SYSTEMIC, "Say Yes to STEM In the Classroom"
The overall objective of the SYSTEMIC project ("Say Yes to STEM In the Classroom") is to increase young Europeans’ interest in maths, science, engineering and technology education and careers and to provide teachers with the appropriate pedagogical tools to enable them to teach STEM topics differently and in a more attractive way.
Underpinning new teaching approaches to be further developed, SYSTEMIC built a network of STEM schools involving STEM teachers, guidance counsellors and heads of schools. Through its close collaboration with STEM Alliance, the project also contributed to a European STEM awareness campaign organising and promoting in all European schools a STEM Discovery Week, which was the culminating event of a school-year campaign (engaging students and teachers in partnership with industry professionals, with the Professionals Go Back To School activities).
Basic information
The two following reports have been published by the SYSTEMIC project:
The project’s main objectives are:
- To train teachers and provide them with new ways of teaching STEM in class (at in-service training levels) - A massive online training course (MOOC) called “Opening minds to STEM careers”, produced under IO1, was offered to STEM teachers helping them to introduce Innovative Practices for Engaging STEM Teaching in their classrooms.
- To train careers counsellors to provide them with innovative approaches to guide students towards STEM studies and STEM careers – A massive online training course (MOOC) called “Opening schools to STEM careers”, produced under IO3, was offered to careers counsellors and head teachers on innovative practices for engaging and guiding students at both primary and secondary school level. Careers counsellors and head teachers were trained in how to integrate information and knowledge of the existing higher education and career paths in STEM using information from industry sources.
- To widely promote the attractiveness of STEM studies and careers by developing a sustainable awareness-raising model and running a campaign culminating in the European STEM Discovery Week, jointly organised by Ministries of Education and industry - These objectives have been/will be achieved as follows:
a. Supporting teachers, guidance counsellors and heads of schools with in-service training on innovative STEM practices – Schools were invited to participate in an activity related to the contextualisation of STEM teaching in cooperation with industry (with the active support of CSR Europe). The project developed two MOOCs to reach out to both STEM teachers and head teachers/careers counsellors. During these MOOCs, their audience was introduced to new ways of teaching STEM in classes and also ways of presenting STEM careers using information from related industries.
b. European STEM Discovery Week – in the last week of April (24-29 April 2017) and with the close collaboration of other STEM projects (STEM Alliance, Scientix etc.), schools were encouraged to prepare a local dissemination event, involving other classes and pupils’ parents. Competitions, online and face-to-face events and other STEM related activities took place during this special week. SYSTEMIC supported and contributed to this week through dissemination activities and produced, under IO7, the STEM Discovery week guide. This guide provides inspiration and supportive information for both schools and industries that are interested in organising activities related to this week. Good examples of already successfully organised events were also provided in order to assist potential schools and industries in formulating their own event concepts and ideas. The school competition organised around the STEM discovery week was also be presented, along with practical information on submissions, evaluation criteria etc.