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Lack of interest in science and the need for innovation
The interest in learning science has been extensively studied by the community of researchers in educational sciences in recent years, and the vast majority of these studies (Bybee and McCrae 2011, P. Anderhag et al. 2014, PISA studies, Palmer et al. 2017) indicate a decline in students' interest in STEM fields. This situation is concerning, both for educators and policymakers, as well as the research community, as it influences the career choices of young people in scientific fields, where it is crucial to maintain and enhance scientific and technological research and innovation in our society.
However, the teaching of science is essential to nurture young people with natural curiosity and prepare them for a deep understanding of the world around them. It is therefore crucial to engage students in science as it provides them with an opportunity to ask questions, explore, experiment, and develop their critical thinking skills. These skills are essential in the modern world (Romero et al.) and can be applied in all areas of life.
One of the factors contributing to demotivation in science education is the need for pedagogical evolutions and innovations. Traditional lessons based on lectures and repetitive exercises can quickly become boring for students. When they are not actively involved in the learning process, students can lose interest and motivation. It is therefore essential to introduce interactive and engaging teaching methods, such as hands-on experiments, educational games, and group projects, to maintain interest and stimulate students' curiosity, making teaching more interactive and effective.
The shift from STEM to STEAM
However, it is necessary to develop programs that allow teachers to embrace these new approaches by presenting their pedagogical interests and applications within school activities. The interdisciplinary approach of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) aims to "generate learners' interest in science and technology and develop their creative problem-solving abilities" (Kim & Kim, 2020) and thus "enhance students' effectiveness, confidence, and interest in learning science" (Baek et al., 2011). It allows for stimulating creativity, innovation, and critical reasoning in students by enabling them to make connections between seemingly distinct learning domains.
The STEAM approach offers many advantages for students. By integrating the arts into STEM education, the STEAM approach encourages students to harness their creativity and imagination to solve complex problems. It also provides them with the opportunity to develop their skills in communication and collaboration through interdisciplinary projects. These skills are essential in today's professional world (key 21st-century skills, Romero et al.), where employers are looking for individuals who can innovate and quickly adapt to changes.
In addition, the STEAM approach allows students to see scientific and technological subjects from a different perspective. By integrating arts and creative learning, it makes these subjects more accessible and stimulating. The STEAM approach prepares students to face the challenges of the future.
To implement the STEAM approach, it is essential to rethink the way scientific, technological, engineering, mathematical, and arts subjects are taught. Collaboration among teachers of different subjects should be encouraged to create interdisciplinary projects. Teachers should have access to new tools, including technological and multimedia resources, to make learning more interactive and engaging. However, they also need specific training to develop the skills necessary to use these new resources. This commitment to content and pedagogical approach can also be accompanied by work on school spaces, offering more flexibility for students to explore and experiment freely, promoting autonomy, and new forms of assessment that allow children to view their learning in a fresh way.
Promoting Inquiry-Based Learning
Inquiry-based learning is a pedagogical approach that encourages students to actively explore and question the world around them. It has gained prominence in recent years, particularly in the context of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education. This method not only fosters critical thinking but also bridges the gap between science education and real-world societal challenges.
From the The Inquiry Based Learning Institute
Inquiry-based learning places students at the centre of their learning experience. It begins with a question, problem, or challenge that piques students' curiosity. Instead of simply providing answers, educators guide students in investigating these questions. This approach promotes active engagement and encourages students to develop their problem-solving skills thanks to the following commitments:
Encouraging Curiosity: Curiosity is the driving force behind inquiry-based learning. As a professor and advocate of STEAM, you understand the importance of kindling this natural human trait. By presenting students with intriguing questions or problems related to science and technology, you can ignite their curiosity and motivate them to seek answers.
Critical Thinking in Action: Inquiry-based learning is an ideal platform for nurturing critical thinking skills. As students delve into complex questions and investigate real-world problems, they learn to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and draw conclusions. This process hones their ability to think critically and make informed decisions - a vital skill in both science and society.
Connecting Science Education to Societal Challenges: One of the unique strengths of inquiry-based learning is its ability to connect science education with real-world issues. By framing inquiries around societal challenges, you can show students how scientific principles can address pressing problems. For example, exploring renewable energy sources can lead to discussions about sustainability and climate change.
The Role of Creativity: Inquiry-based learning encourages students to think creatively as they seek innovative solutions to their inquiries. This fosters a dynamic learning environment where students feel empowered to explore unconventional ideas.
Encouraging Collaboration: Inquiry-based learning often involves collaborative efforts among students. Group inquiries enable them to share perspectives, pool resources, and learn from one another. Collaboration is a valuable skill, both in the classroom and in addressing societal challenges.
Preparing Students for the Future: In a rapidly changing world, preparing students for the future is paramount. Inquiry-based learning equips them with the skills needed for success in STEAM fields and encourages a lifelong love of learning.
Inquiry-Based Learning in the SteamCity project
SteamCity's ambition is to help schools, teachers and students to adopt an inquiry-based approach to science education based on the following steps:
This encourages the development of stimulating learning experiences, aimed at developing critical thinking and increasing motivation and interest in STEAM subjects. This will go through different commitments:
The SteamCity project aims to strengthen the implementation of scientific inquiries at school through the development of interdisciplinary projects, enabling to better link STEAM topics with an approach integrating humanities in the field of smart cities. The students will be challenged in their classrooms regarding their ability to make the right choices to positively impact the sustainability of their environment. Resources will be proposed in 5 different topics, enabling to understand the complexity of implementing policies for smart and learning communities and territories: citizenship, environment, mobility, energy and artificial intelligence applied to city challenges. By connecting science education with societal challenges, students will understand the relevance of scientific principles and develop innovative solutions. The SteamCity project will prepare students for the future by equipping them with the necessary skills for success in STEAM fields and fostering a lifelong love of learning.
Within the 5 clusters, the students will be encouraged to experiment and make errors, to reflect on the city's challenges and to learn to adapt. SteamCity will provide a methodological pedagogical approach to this commitment around inquiry-based learning and interdisciplinarity while developing resources that can be implemented in the classroom or inspiring teachers to create their own inquiries. These resources will be tailored for educational purposes, following the programmes. They will be based on interdisciplinarity and creativity in science, providing additional project-based resources to develop an understanding of the impact of scientific experimentations on society and providing means of motivation for both teachers and students at the secondary school level.
To support the concrete implementation of inquiries, SteamCity aims to consolidate experimentation tools enabling the launch of real phases of data collection, either within the schools or even better, within the territories. Hence, when launching a SteamCity experiment, teachers and students will have access to both resources and tools for implementing a consistent project. You will find here soon tools and methodologies to enable developing STEAM instruments to perform deep analysis that will be available at affordable costs (considering schools' resources) capitalising on the Do-It-Yourself and frugal concepts and approaches. Once the material is selected, prototypes of the sensor-based instrument will be developed and documented on a wiki providing guidelines for teachers to reproduce the device development in the classroom.
In order to promote open data and data sharing across the network of schools participating in the SteamCity experimentations, a platform enabling visualising the data collected during the experimentation by the implementation of the inquiries will be created and made available here. This platform will provide access to teachers to data collected in other fields of experimentation, in other countries and territories. These data can be used to discuss how to collectively act and respond to these societal challenges. This platform will work as an IoT platform enabling straightforward provisioning, management, and automation of connected devices within the Internet of Things universe.