Hosted by OSOS , contributed by katerina on 9 March 2018
“STEMpowering Youth” is an educational program developed by SciCo (short of Science Communication - NPO) and implemented in 15 Greek Rural Areas. The aim of “STEMpowering Youth” is to support project-based learning and interactive hands-on activities that connect science and technology with everyday life. Taking this into account we have developed the following:
Model 1 (implemented)
Extracurricular STEM program, comprised of 9 weekly courses. The methodology is project-based, inquiry and cooperative and the subjects are STEM oriented (Astronomy, Earthquakes, Water, GPS, Arduino, Engineering Projects). Each class contains a theoretical background, delivered via digital educational tools and scenarios, and relevant accompanying practical activities. In the beginning of each “STEMpowering Youth” cycle the educators are trained in Athens. All the educators receive the “Educators Guide” along with the “Class-Equipment Kit” to help them implement the program in their cities. Each cycle ends with the presentation of the student-projects that are developed during the program.
Model 2 (in progress)
Educational portable kits to enrich the Physics and Informatics school classes. Both the Physics and the Informatics kit contain Lab and Arduino equipment respectively, while both include additional guides for the educator. This material contains carefully selected hands-on activities that align with the Greek School Curriculum.
More information: https://goo.gl/HWpzgG
Learning Objectives
The activities of our program focus on linking STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) with everyday life problems. The courses are designed within the frame of inquiry and cooperative teaching to help students develop essential skills like communication, problem‐solving, creativity and critical thinking. Students also learn to collaborate in teams and deal with real‐world problems by using the inquiry method and technological interactive tools. Furthermore, the students are being guided to take entrepreneurial steps in their scientific endeavors by creating projects and solve real world problems.
Responsible Research and Innovation
One of the key aspects of OSOS is the inclusion of RRI - Responsible Research and Innovation principles (more information at RRI-Tools.eu). This is how the Learning Science Through Theater Accelerator fits into the RRI model:
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Governance |
Students will be able to involve different stakeholders in the different phases of the project, extracting the conclusions and results of everything learned during the activity. i.e.: students will contact experts in the subject who will work in the Accelerator, sharing with them the achievements unlocked in the course of the activity. |
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Public Engagement |
Students will be able to take advantage of the knowledge acquired through this Accelerator to work other areas and contexts outside the school, promoting science and continuous innovation in the society that surrounds the school. i.e.: students will be able to work on the activities in a multidisciplinary way, with the aim of taking advantage of the knowledge acquired to improve the society of the environment that surrounds the school. |
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Gender Equality |
The projects carried out in this Accelerator will take into account the gender factor, promoting equal teams as well as results that can improve both men and women. i.e.: students will work in groups that will encourage the participation of both men and women, and will seek solutions to problems from a gender neutral perspective. |
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Science Education |
This accelerator proposes that students use STEM concepts through Project-Based Learning, providing them with knowledge and skills that will capacitate them to solve problems in an innovative way according to 21st century education. i.e.: students will be able to face new ways of solving problems in their environment through STEAM tools, creating their own projects and finding solutions through the scientific method and an innovative way to solve environmental problems. |
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Ethics |
Students will be in contact with multiple stakeholders with whom they will collaborate in various phases of the activity, and with whom they will share the responsibility of achieving the objectives and the results obtained. i.e.: students will get in touch with the stakeholders, with whom they will meet to know their points of view and reflect on the social needs around the activity they raise in this Accelerator. |
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Open Access |
Students will use open resources for the acquisition of skills related to STEM and will understand the importance of the 'open knowledge' and the resources openly available to society. i.e.: students will use digital education tools to learn concepts and subjects such as astronomy, earthquakes, water, positioning systems, Arduino, engineering projects, etc., and with this, develop the Accelerator in a better way. |
Available partnership opportunities
Here are some partnership opportunities you should consider in your development:
| Astronomers | The Educator can arrange Sky Observation Nights in collaboration with local Astronomers. The Astronomer could give a mini lecture and bring his/her own telescope. Students can also use the telescopes that they have made in astronomy class and observe the moon. |
| Science and Informatics Teachers |
Teachers outside the program can participate voluntarily as assistants. |
| Community | Students conduct research to solve problems from their local community that may include interviews, dissemination of the results etc |
| Conferences and other Science and Technology Events |
Students can show their projects to the public and explain their concepts and key ideas. |
Recommended resources
- Train a Science or Informatics teacher mainly on using digital educational scenarios, Arduino Basics (programming in Ardublock or S4A) and the general principles of STEM education
- Perform a three‐hour weekly course for nine weeks following the program’s guide
- Make an online group/forum in order for the educators to cooperate easily with each other and upload relevant ideas and content
- Equipment for every group of students: Arduino starter kit, Galileo telescope’s kit, springs to explain the earthquake’s waves and other expendables necessary for the hands‐on activities.
- Have a classroom with computers and internet connection.
“STEMpowering Youth” is an extracurricular educational STEM program that is implemented in Greek Rural Areas. The aim of the program is to support project‐based learning with interactive hands‐on activities that connect science and technology with everyday life. Students learn to collaborate and
deal with real‐world problems by using the inquiry method and technological interactive tools. “STEMpowering Youth” was designed by the educational Organization SciCo (Science Communication) with the academic advice of Ellinogermaniki Agogi and the support of Vodafone Foundation. The program has started in February 2017 and has been implemented at 15 cities in Thrace and Dodecanese so far.
Youtube playlist with promotional videos about the program STEMpowering Youth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpycBpOZLO4&list=PLiKJNI_kg‐CdSsAFOYEkfQi3ETvQedwQz
Articles about STEMpowering Youth
http://www.vodafone.gr/portal/stem
http://scico.gr/activities/stempowering-youth/
Organisation in charge of this Accelerator
This Accelerator has been developed by SciCo .
Marilena Andrikopoulou, info@scico.gr
SciCo, Epistimi Epikoinonia
Leof. Kifisias 210 , Chalandri , TK 15231
Website: http://scico.gr/
Feel
Addressed Challenge: Before even knowing what project to do, it is necessary for our students to feel what STEM tools can offer to society. For this, in this FEEL phase we propose that students know how technology can contribute to today's society, researching what tools exist and how they can be put into practice to acquire new knowledge to improve their environment.
As the world becomes more interconnected and as research and technological know-how expands, new opportunities along with more complex societal challenges arise. Overcoming these challenges will require all citizens to have a better understanding of science and technology and connect those subjects with real-world problems. Therefore, it is a great need to equip all individuals from a young age to participate actively and responsibly in science-informed decision-making and engage them in inquiry activities that are based on STEM related topics.
Imagine
Through the OSOS platform, “STEMpowering Youth” will give open access to the educational material that is developed by SciCo research team. In this way we aim to share with the educational community useful material about new teaching approaches and examples of good practices in STEM education.
Moreover, the students that will participate in the program will have the opportunity to widen their knowledge in STEM subjects and gain practical tech skills. The class environment requires from the participants to work on student-groups in order to acquire 21st century soft skills like communication, creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving. At the end of the program all participants will conduct research with their team and they will create innovative constructions to give solutions on real-world problems of their local community.
If a teacher or a school wants to join our program, they need to send an email at info@scico.gr to learn more about the requirements.
Create
The weekly courses are: “Water - the main component of our planet”, “Earthquakes and seismographs”, “Trilateration and the GPS”, “Astronomy subjects”, “Arduino Basics” and “Engineering Projects”.
Students learn to use interactive digital tools, how to program and build mechanical engineering projects. They also have the chance to learn how to be a part of a team through experiential activities and art projects.