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Description
The KOZMOS project will improve the skills of STEM, ICT, active citizenship and entrepreneurship of teachers and other educational staff and students (through education, study trips, field classes), modernize the Dalj school (procurement of equipment and establishment of external STEM classroom) and create a cooperation network (schools, business centers, local government, associations, institutions) in Croatia and Norway. The project will develop new learning models and extracurricular activities that will further strengthen the skills of students with an emphasis on students with special educational needs. The developed entrepreneurial program "KOZMOS in Dalj" will help improve STEM skills of students from other parts of Croatia.
Summary of project results
The project was implemented in a rural area, the municipality of Erdut, part of Osijek-Baranja County in the far east of the Republic of Croatia. This is a rural area with pronounced depopulation processes, where there is a significant emigration of the young population. The main challenges and problems identified during the preparation of the project application are the uneven access to knowledge and modern skills in rural areas compared to urban areas (cities). Consequently, an additional problem was the emigration of young families to urban areas with the aim of providing better living conditions, including education. In addition to the above, one of the problems and challenges in Dalj Elementary School was the lack of additional skills and knowledge of both teachers and other educational workers, as well as students in the field of STEM. Another challenge was the modernization of Dalj Elementary School with modern equipment and the establishment of a STEM classroom.
By implementing of 8 activities described the project application, the STEM, ICT and active citizenship and entrepreneurship skills of teachers and other educational workers, as well as students were improved (through training, study trips, field trips), the Dalj Elementary School was modernized (by purchasing equipment and establishing an external STEM classroom), and a cooperation network was created involving the school, the entrepreneurial center, local government, associations, and institutions in the Republic of Croatia and Norway. The project developed new learning models and extracurricular activities that further strengthened the skills of students, with an emphasis on students with special educational needs. The entrepreneurial program "KOZMOS in Dalj" was also developed, which was designed with the aim of achieving a multiplication effect so that it can be transferred to other parts of Croatia as an example of good practice.
The implementation of the project activities basically yielded 3 main results. The first result is the Modern Primary School Dalj, which was achieved by raising the level of technical equipment of the school through the purchase of equipment and the establishment of an outdoor STEM classroom. In this way, teaching is carried out in a higher quality and more modern way. Specialized equipment for teaching STEM subjects, as well as programming, robotics, small researchers and builders activities, improved the learning processes, developed STEM skills in students, creativity, research interests and curiosity, and thus increased students'' interest in STEM subjects. This created the prerequisites for the future orientation of students in the aforementioned areas. The second result recorded is Improved skills and abilities in the field of STEM, ICT, entrepreneurship and active citizenship of teachers, other educational workers and students. This result was achieved by implementing lectures, trainings, workshops, study trips and field trips. These activities improved the skills and competencies of teachers and students, and enabled them to become familiar with examples of good practice. The third main result is the Created network of support and cooperation. This primarily refers to strengthening existing cooperation between partner institutions at the local and regional level, and creating a new network of cooperation with partner institutions and schools in Norway. Through experiential learning and familiarization with examples of good practice, as well as professional support and mentoring during the development and application of new knowledge and learning models, the teachers'' abilities for the long-term successful implementation of the newly created programs were strengthened.
Summary of bilateral results
Bilateral cooperation was achieved in collaboration with the project partner Nansen Academy from Lillehammer and other schools and institutions from Norway, through a study visit of project participants to Norway and a return mentoring visit of Norwegians to Croatia. The study visit to Norway included lectures by experts and a presentation of Nansen Academy as an example of good practice; introduction to STEM teaching models and the Norwegian education system, inclusion processes and examples of good practice through a visit to two primary schools, and through cooperation with teachers and networking of students, as an example of good practice of schools, institutions and local governments with the aim of arousing children''s interest in science and technology careers. A return mentoring visit of teachers, experts and partners from Norway to Dalj was achieved after the completion of the establishment of the external STEM classroom, and resulted in the exchange of knowledge and achievements.