier”, which is based on the Italian participatory methodologies Alberto Manzi and Bruno Munari and this format will be used to develop basic and key competences of students via activities related to IT, media and STEAM subjects. Topics addressed by the project: -Early School Leaving / combating failure in education -ICT - new technologies - digital competences -New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses The activities throughout the period of 2,5 years are organized in a way so that to achieve the project objectives and create anticipated outputs. There will be 4 TPMs in partners countries, 1 LTTA on Bruno Munari and Alberto Manzi methodologies and co-design of 1 common digital atelier and plan an app, 4 multiplier events (with more than 250 stakeholders) to have the outputs dissemination on wide European scale. The project is planning to develop 3 intellectual outputs: 1. Toolkit (IO1) for teachers (with 20 digital ateliers related to IT and STEAM subjects from 4 European countries – Italy, Greece, France and Lithuania) to be used in schools with their students to develop their digital and media competences (as part of contemporary key competences) and promote better incorporation of STEAM subjects into school curricula. 2. MOOC (IO2). The MOOC will create the link to the materials produced for the Toolkit (IO1) and all materials, videos of live sessions, tutorials, chat for discussions to also create a network of “digital atelierists”. MOOC will be used for teachers’ training to prepare them to develop digital ateliers related to STEAM and other subjects. 3. APP (IO3). Starting from the co-planning with the students, the appropriate disciplinary stimuli and the re-elaboration of contents during the digital atelier specifically created for the co-design of the app, it will be possible to develop a scientific application enriched by the creativity of teenagers, their ability to explore scientific topics and the know-how in disseminating them. The final product will be a free App that will be available on App and Play Store and could be used by any other Student or teacher around Europe. More than 2000 participants will be involved in our project: about 961 directly and 1 200 indirectly: 27 teachers will participate in LTTA, 60 teachers involved in national trainings, 24 teachers involved in the experimentation of Digital Ateliers in associated schools, around 600 students involved in 4 countries when experimenting DAs (24 classes). The principal impact will be: 1. Project outputs in 5 languages (IO1, IO2 and IO3) which might be used, adapted in other European countries; 2. STEAM, IT and media competences development will contribute to increase the no. of future employees possessing necessary skills in the labour market; 3. The project approach is contributing to - changing the attitudes and role of teachers, - improving teachers’ competences, - transforming the contemporary understanding about schools, teaching, students’ participation and interdisciplinary approach related in this case to STEAM subjects, - linking school subjects to real life situations (through the format of DAs and project methodologies). 4. The desired impact also would be for the project to get positive attention (and concrete actions) from policy makers in the infiltration of STEAM education in the national curriculum. The project outputs will be shared with teachers, school management, policy/ decisions makers via created multilingual project website, School Education Gateway, eTwinning and Erasmus+ Results platforms
With the project activities and outputs, the partnership wanted to contribute to: 1. Supporting individuals in acquiring and developing basic skills and key competences through effective and innovative methodologies that promote interdisciplinary co-operation in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STE(A)M) in connection with IT and Media Literacy. 2. Facilitating access to technology, development of digital competences for all students and enhance the attractiveness of STEAM by bringing teachers closer to methods and projects that can open up the way to new interests. 3. Implementation of innovative practices in the digital era promoting new methodologies and pedagogies for developing digital competences and teaching STEAM through training and the production of open source materials and software, that can support teachers both in the development of their own digital competences, as well as develop the competences of their students. 4. Providing flexible methodologies to help with the integration of students are at risk of early school leaving.
“New Skills Agenda” underlines, teachers “play a key role in introducing new teaching and learning methods, in stimulating creativity and innovation, in overcoming biases and in bringing out the best in increasingly diverse classrooms.” Teachers are required to become more digitally proficient. They face the challenge that calls for spe¬cific support. Thus project supports teachers in becoming facilitators of innovative educational paths, which are more familiar to the practices of students, through training, MOOC, Toolkit and App that can also contribute to the development of their digital skills (see DiGcomp). Also, knowledge of STEAM is the basis for personal accomplishment, social and economic development, a benchmark of innovation, entrepreneurship and competitiveness in our global world. A more integrative approach is required to make STEAM subjects more attractive. Therefore, the project aims to implement innovative practice of “Digital Atelier” combining concrete and tangible aspects with virtual and technological aspects. The project approach also contributes to fostering the inclusion of learners at risk of Early School Leaving and supports their knowledge, abilities on coding and production of app.