.jpg?v=1)
The European project entitled G.A. STEM - Enhancing STEM skills through arts and mini-games was written and coordinated by University of Turku based in Turku (Finland) and involves Pixel in the transnational partnership. The project was funded by the European Commission in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, KA2 - Strategic Partnership in the field of School Education. The G.A. STEM aims at improving secondary school students motivation in learning STEM through the use of arts and gamification
Funding Programme
Erasmus+ Programme, KA2 - Strategic Partnership in the field of School Education
Theme
Digital Education, STEM
Target group
Higher Education, School Education
Project Reference
2018-1-FI01-KA201-047215
Date
01-10-2018 | 31-03-2021
Role of Pixel
Partner
Project Details
Project Title
Improving secondary school students motivation in learning STEM through the use of arts and gamification
Context
Research and development (R&S) are defined by OECD-Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development as a creative work managed in a systematic way in order to broaden own knowledge about men, culture and society, and therefore, to understand their use and to foresee new applications. Nowadays, Europe is coping with different international challenges, such as globalization, resource exploitation and human aging. In this framework, as stated in the European Communication EUROPE 2020 - A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth of 2010, the Commission focuses on the application of a stronger strategy which can transform European Union into a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for a high level of employment, productivity and social cohesion.
According to EUROSTAT, about 2,6 millions of people in Europe work in the Research & Development field, but the situation is changing completely at national level for some countries such as Bulgaria, Italy, Greece, Estonia, where the percentage of people working as “scientists and engineers” is very low, around 20%.
Today’s youths are more interested in who they will be rather than what they will do. Negative stereotypes of scientists, engineers, researchers and other STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) experts’ career can be found amongst European youth. There is a lack of attractive role models and a lack of information and understanding of what careers in STEM are about.
Moreover, another problem regarding to the gender differences is highlighted: girls often are not so encouraged to pursue a scientific career. There is a significant gender issue in the STEM area, with an insufficient number of girls taking up or being encouraged to take up these subjects.
In this framework, one of the main objectives of the European Ministers is to set the target for the reduction of the average of students with difficulties in reading, math and science in order to reach fewer than 15% by 2020.
Objectives
The G.A.STEM project objectives are:
- Reinforcing teacher skills in the use of ART as development of creativity in their students to promote their interest in STEM education and consequently their interest in scientific careers;
- Improving the STEM education through the discovery of the connections between ARTS and reality and the promotion of the creativity development in 13-16 years old students;
- Recombining in a new way the application of the technology to the STE(A)M education through the development and design of mini-games and game assets.
Target Group
The envisaged impact of the G.A.STEM project on the target groups is:
- on students: improve mathematical and science literacy skills, contrasting with the lack of interest among students to start scientific studies and supporting the development of the scientific culture in European countries;
- on teachers: provide innovative contents strictly connected with national school curriculum in mathematics and science in order to improve the quality of teaching, support a more flexible and fun training in addition to the face-to-face and reduce the number of low performs of students