How to connect teaching of STEM subjects with their real-world application? How to make STEM teaching more engaging and practical? What is the CHOICE project doing to innovate STEM education?
The CHOICE project aims to increase young people’s motivation to choose STEM careers through a practice-oriented multidisciplinary approach to teaching STEM subjects. And thus, in the longer run, to contribute to the preparation of workforce capable of facing future complex challenges.
In the first year of the project’s life-time, partners researched the existing initiatives and best practices in STEAM and STE(A)M education, and analysed students’ attitudes towards STEM learning as well as the practical approaches applied by teachers in STEM teaching.
The main research results were collected and described in:
- National Reports on Local and Regional Initiatives, best practices, students’ attitudes and teachers’ approaches to STE(A)M Education
- State of the Art Study
- Reflective Practice Case Study Compendium
Based on the collaborative research, partners formulated the Framework for reforming STEM curricula which will serve as a stepping stone for the co-production of 5 innovative Open Educational Resources (OER) and the CHOICE Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).
At this stage of the project implementation, partners in Italy, Cyprus, Spain and Greece are planning a series of Design & Development workshops where teachers together with their students will co-create original educational resources addressing 5 STE(A)M macro-areas:
- Connecting STEM and arts
- Experiential projects
- Using languages in STEM lessons
- Using technology in social sciences
- Turning sports and physical activity into a STEM learning experience
The topics and content of the educational resources will be co-designed with a valuable contribution of professionals from STEM-related academic and business field to ensure that the new resources reflect practical application of the subjects in real-world context.
Teachers involved in the local Design & Development workshops will take part in a two-day international training which will be held online on 27 and 28 January with the objective of preparing them for the workshop implementation and co-creation of the resources while actively involving students in the process.
On January 13, the project partners met at their third meeting which marked the conclusion of the research and the preparatory phase, and launched the works on the reforming STEM curricula through co-creation of innovative OERs and the CHOICE MOOC. Partners thoroughly discussed the next steps, planned the implementation at national level and agreed on the programme of the international training for teachers.
The next partners’ meeting is foreseen for September 2021 with the hope of meeting in person in Spain.
For more details about the project see the project description or visit the website. To keep updated on the process follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin or contact Cecilie La Monica Grus.
About the project
CHOICE – Increasing young people’s motivation to choose STEM careers through an Innovative Cross-disciplinary STE(A)M approach to education is an Erasmus + project, Key Action 3: European Forward Looking Cooperation Projects in the fields of Education and Training.
Partners
- CESIE (Italy, coordinator)
- Liceo scientifico Benedetto Croce (Italy)
- GrantXpert Consulting Ltd (Cyprus)
- Grammar school Nicosia (Cyprus)
- ΕUROTraining (Greece)
- Regional Directorate of Education of Western Greece (Greece)
- Blue Room innovation (Spain)
- Institut de Maçanet de la Selva (Spain)
- Lifelong Learning Platform (Belgium)
For further information
See the project website, read more about CHOICE and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin.
Contact Cecilie La Monica Grus: cecilie.lamonica@cesie.org.
