Bringing STEM to life in our classrooms

<< Background >>As STEM is becoming more prevalent in all walks of life, we wanted to broaden and open our minds to the methods, ideas and ways that other European countries utilise STEM. By viewing, analysing and monitoring all the different methods and strategies of how all countries use STEM, each participant from the countries involved increase their awareness of STEM and how best to teach it in their school.<< Objectives >>We wanted all participants to become more comfortable and confident in the teaching of STEM activities. We wanted the children to become more familiar with how Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics can help them in their everyday lives from experiments to buying items in a shop. Research has shown that within the next few years, there will be an increase in jobs in the STEM sector so it's important to allow pupils become familiar with how the STEM subjects are taught and how they relate to their lives.Aswell as the points mentioned above, we also wanted to achieve recognition of deep engagement with STEM leaning and teaching from the Science Foundation of Ireland. On an annual basis, we enter a project and we recently received a Gold Award. It is important to keep this hard work going and by implementing this project, STEM in all our schools, will continue to flourish.<< Implementation >>Over the duration of the project, all participating countries implemented many activities in order to gain confidence in the teaching of STEM activities. The activities we implemented included the following:Technology - including 3D printing, controlling robots using laptops, using various software programmes to construct bridges etc.Engineering - including how to construct various buildings Science - Mathematics - using Mathematics to help decode software programmes thus enhancing project work by speeding up the process and cutting down on paperwork.IT - using IT and IT skills to help and support pupils decode and allow them to utilise these skills to enhance their learning.<< Results >>One of our main objectives was to enhance the learning of STEM. By gathering resources, materials, ideas and concepts from all participating partners, we believe that we hit that objective. Each participant returned to their class introducing new ideas and lessons which certainly enhanced learning. Another aim was to build on the network of resources already gained through each mobility. The plan for this is to upload new videos, chats and experiments via the project's Facebook page. We also envisage that there will be video calls via Zoom, Teams etc from classes to another class, for example, 5th class in Cork will contact a class in Greece.To be confident and comfortable teaching STEM lessons was another of our objectives. We now believe that all participants who undertook a mobility would be confident in teaching a STEM lesson to any age group. We deliberately edited lesson plans to cater for all age groups. This was an important objective to reach as, following a conversation at our Preparatory meeting, the vast majority of participants there admitted that they were not comfortable or confident to teach a STEM lesson.