SCHOOLS
The DA VINCI CODE | Erasmus +
MOTIVATION:
The project target groups are science teachers in STEM and ICT and students (age 12-18), studying sciences in high schools or professional schools. The main needs of the target groups addressed by the current proposal are: difficulties in understanding the scientific material and lack of comprehension about science concepts in students; teachers need to influence the students’ processes of problem understanding by structuring the objective task environment as clearly as possible. Studies in the field of science education show an increase in students' negative attitude towards science, lack of understanding of the material, scientific illiteracy.
The main difficulties students face are: to remember the theory; education is usually based on note taking, working without comprehension, just writing down what the teacher says; difficulties to imagine the discussed processes in real life.
As it can be seen the lack of comprehension is probably the most significant problem. But it can be worked on, developed, improved as any other ability.
Lack of comprehension is the main problem of underachievement in schools, especially when it comes to science subjects. For students it hinders their ability to use the knowledge in everyday life, decreases their functional literacy and as a result it limits their abilities to work on their transversal competences, since they are mainly a passive side in the education process. For teachers lack of comprehension lowers their motivation to work and introduce new pedagogical tools and instruments.
International surveys indicate a constant high share of teenagers with insufficient basic skills.
Consequently, investing in basic skills has become more relevant than ever. High quality education, including extra-curricular activities and a broad approach to competence development, improves achievement levels in basic skills.
The problems in science education lead to the declining interest in science studies, which leads to decline in innovations and this according to economic analyses is already creating serious problems for the European economy.
The project outputs are envisaged to be applicable according to different support programs a country or a school might have. Science education in Europe is usually split into subjects. However the links between the different subjects are rarely emphasized.
The proposed project is a direct response to the EU strategic framework ET 2020 addressing comprehension as an ability to be developed in students as a corner stone for developing their creativity, adaptability, complex communication/social skills, non-routine problem-solving skills, selfmanagement/self-development, and systems thinking.
GOALS:
The main objectives of the project are to create new innovative approach methods by developing interdisciplinary lessons for key competence acquisition and STEM project based learning. The aim is for students to learn how to develop a critical stance with their work: inquiring, editing, thinking flexibly, and learning from another person’s perspective. The critical attribute of intelligent human beings is not only having information but also knowing how to act on it.
We have been working hard in recent years to increase students’ scientific literacy as well as to improve training methods. Since 2017 we are coordinators of the GOSCIENSE project, for 5 years we have organized a national science competition, for which we received two awards within the
MARCH project and SCIENTIX. We also work actively in robotics and programming for children. The main problem we observe is students’ low interest in STEM and IT. In support of our findings is the COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION of 22 May 2018. Skills, such as problem solving, critical thinking, ability to cooperate, creativity, computational thinking, self-regulation are more essential than ever before in our quickly changing society. They are the tools to make what has been learned work in real time, in order to generate new ideas, new theories, new products, and new knowledge.
Our project, building on the above-mentioned conclusions and experiences, aims to build on the next level of understanding science through the formation of key competences. Our school is developing an innovation - implementing interdisciplinary lessons in the training process to form key
competences. Over the past year, STEM teachers have undergone training in developing and implementing project-based training. The two methodologies showed good results. However, there are still many problems that need to be addressed to make these methods truly effective, sustainable and well functioning.
For this reason, in the implementation of this project, we will exchange experience and ideas in STEM and IT education with schools from different countries. The final goal of the project is to prepare 12 interdisciplinary key competences lessons, 30 STEM projects for project-based learning,
as well as a system for evaluating them. Through their application, the following key competences will be acquired: Digital, Mathematical competence and competence in science, technology and engineering; Citizenship competence, Entrepreneurship competence; Multilingual, Cultural
awareness and expression competence. Through these products and their dissemination, we will achieve our goal of open education and the creation of innovative practices in the digital era, which will be a sustainable investment in quality and effective education and training. During the project students will have to participate in project-based training and create prototypes to solve contemporary problems.
The project will also include students of low social status and ethnic origin
