STEMing together

"In ""STEMing Together"" project 6 european partner schools will implement a project in line with the european educational goal called STEM. The six schools from Cyprus, Ireland, Finland, Romania, Poland and Hungary are schools that have a common vision: to implement STEM real world problems in order to motivate students and strengthen students' STEM skills. Students need to be motivated in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics in order to choose their future study or career in one or more of these fields. In addition, many careers of the future expect people to be able to integrate various of these skills. Moreover, the project aims to improve teacher competences in STEM Project Based Learning (PBL).During the project, students will be actively involved in STEM activities related to real world problems. STEM PBL is both challenging and motivating and involves child-centered activities. An additional advangtage of integrating STEM and PBL is that the inclusion of authentic tasks. STEM activities that are related to real world problems can actively engage students as they build citizenship and workforce skills. As students see real-world applications of STEM disciplines their horizons expand. The world becomes more understandable. Moreover, there is evidence by researchers that there is split between technology use in and out of school, with many students not seeing how the technology they use in school relates to learning or future career choices.Through an Erasmus partnership we seek to cooperate and learn from the European partner schools ways to incorporate STEM PBL in their classrooms. The transnational feature of this project will allow for the sharing of best practices and methodologies of STEM PBL. Students from all partner schools will have a real and meaningful extended audience for their communication and presentation of their STEM activities. All schools will ensure that all learners have access to digital technology to support their learning even though some of them may be disadvantaged (learning disabilities, socially disadvantaged, health problems etc.). The students involved will be aged 5-13, and will not only benefit from the implementation of STEM project based learning activities, but will also have the chance to use the eTwinnning platform for cooperating with peers of other countries in carrying out STEM activities, by using English language. This will contribute to foster their metacognitive ability, as they will have to reflect on the experiences made and report them to someone else. The involvement of pupils will create a good simulation of an international scientific community, which will contribute to make the pupils understand important features of a scientist’s work and will therefore contribute to make STEM careers more attractive for them in the future. After pandemic affected students' and teachers we believe it is crucial to foster our knowledge on online teaching methods and online tools in order to implement STEM problem-based activities. Therefore through LTTs will support all participants in finding out new, engaging ways of involving students in online activities.The methodology includes qualitative and quantitative research. Schools will cooperate to produce a Progression of STEM skills Checklist for students which will guide what the students will able to do according to their age and stage development. In addition, schools will cooperate to produce a survey (using a questionnaire) on students motivation toward STEM learning (at the beginning and at the end of the project). Regarding the qualitative methods, teachers will maintain a Learning Log throughout the implementation of the project so by its completion there will be a record of their professional reflection and evaluation of their learning on STEM. Moreover, schools will develop a range of policies arising from the partnership such as ""STEM policy"", ""Education and Employability"", ""e-safety Policy"".After the project ends policies which can be reviewed, amended and updated as part of cyclical school development planning. Moreover, pupil STEM skill checklists which are relevant at the end of the project can be also be updated as STEM advances, but the central competences can remain. In addition, all STEM PBL activities that will be implemented during the project will be disseminated to whoever wants to implement them with their students will be uploaded on a Facebook page and on e-twinning platform.A major impact foreseen is on the creation of more positive attitudes to STEM for students and their STEM skills will be improved. Students actively involved in this project could be motivated to choose to study or work in one or more of STEM fields. In the longer term it is also envisaged the reduction of the number of the unemployed, an improvement of students´ grades, an increase in teacher STEM PBL strategies, an improvement of European education system by implementing innovative practices."