Vision

The project institutions are constantly positive change, progress seeking lifelong learning organizations that pay special attention to improving the quality of education, introducing innovative practices, and strengthening internationalization. Educators lack competencies, experience, and developed methodological materials to provide students with quality STEAM teaching services and to develop ecological awareness. The project focuses on targeted activities that will develop quality intellectual products and benefit students, educators, and participating organizations.

Since 1990 employment in STEAM professions increased worldwide by 79% – from 9.7 mln. to 17.3 mln. It seems that students studying these subjects are not yet interested in these disciplines at school and do not acquire the skills needed to work in STEM areas. In Lithuania, the results of students’ science literacy have not improved significantly since 2006. 82% of engineering companies claim to be facing a shortage of professionals.

Cyprus has one of the lowest shares of STEM graduates in the EU and a lower share of ICT specialists in the workforce than the EU average. Only 2.4% of Master’s students graduate with a degree in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics and only 1.5% graduate with a degree in ICT.

There is a large deficit of the STEAM professionals in North Macedonia specifically. Research shows that STEM education in North Macedonia has plenty of opportunities for improvement when compared to other European countries. The analysis made by the NMK Employment Agency shows that besides IT Engineers, the labour market lacks high-school graduated professionals in the fields of biology, chemistry, and additional sciences with manual scopes of work.

Turkey does not have a direct STEM action plan drafted by the Ministry of National Education, but some strategical goals were defined in the 2015-2019 Strategic Plan to strengthen STEM Education. The lack of physical and technical infrastructure in the implementation process, the lack of knowledge of teachers to use these tools in schools were noted. There will be a growing shortage of STEAM specialists in the future, so the project will aim to increase students’ interest in STEAM, motivate them to achieve better results, and enable them to connect their future careers with specialties that require STEAM.

All intellectual products: IO1e-Learning concept, e-Teaching program (IO2), a handbook to enable educators to promote STEAM education (IO3 e-Guidebook) will focus on helping educators work in STEAM lessons and will improve the quality of STEAM subjects. A convenient and adaptable tool will be developed for educators to work with comprehensive methodologies and examples, teaching STEAM across multiple disciplines. Students will deepen their knowledge in STEAM, become more motivated to deal with global issues. This methodology will be applied in an international context: it will be practically available to teachers in EU.

Objectives

1. The project aims to develop an environmentally friendly person, fostering scientific and technological talent, responsible for climate change. Consciously and creatively acting, reconnecting with nature and learning from it through the practical application of STEAM knowledge in daily activities and career paths. The aim will focus on Behavioral changes related to personal priorities, consumption habits, and lifestyles will be encouraged, following the priorities of the new European Bauhaus.

2. To increase young people’s interest in STEAM activities (not less than 10 percent), to improve their achievements in the field of STEAM) and ecological literacy scientific (not less than 5 percent), initiative and awareness of STEAM-related careers (the long-term interest, the creativity, ability to cooperate and solve problems will be developed).

3. To improve the quality of activities of participating educational institutions, to strengthen internationalization and cooperation between different types of institutions. Cooperation not only at the inter-institutional level but also at the crossborder level will enable the educational institution to become a competent and competitive institution with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to climate change.

The activities are divided into 3 work packages and 3 intellectual products will be developed to achieve these goals. IO1 e-Learning concept (WP2 – 2.4. activity)It will consist of at least 20 sheets and will include an introduction, objectives, target groups, framework for the e-Teaching Program, modules, evaluation. It is needed for the quality design and development of the IO2 e-Teaching Program . It will emphasize the strengthening of environmental knowledge, the development of ecological literacy, career competencies through STEAM activities. IO2- e-Teaching Program is designed to develop STEAM knowledge and skills, to form a responsible approach to the environment, to self-directed learning, and to develop creativity and critical thinking. It will consist of 5 topics divided into 4 sub-themes and 120 examples of activities, about 180 pages.

IO2 will be adapted and translated into English, piloted in 4 partner countries and applicable in EU schools. IO3- e-Guidebook objective is to develop a handbook to enable educators to promote STEAM education.

IO3 will consist of 5 chapters, the methodology will be presented through practical examples that will help educators to activate STEAM activities in educational institutions in a high-quality and efficient way, purposefully integrating environmental topics through the development of critical thinking, initiative, and creativity competencies. Educators will be given guidelines on how to work productively in a team and feel responsible for their professional preparation. The publication is universal in that it will be possible to promote STEAM subjects in organizations providing both formal and non-formal education services to older students.