Teaching STEAM through Urban Garden Based Learning in the kindergarten

<< Background >>We applied for this project to address the critical need for age-appropriate outdoor STEAM activities in preschool settings. Recognizing the pivotal role of early childhood experiences in shaping future academic success, particularly in math and STEM subjects, we aimed to bridge the gap by integrating urban gardening into teaching and learning.Our project targets the need for educators to enhance their skills in teaching STEAM concepts through practical experiences in urban gardens. By leveraging children's innate curiosity about math and STEM, we create a rich learning environment that fosters both academic growth and environmental consciousness.Furthermore, by incorporating Permaculture values, we addressed the broader goal of promoting ecological and social justice considerations in education. Through collaboration and knowledge exchange among educators, children, and project partners, we aimed to create a cross-generational learning community dedicated to advancing STEAM education and sustainable practices.<< Objectives >>By implementing this project, our primary goal was to enhance the teaching of STEAM concepts through hands-on urban gardening experiences in preschool settings. Recognizing the critical role of early childhood education in shaping future academic success, particularly in math and STEM subjects, we aimed to leverage children's innate curiosity about nature and math to create a rich learning environment.Additionally, our project seeks to address the need for educators to adapt flexible teaching practices that meet the ecological, social, and economic challenges of the 21st century. By integrating Permaculture values and fostering collaboration among educators, children, and project partners, we aimed to create a cross-generational and cross-cultural learning community dedicated to advancing STEAM education and sustainable practices.Ultimately, through the UrbSTEAM initiative, we aimed to equip educators with the necessary skills to play an active role in children's development and foster a lifelong interest in STEAM subjects and nature, contributing to a sustainable future for all.<< Implementation >>The preliminary research carried out prior to the writing of this proposal indicated a strong need for more practical resources that focused on garden-based methods for STEAM learning in young ages, especially for the countries represented in the partnership, who all fell below average when it came to STEAM, outdoor learning, and awareness of sustainable development compared to the rest of Europe. Thus, the objectives were formed based on these needs, and the activities were designed to meet these objectives. As a reminder, the objectives of the UrbSTEAM project were:a. To enable at least 150 educators (30 participants per partner country) to understand and work with the garden-based methodology for teaching STEAM to kindergarten students and to raise awareness of the principles of permaculture and sustainable development.b. To equip the educators with the appropriate materials/resources in order to deliver garden-based learning for STEAM education at an early age by using the resources from an innovative digital platform - toolkit.c. For children, to come in contact with nature, STEAM education, and become the future agents of change towards a more sustainable future.d. To develop children’s interest in and appreciation of nature and STEAM.Thus, the following project activities helped us achieve the objectives above:Results – The project saw the development of three Results, which were the driving forces behind the achievement of our objectives. Each result addressed at least one objective directly (explained in each Result description), and together they worked to improve the overall quality of STEAM teaching resources through garden-based methods for educators working with young children when teaching STEAM.Management - The success of the project was based on strong management and frequent, effective monitoring of the activities being carried out. The coordinator’s past experience with project management and implementation provided valuable lessons on what (and what not) to do, thus the management plan reflected this. Management was supported by constant and clear communication among the partners through Slack, as well as the clear allocation of tasks and deadlines using a task management system and Gantt chart. Strong management equaled a strong outcome.Publicity - One of the project’s objectives was to promote and implement an innovative approach to teaching STEAM in a garden-based approach by using research-backed techniques to simultaneously improve emotional intelligence. Through the project’s publicity efforts, we were able to spread the word about this well-researched but little-used approach in order to generate interest (and eventually sustainability) in the UrbSTEAM project. Publicity materials clearly stated the project’s objectives and how stakeholders could get involved. The project also included national Multiplier Events which encouraged the uptake of the Results created throughout the project. This helped to spread the word at local, regional, and national levels among stakeholders.Evaluation – Regular evaluation reports ensured that the project’s Results were of high quality in the end. The process of evaluation involved following an Evaluation plan in which internal and external evaluators provided insight into how the project’s activities were progressing. This allowed us to see whether any adaptations to the project needed to be made in order to deliver Results in a timely manner which accurately reflected the project’s objectives.<< Results >>Our consortium worked together for 2 years to explore the current situation in each country related to outdoor learning, urban gardening, and STEAM. The UrbSTEAM project revolved around the production of 3 innovative results:Manual of best practices on garden-based learning and development of Educational materialToolkit for educators and schoolsOnline learning platform and networkingAside from the outputs, the UrbSTEAM project also produced the following:Project Management PlanProject Evaluation PlanProject Dissemination PlanProject Quality Assurance PlanProject Impact and Sustainability PlanProject LogoProject WebsiteSocial Media Channels and Profiles6 Project Leaflets6 Project Newsletters3 Transnational Meeting Agendas and Minutes1 Piloting Report5 Multiplier Events4 Internal Administrative Reports4 Internal Financial Reports5 Internal Dissemination Reports5 Quality Assurance ReportsOUTCOMES:With these outputs, the target group became aware of the concepts and principles of garden-based learning not just towards STEAM in kindergarten but in general as well as an educational approach. This enabled them to engage immediately with the theory and practice of garden-based learning as it relates to their own projects. They also had access to a forum where the emerging ideas of early childhood education were discussed. Partner organizations increased their capacity to educate others about the methodologies and tools used in educational approaches to STEAM learning in early age and also were able to implement best practices in their operations as a model to other stakeholders. Meanwhile, participants gained experiential knowledge and thus were equipped and motivated to apply this knowledge to their classrooms. The knowledge of all stakeholders in the field was greatly enriched by involvement in the project, and the reasonable expectation was that they would directly and tacitly disseminate that learning in a variety of settings.The project was expected to produce a number of intangible outcomes as well, including:Improved quality and availability of STEAM teaching on garden-based resources for kindergartensIncreased capacity to successfully teach STEAM in a creative wayExchange of knowledge and best practices among partnersIMPACT:Much was already written about this aspect of results in the Impact section. However, briefly stated, this project raised awareness about the benefits and importance of STEAM learning through a garden-based approach at a young age. This, in turn, had a positive impact on preschool & kindergarten teachers on how they could use this approach in learning important aspects of STEAM, while helping them get in touch with nature themselves and be more aware regarding permaculture.Aside from the outputs, the project also produced a number of tangible and intangible results. Other tangible results included:6 partner organizations actively participating/organizing three (3) transnational meetings in Greece, Italy, and Cyprus, four (4) national multiplier events (with at least 40 participants in Croatia, Greece, Turkey, and Italy), and one (1) final international event in Cyprus.Successful implementation of the project and impact achieved: conditions provided through due professional strategic partnership establishment, careful planning, human and financial resources allocation, Project Management Plan, Quality and Evaluation Plan elaboration, etc.Successful project dissemination and solid provision of project sustainability: Communication and Dissemination Plan elaboration, Dissemination activities realization, outstanding outreach provided through planned activities and networks available, etc.