Robotics4STEM
As too often we ignore the creative aspects of STEM in our classroom teaching and focus on routine exercises and the repetition of procedures. In doing so, we are unlikely to spark enthusiastic responses to the subject from the children. Not too many children say that Mathematics is their favorite lesson and yet it could be so easily. Engineering is often described as the study of pattern which might help to explain its strong connections with art, leading to some of the most creative aspects of it.
Integrating practical and theoretical knowledge in primary education institutions` curricula can provide opportunities for students to gain the skills needed now and in the future on the labor market, and thus improve their future employability. The local authorities in each participating country have identified a need to improve the quality of education in STEM subjects, particularly on the field of ICT, Numeracy and Business Studies for future employability, therefore the Strategic Partnership will support a project-based collaboration between students and staff, to develop, test and adopt a joint curriculum between participating Primary Schools, based on an exhaustive needs analysis and focusing on a “real-life” transnational approach.
The aim of the project is to develop children's STEM (STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills by introducing them to LEGO Robotics.
Project objectives
* To increase students’ interest in STEM education and careers and introduced them to all available new trends in technology.
* To provide tools and methodologies to facilitate the acquisition of STEM skills.
* To develop collaborative partnership between schools and the wider community in formal, non-formal and informal learning.
* To tackle the shortfall in women in the STEM sector at European level and increasing drop out rates of girls in STEM.
Further to the above objectives we are to improve the quality of education in STEM and business studies and to increase the take-up of these subjects in upper secondary and higher education. The Strategic Partnership will support the development of better progression routes into higher education and graduation, with a specific focus on non-traditional learners, such as students from under-represented groups or with disadvantaged backgrounds, by transferring and testing innovative approaches.
Robotics has established itself in recent years as a very useful educational tool, although emerging, especially in scientific and technological education. Educational robotics has been present in University, Polytechnic and professional stimulated by numerous competitions that are promoted as the First Lego League (FLL) and the RoboCup Junior.
Our project will include founding ROBOTICS clubs in each school and these clubs are used as an opportunity to introduce business studies to children at very young age. Our pupils will run these clubs as real businesses and learn how challenging and complex can it be to take part in entrepreneurship. These processes will involve creating business plans, how to set up a business, what legal identity is the best suitable, how to register with authorities. Also to step into the work of marketing which can teach them to repre
The Strategic Partnership will also imply teaching/learning activities, including student mobility. The final result is the adaptation of the model, its implementation by participating Primary Schools and the dissemination to organisations beyond the partnership, aiming in particular at other education providers and key policy-maker.
The project activities involve staff exchange between the participating organisations, with the aim of exchanging experiences and good practice. The partners share materials and resources, and develop units of cross-curricular work in STEM and business studies, that are tested in primary schools. At the same time, a research compilation in the field is conducted, and discussed during a transnational meeting where a final handbook is developed and plans the testing and evaluation of the improved methodology
The contributions made during the project work will be published in English and national languages. It will be presented to the attention of the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, youth and science and other cultural institutions connected to the topic. The virtual exhibition will popularize the European heritage. The results from all activities will be popularized and published. The schools intend to make use of the results of this project in their educational implementations. To ensure sustainability and dissemination of project results, the Strategic Partnership foresees conferences at local, national and European level, as well as designs jointly a follow-up strategy.
In each partner school, either the whole school or significant numbers of staff and children will be involved in the project. The methods and results of the project will be long lasting. For children with adjustment issues, there are many examples where ROBOTICS and learning through games have led to increased motivation, improved behavior, better self-image, and even improved attendance.
ROBOTICS provides a positive social outlet, a wholesome recreational activity that can be easily learned and enjoyed at any age. The students will be taught the benefits of observing carefully and concentrating. The students will learn how to evaluate the results of specific actions and sequences. The pupils are taught to develop longer range goals and take steps toward bringing them about. The beauty of LEGO Mindstorms as a teaching tool is that it stimulates children’s minds and helps them to build these skills while enjoying themselves. As a result, the students become more critical thinkers, better problem solvers, and more independent decision makers. The students involved in this project will realize that differences and similarities between people in different European countries.
As English is the language of the project, they will give more importance to learn and speak it. The participant teachers will become active participants in a team within an international framework which will give them a unique experience on reflecting, comparing, evaluating logical thinking issues from different perspectives. Also they will develop communication skills in foreign languages and to experience the school systems of the partners. The participants schools will expand their points of views by means of project as they will have new visions and missions.
