ALICE STEM – Innovative Approaches and Workshops for Educating Communities

Increasing awareness, skills and interest in STEM ICT careers among 500 students from six secondary schools in the areas of Palermo and Agrigento.

Context

ALICE STEM – Innovative Approaches and Workshops for Educating Communities is an initiative that focuses on the right to choose and how territorial and gender inequalities can limit the ability to make informed decisions about one’s future. The project aims to reduce the gender and geographical gap in STEM ICT careers, with a focus on electronic engineering, through a transdisciplinary approach, high-tech workshops and a widespread and inclusive educational community.

ALICE STEM is the result of collaboration between a career guidance agency, two centres for educational and transdisciplinary innovation, a university department and six secondary schools in western Sicily.

The project will run for 18 months and involve 500 students in a personalised guidance programme, workshops and awareness-raising initiatives to combat gender stereotypes and encourage young people to take an interest in STEM ICT subjects.

Objectives

The ALICE STEM project aims to provide students with tools to explore their inclinations, develop STEM ICT skills and make informed choices. Specifically, it aims to:

Promoting informed choices: supporting students in defining their educational and professional paths through personalised guidance activities.

Strengthening STEM ICT skills: offering practical and engaging educational experiences, connecting schools and universities, and enhancing electronic engineering laboratories.

Reduce the gender gap in STEM: encourage more girls to pursue STEM ICT careers through specific training programmes and high-quality work experience and internship opportunities.

Create a widespread educational community: build an alliance between schools, universities, businesses and families to support young people in their learning and professional growth.

Activities

ALICE STEM is developed through nine main activities, two of which are cross-cutting (management and monitoring, communication) and seven of which are aimed at achieving specific objectives:

Choice Funnel Desk – Specialised and personalised guidance desk.

Si-LabOr – Web platform connecting equipped laboratories in schools with the central unit of the University Department of Engineering.

Electronics school – Hands-on learning courses in electronic engineering.

STEAM: a transdisciplinary journey – Integration between scientific and humanistic disciplines.

Digital transitions – Training courses on the digital skills required by the labour market.

STEM in general – Activities to empower women and combat gender stereotypes.

Widespread educational community – Creation of a network between schools, universities, companies and families to support STEM ICT guidance and training.

In addition, the project includes:

The creation of a network of STEM companies for schools, to offer high-quality mentoring programmes and internships.

The “Come parlano le STEM” (How STEM speaks) campaign and the creation of a graphic novel to raise awareness of gender equality in scientific careers.

A travelling festival to engage students, families and teachers in educational and outreach activities shared with the community.

A pact for STEM ICT guidance and training to strengthen the wider educational community.

Resources

Graphic novel: inspiring women in STEM

How do STEM speak? Digital storytelling against gender stereotypes associated with STEM

Impact

The ALICE STEM project interventions are designed to bring about positive and lasting change in the students involved, improving their skills, decision-making abilities and learning environments, in line with the specific objectives. In detail:

450 students gain greater awareness of their inclinations and interests, improving their ability to make informed decisions about educational and professional paths in STEM ICT. They increase their decision-making and choice-making abilities with regard to study and career paths and acquire transversal skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity.

362 students improve their STEM ICT skills thanks to a wide range of courses, which allow them to apply theoretical knowledge in practical contexts, the possibility of integrating their school education with specialised university courses, innovative technological infrastructure in electronic engineering in the schools they attend, and transdisciplinary training courses that combine art and science.

225 female students increase their empowerment and are encouraged to pursue STEM ICT careers, thanks in part to access to specific PCTOs and high-quality internships.

A widespread educational community connects schools in Palermo and inland areas in a common approach to guidance and training in STEM ICT, which opens up to universities and businesses as actors in upper secondary education and supports families in adequately accompanying their children in choosing and pursuing their own path in life, study and work.