STIMEY Project (H2020-SEAC-2015-1) in an effort to bring science and society together in Europe, and consequently increase the continent’s international competitiveness, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education must be more relatable to European youths to raise their interests and involvement in STEM careers.
This project proposes an educational platform with multi-level components, designed and developed on the base of a well-researched pedagogical framework, which aims to make STEM education more attractive to young people from age 10 to 18 years old. Universities, schools, teachers, students, parents, business and media partners come together to complete a circle in which STEM becomes a part of the daily life of youths through an educational portal that also prepares them for future careers.
The socially motivational platform for emotional and educational engagement, herein referred to as the STIMEY (Science, Technology, Innovation, Mathematics, Education for the Young) platform, will combine:
– social media components and entrepreneurial tools (present),
– robotic artefacts (the future),
– radio (the past)
to educate, engage and increase the youth’s interest in STEM education and careers. The platform, with individual e-portfolios, will be designed to tap into the children’s curiosity and motivations from a young age. The platform will take into account the specific needs of girls and boys, to be attracted and stay with STEM in a social collaborative environment with serious gaming and healthy competition among peers. The platform will give teachers the necessary modern tools to deliver STEM education in an attractive and engaging manner in-class, while also following up on students’ progress even outside of class.
Our research team, headed by Associate Professor, Nikolaos Fachantidis, is responsible for the study, design, and implementation of interactive robots suitable to support the educational and social goals of the program, parallel to student progress, and will be distributed to students and primary and secondary schools across Europe. Within STIMEY, innovative technologies and pedagogical methods developed, empowering students, to approach the positive sciences in a scientific and social dimension, will connect them with non-formal education institutions, but also professional bodies in practice, while also supporting teachers and parents. The ultimate goal of the project is for students, through the certified course, acquisition of knowledge, skills, and abilities, to acquire supplies, self-esteem, and self-realization, but also the social context, to successfully choose studies and career in the field of science.
Partners: HOCHSCHULE EMDEN/LEER, Germany (Co-ordinator), POLOTSK STATE UNIVERSITY, Belarus, JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO, Finland, MLS PLIROFORIKI AE, Greece, BABY RADIO SL, Spain, KOMPETENZZENTRUM TECHNIK-DIVERSITY- CHANCENGLEICHHEIT E.V., Germany
