Change The Human Mindset. The World Is Not Only Ours

CONTEXTThe demand for STEAM skills is a continuously growing reality which the school officials have to consider in the short and medium term, as it makes provisions for the future and adopt updated approaches to teaching and learning. The learning process does not have to be limited to classroom setting; the natural potential needs to be exploited beyond the aesthetic value as it provides multiple opportunities where students can learn about STEAM and equip them with 21st century skills that are mandatory for the highly interdisciplinary present jobs requiring several skills. We strongly believe that the school exchange project we devised will set the pillars for achieving excellence in education, equip students with knowledge to handle global competition, teachers with effective strategies for creating customized lesson scenarios and forms of delivery to relate nature to STEAM. Hence, the project will be carried out transnationally and we will develop a common meaningful pallet of activities through which our students learn science, mathematics, technology, art and engineering. Additionally, the nature-inspired STEAM approach will add variety to school syllabus in partner schools.OBJECTIVESO1 to create opportunities for integration of cross-curricular cooperation approaches amongst teachers and students at European levelO2 to stimulate students’ curiosity and creativity by linking STEAM subjects to nature-based learningO3 to increase the acquisition of skills and students’ progress in STEAM subjects through inquiry-based learningO4 to foster students’ employability through upgrading of soft skillsO5 to intensify the cross-border mobility rate in partner schools through Erasmus+ school exchange projectsO6 to enhance intercultural awareness, tolerance and respect for cultural diversityNUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTSThe target group of students in the project aims at those who belong to the age group 12-14 and we expect that approximately 400 students in all partner organisations will take part in activities and consequently benefit from results. Of this group, 94 participants age 12-14 at partnership level (18/24/partner country) will be selected to attend LTTAs, accompanied by 2 teachers. They will be the active group of members during the project, attend preparatory sessions before planned LTTAs, prepare the materials for exchanges, familiarize with the topics. Each partner organization will select at least 7 teachers in the project team, from teachers who are specialised in subjects related to the project topics, who will take on specific duties and responsibilities, coordinate and support students, conduct dissemination activities and events.MAIN ACTIVITIESWe have planned to organise 5 LTTAs, one short-term joint staff training event and 4 exchanges for groups of pupils, hosted in each partner organisation. The group of participants in exchanges/organisation will be made up of 5 students accompanied by 2 teachers and 3 teachers/organisation will attend the training event. Each LTTA will address a different topic: C1 Nature-based STEAM teaching C2 Nature-based ArtC3 Nature-based MathsC4 Nature-based science and engineeringC5 Nature-based TechnologyMETHODOLOGYThe project develops an innovative approach which attempts at raising students’ interest and motivation in STEAM subjects. The activities are conceived so as to encourage learning by doing, discovery, applying critical and logical thinking skills, creativity, English language and digital skills, while making correlations between nature and STEAM subjects, the impact in our daily life.RESULTSCommon concrete results are: Teaching Guide to STEAM, STEAM Fair, project website, eTwinning page, online seminar entitled “ Effective ways to develop students’ STEAM skills”, logo, posters and project visibility materials, project reports, project diary, exhibitions, mini-garden, survey, worksheets, observation sheets, impact and feedback forms, themed presentations, project conferences.Intangible results are: increased knowledge in STEAM field, innovative methods, tools and approaches to apply with students, increased rate of school mobility, skill achievement in STEAM, good practice academic exchange amongst similar European organisations.IMPACT AND LONG-TERM BENEFITSS.T.E.A.M. will create an effective model of joint educational interventions to produce improvement and development in the process of teaching and learning STEAM to be applied in the syllabus of all partners. By virtue of the sustainability plan, the project results will be further multiplied and future generations of students will benefit from this potential. The project management capacity in partner organisations will be enhanced and create favourable premises to access future school exchange opportunities, extend the international network. Organisations will become more visible in local communities, as well as in the wider international community.