THE EXPECTED IMPACTS ARE ;
- The project will make a contribution to the reduction of the early school leaving.
- The project will significantly increase the ratio of girls participating in STEM related projects.
- There will be a greater understanding and appreciation of European cultures among children, staff and the wider community.
- The project will have a positive impact on the curriculum and it's implementation in each partner school.
- The programme being international makes it stronger due to its scope, duration and the number of children participating in it. Also the individual efforts are multiplied by its internationality.
FOR STUDENTS;
Students will;
- Feel themselves valuable by involving in the activities, while increase their desire to come to school
- Increase their academic success, be more active learners and active citizenships
- Learn entrepreneurial skills, improve the English language skills, and improve their ICT skills
- Understand that learning is an enjoyable process through games as learning through games will become to the forefront in all teaching activities
- Children will learn the basic concept of running a business through their own LEGO clubs in their schools, where marketing, cash flow and business plan will be no longer words that only adults know what those mean.
FOR TEACHERS;
This project will;
- Encourage teachers to develop their professionalism and increase job satisfaction
- Give a chance for teachers to observe the teaching and learning activities on the spot
- Help teachers enrich their teaching methods and techniques and increase the diversity of teaching materials about creating an amusing learning environment; as a result, teaching quality will be increased.
- Help teachers to assess themselves about new teaching methods.
- Make them aware of how projects are run, the expectations and the positive impact on teaching and learning.
FOR PARENTS;
This project will;
- Create awareness in the view of parents and pupils towards the education’s necessity
- Help parents to build positive attitudes towards school by reinforce communication between teachers and parents
Parents will;
- Increase their interaction and discussion with their children and are more responsive and sensitive to their children's social, emotional, and intellectual developmental needs
- Have a better understanding of the teacher's job and school curriculum, while become more involved in their children's learning activities at home.
- Parents will also be more convinced if the positive impacts of LEGO in schools are proven.
FOR OTHERS;
- This project will provide sources which can be used by neighborhood schools
- This project will be a great motivation for the surrounding schools about taking part in European Projects
- Local decision makers, policy makers will be more likely involved by a project which has been funded by a well respected organisation, who than can help locally by introducing or endorse LEGO in schools and the national curriculum.
Integrating practical and theoretical knowledge in primary education institutions` curricula can provide opportunities for students to gain the skills needed now and in the future on the labor market, and thus improve their future employability. The local authorities in each participating country have identified a need to improve the quality of education in STEM subjects, particularly on the field of ICT, Numeracy and Business Studies for future employability, therefore the Strategic Partnership will support a project-based collaboration between students and staff, to develop, test and adopt a joint curriculum between participating Primary Schools, based on an exhaustive needs analysis and focusing on a “real-life” transnational approach.
The aim of the project is to develop children's STEM (STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills by introducing them to LEGO Robotics.
Project objectives
* To increase students’ interest in STEM education and careers and introduced them to all available new trends in technology.
* To provide tools and methodologies to facilitate the acquisition of STEM skills.
* To develop collaborative partnership between schools and the wider community in formal, non-formal and informal learning.
* To tackle the shortfall in women in the STEM sector at European level and increasing drop out rates of girls in STEM.
Further to the above objectives we are to improve the quality of education in STEM and business studies and to increase the take-up of these subjects in upper secondary and higher education. The Strategic Partnership will support the development of better progression routes into higher education and graduation, with a specific focus on non-traditional learners, such as students from under-represented groups or with disadvantaged backgrounds, by transferring and testing innovative approaches.
Robotics has established itself in recent years as a very useful educational tool, although emerging, especially in scientific and technological education. Educational robotics has been present in University, Polytechnic and professional stimulated by numerous competitions that are promoted as the First Lego League (FLL) and the RoboCup Junior.
Our project will include founding ROBOTICS clubs in each school and these clubs are used as an opportunity to introduce business studies to children at very young age. Our pupils will run these clubs as real businesses and learn how challenging and complex can it be to take part in entrepreneurship. These processes will involve creating business plans, how to set up a business, what legal identity is the best suitable, how to register with authorities. Also to step into the work of marketing which can teach them to repre
The Strategic Partnership will also imply teaching/learning activities, including student mobility. The final result is the adaptation of the model, its implementation by participating Primary Schools and the dissemination to organisations beyond the partnership, aiming in particular at other education providers and key policy-maker.
