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Description
Aim of the project is to improve the STEM skills of 35 teachers and other educators through 15 educations in order to apply STEM learning approach in regular classes and the develop and implement of extracurricular activities and workshops involving 200 students. By introducing STEM approach to education, students will be more successfully prepared for continuing education at the secondary school level as well as for future career successes, and the established infrastructure and purchased equipment will establish preconditions for implementing activities to strengthen the STEM skills of students and educators.
Summary of project results
Many EU countries, including Croatia, are recording a declining interest in science, particularly among children and young people. Although official results do not reflect the efforts of education stakeholders who, in informal settings, promote a love for STEM through extracurricular activities with limited resources, it is a fact that Croatia lags behind the EU average in research, development, and innovation. Vukovar-Srijem County (VSC) has a below-average proportion of educated population, i.e., people over the age of 15 with formal education (VSC 59.2%, Croatia 69%, Census 2011). Additionally, VSC records a lower percentage of the population with higher education degrees (VSC 9.5%, Croatia 16.4% (2011), EU above 40% (2018)). Science and technology are the foundation of development, and today, more than ever, we are becoming aware of the importance of scientific research as digital technologies are crucial for maintaining economic and social life.
The EKO-RURAL4STEM project is focused on bringing STEM fields closer to students and educational staff in an innovative way through ecology, so that all participants, in addition to improving their STEM skills, will also increase their awareness of the importance of environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and the impact of climate change on the entire ecosystem. The goal of the project is to enhance the STEM skills of teachers and other educational staff so that they can apply the STEM learning approach in regular classes, as well as in the development and implementation of extracurricular programs and workshops.
By introducing the STEM approach into education, students will be better prepared for continuing their education at the high school level, as well as for future career success. Furthermore, with the established infrastructure and acquired equipment, the conditions will be set for activities aimed at strengthening the STEM skills of both students and educational staff.
During the implementation of the project, 16 training sessions were conducted to strengthen the competencies of teachers and other educational staff in STEM teaching. A total of 42 staff members participated in the training sessions, with 38 being surveyed, all of whom responded positively to the surveys (100%).
As part of the project, 7 new extracurricular programs were developed: "STEM in growing plants" (2 programs for grades 1 to 4 and grades 5 to 8), "Young Meteorologists" (1 program for grades 6 to 8), "IT in Special education classes" (2 programs for grades 1 to 4 and grades 5 to 8), and "About the Forest, in the Forest, for the Forest" (2 programs for grade 1, and grades 5 and 6), which began implementation at the start of the 2023/2024 school year. Six educational sessions aimed at strengthening students'' STEM skills were conducted (Educational Robotics & STEAM Workshop, Explore Energy, Explore Programming, Micro for STEM, Explore Electricity and Electromagnetic Induction, BITne maps). A total of 377 students participated in the extracurricular programs and educational sessions. Of the 377 students included in this measure, 366 responded positively in the survey, making up 97.08% of students who reported an improvement in their STEM skills as a result of participating in the project.
Elementary school Zrinskih Nuštar renovated and equipped 4 multimedia classrooms across 3 locations – Nuštar, Cerić, and Marinci – with new furniture and modern ICT equipment. As part of the project, 76 new computers, 10 laptops, 4 smartboards, 2 3D printers, 20 VR sets, 1 drone, a smart plant cultivation system, 17 microscopes, 1 telescope, 1 weather station, audiovisual equipment for conducting workshops, school furniture, and various didactic equipment and materials for Robotics, Informatics, Biology, Technical Culture, Geography, and Chemistry were procured. These will improve the teaching process and allow students to familiarize themselves with modern technologies.
During the project, a study trip was organized for teachers, expert associates, and other educational staff of the Project Holder to the Norwegian partner country, Norway, which is a donor country. During the visit, the teaching staff exchanged experiences and best practices and participated in training and workshops aimed at strengthening their competencies in STEM teaching. The Norwegian partner visited Elementary School twice and conducted 4 STEM training sessions for the Project Holder.
All project activities were aimed at teachers and other educational staff, as well as enrolled students, including students with special educational needs, at Elementary school Zrinskih Nuštar, Cerić Branch School, and Marinci Branch School, who directly benefit from the project’s implementation. The end users who indirectly benefit from the project are the Municipality of Nuštar and its residents (parents, future and current students of the school, and the general public), as the project will raise the level of education in STEM fields in a rural setting, as well as Vukovar-Srijem County, which will help reduce the negative trend of youth education in STEM fields.
During the project’s implementation, 16 training sessions were conducted to strengthen the competencies of teachers and other educational staff in STEM teaching. As part of the project, 7 new extracurricular programs were developed. Six educational sessions aimed at strengthening students’ STEM skills were conducted. Elementary school Zrinskih Nuštar renovated and equipped 4 multimedia classrooms across 3 locations—Nuštar, Cerić, and Marinci—with new furniture and modern ICT equipment.
Summary of bilateral results
During the project, a study trip was organized for teachers, expert associates, and other educational staff of the Project Holder to the partner in Norway, which is the donor country. During the visit, the teaching staff exchanged their experiences and examples of best practices and participated in training sessions and workshops aimed at strengthening their competencies in STEM teaching. The Norwegian partner visited Elementary school Zrinskih Nuštar twice and conducted 4 STEM training sessions for the Project Holder. Specific plans for continued cooperation were not established; however, contacts will be maintained with the aim of potential collaboration on future projects.