The major objectives to be achieved were: 1) offer better added value to the science and technology courses of their institutions; 2) promote interest and excellence in science and technology subjects in general in the context of the European Green Deal and climate change in the broadest sense; 3) to provide engaging teaching and learning materials for outdoor biology and ecology activities, simultaneously improving many skills (digital skills, communication, problem-solving and teamwork of students, creativity) through the implementation of the STEAM method. It was also a question of acquiring and deepening the skills of students and teachers in the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in the context of science and technology learning. In seeking to achieve these objectives, the expected results were that teachers from the partner structures develop new pedagogical skills by co-creating practical, innovative and adaptable learning/teaching materials while developing a spirit of European networking and inter-structure cooperation.
The two coordinators of this project are biology teachers. We have noticed a change in the types of "student" audience that we meet on a daily basis. There are more and more dropout students and we have to stop, adapt our pedagogies to interest these new generations who are quickly bored by overly academic approaches. We believe that combining several teachings, several approaches and pedagogies (STEAM) would be an asset to interest our young people in scientific subjects which are often considered difficult subjects. This has led to a strong need for interdisciplinary teaching methodologies to develop STEM strategies at local, regional, national and international levels, in order to make learning these rather complex subjects more engaging and understandable for as many students as possible. Even if they never become scientists, the critical judgment brought by the scientific vision of the world and environmental problems is crucial for future generations in all aspects of cultural, economic or social life, and more generally, for the future of our planet.