About the project

OUTSTE(A)M is an initiative coordinated by European Schoolnet with the mission to provide high quality STE(A)M education in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings, with a play-based hands-on learning approach that enables educators…

  • to develop the necessary competences,
  • to produce effective pedagogical methods
  • and to teach children the right principles and values.  

Our pedagogical approach addresses key challenges at each level of early childhood learning and teaching, connecting STEM education to real-life problems and situations, and fostering exchange between teachers and Ministries of Education, among other relevant stakeholders.
OUTSTE(A)M is built around the following three ambitions:

  • Support the digital transformation
    To explore how students can benefit from age-appropriate technologies.
  • Instil sustainability values in students from an early age
    To encourage students to care and act for the environment and understand the importance of nature.
  • Champion inclusion and diversity
    To end gender stereotypes, once and for all.  

WHY WAS THE PROJECT BORN?  

It’s widely believed that “children are too young to understand STE(A)M”. At OUTSTE(A)M, we have identified this as a serious misconception which is preventing ECEC teachers from actually acquiring the skills they need to teach with confidence. This is the root of a number of issues persisting at higher levels of education, such as gender stereotypes, limited environmental awareness, and an uneven digital transformation.

As a result of this mistaken approach, our students are caged into subjects and deprived of a more hands-on, outdoor learning-oriented procedure in the early stages of their education. For this reason, and despite the constant dedication and tireless efforts of our teachers, the disengagement of students from STE(A)M ends up being significant.

The OUTSTE(A)M project was conceived in this context as a clear precursor to giving STE(A)M education the attention it deserves in ECEC, to care for our teachers and help children learn about the world.

Because the only way to lay the foundations for a better future is by bringing on STE(A)M from the outset.
 

Resources for teachers

The centrepiece of the OUTSTE(A)M project is the development of a toolkit that will provide both educators and students with an efficient methodology, accessible teaching resources, and age-appropriate learning tools.

This toolkit will include (among other things):

  • Learning scenarios
  • Job profiles
  • Games and toys

We will test OUTSTE(A)M tools directly in the classroom with teachers, students, and their families to ensure that they are age-appropriate, engaging, and suitable.

With the feedback from this testing, we will prepare a set of guidelines, good practices, and other useful considerations for better integrating STE(A)M in the classroom. These guidelines will be available to you with the publication of a MOOC. 100% free of charge.

And there’s more! But we don’t want to ruin the surprise, so we’ll let you discover for yourself what we have in store for you.

What is STE(A)M Education?

There are several levels of integration in education.

STE(A)M education is an innovative pedagogy, where Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are integrated with "All” the other subjects in the curriculum to create engaging and contextualised learning experiences for all students.

STE(A)M Education aims to provide children with a good grasp of every learning field in a unified way so that they can become well-rounded individuals. As a result, they are able to learn:

  • how to collaborate,
  • be creative and innovative
  • and succeed in an increasingly technology-driven society.

Partners

The collaboration with esteemed partners is what makes the OUTSTE(A)M initiative possible, each bringing a unique set of expertise to the table:

European Schoolnet (EUN):

Scientix is an initiative of European Schoolnet, a not-for-profit organisation and network of 34 European Ministries of Education aiming to bring innovation in teaching and learning since 1997.

Asociacion de Investigacion de la Industria del Juguete conexas y afines (AIJU):

AIJU is a Technological Institute specialised in leisure, products for children and toys. With over 30 years of experience, AIJU focuses on curating engaging games and toys to enhance STEM learning experiences.

Dublin City University (DCU):

A renowned research university in early childhood education and STEM, DCU plays a vital role in evaluating OUTSTE(A)M’s learning scenarios, job profiles, games, toys, and other useful materials, ensuring their effectiveness in educational settings and adjustments to curriculums.

Stichting International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI):

ICDI, a knowledge organisation at the nexus of research, policy, and practice is dedicated to creating nurturing environments for children. For our OUTSTE(A)M project, ICDI curates essential guidelines to support the project’s mission and help educators maximise the use of learning scenarios, job profiles, games, and toys as well as any other material that will be part of the OUTSTE(A)M’s toolkit.