The project activities involve staff exchange between the participating organisations, with the aim of exchanging experiences and good practice. The partners share materials and resources, and develop units of cross-curricular work in STEM and business studies, that are tested in primary schools. At the same time, a research compilation in the field is conducted, and discussed during a transnational meeting where a final handbook is developed and plans the testing and evaluation of the improved methodology
The contributions made during the project work will be published in English and national languages. It will be presented to the attention of the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, youth and science and other cultural institutions connected to the topic. The virtual exhibition will popularize the European heritage. The results from all activities will be popularized and published. The schools intend to make use of the results of this project in their educational implementations. To ensure sustainability and dissemination of project results, the Strategic Partnership foresees conferences at local, national and European level, as well as designs jointly a follow-up strategy.
In each partner school, either the whole school or significant numbers of staff and children will be involved in the project. The methods and results of the project will be long lasting. For children with adjustment issues, there are many examples where ROBOTICS and learning through games have led to increased motivation, improved behavior, better self-image, and even improved attendance.
ROBOTICS provides a positive social outlet, a wholesome recreational activity that can be easily learned and enjoyed at any age. The students will be taught the benefits of observing carefully and concentrating. The students will learn how to evaluate the results of specific actions and sequences. The pupils are taught to develop longer range goals and take steps toward bringing them about. The beauty of LEGO Mindstorms as a teaching tool is that it stimulates children’s minds and helps them to build these skills while enjoying themselves. As a result, the students become more critical thinkers, better problem solvers, and more independent decision makers. The students involved in this project will realize that differences and similarities between people in different European countries.
As English is the language of the project, they will give more importance to learn and speak it. The participant teachers will become active participants in a team within an international framework which will give them a unique experience on reflecting, comparing, evaluating logical thinking issues from different perspectives. Also they will develop communication skills in foreign languages and to experience the school systems of the partners. The participants schools will expand their points of views by means of project as they will have new visions and missions.
THE EXPECTED IMPACTS ARE ;
- The project will make a contribution to the reduction of the early school leaving.
- The project will significantly increase the ratio of girls participating in STEM related projects.
- There will be a greater understanding and appreciation of European cultures among children, staff and the wider community.
- The project will have a positive impact on the curriculum and it's implementation in each partner school.
- The programme being international makes it stronger due to its scope, duration and the number of children participating in it. Also the individual efforts are multiplied by its internationality.
FOR STUDENTS;
Students will;
- Feel themselves valuable by involving in the activities, while increase their desire to come to school
- Increase their academic success, be more active learners and active citizenships
- Learn entrepreneurial skills, improve the English language skills, and improve their ICT skills
- Understand that learning is an enjoyable process through games as learning through games will become to the forefront in all teaching activities
- Children will learn the basic concept of running a business through their own LEGO clubs in their schools, where marketing, cash flow and business plan will be no longer words that only adults know what those mean.
FOR TEACHERS;
This project will;
- Encourage teachers to develop their professionalism and increase job satisfaction
- Give a chance for teachers to observe the teaching and learning activities on the spot
- Help teachers enrich their teaching methods and techniques and increase the diversity of teaching materials about creating an amusing learning environment; as a result, teaching quality will be increased.
- Help teachers to assess themselves about new teaching methods.
- Make them aware of how projects are run, the expectations and the positive impact on teaching and learning.
FOR PARENTS;
This project will;
- Create awareness in the view of parents and pupils towards the education’s necessity
- Help parents to build positive attitudes towards school by reinforce communication between teachers and parents
Parents will;
- Increase their interaction and discussion with their children and are more responsive and sensitive to their children's social, emotional, and intellectual developmental needs
- Have a better understanding of the teacher's job and school curriculum, while become more involved in their children's learning activities at home.
- Parents will also be more convinced if the positive impacts of LEGO in schools are proven.
FOR OTHERS;
- This project will provide sources which can be used by neighborhood schools
- This project will be a great motivation for the surrounding schools about taking part in European Projects
- Local decision makers, policy makers will be more likely involved by a project which has been funded by a well respected organisation, who than can help locally by introducing or endorse LEGO in schools and the national curriculum.