STEAM STARS - A European Framework of Competencies in teaching STEAM education for gifted students

Funder

EU Erasmus+

Value to Coventry University

€84,816

Total value of project

€439,662

Duration of project

01/09/19 - 31/08/22

Project team

• Jacqueline Cawston
• Michael Loizou
• Sarah Merry
• Holly Turpin

Project overview

Educational failure is not uncommon in students with high intellectual ability who struggle to succeed at school or who feel ostracized or rejected by their peer group. In disadvantaged social settings giftedness is often masked by socio-economic shortcomings or even by the low expectations of educational centres themselves. The purpose of the STEAM Stars project is to design innovative methods and pedagogies to provide more challenging and motivating exercises and methods for gifted and talented students. The project will also train teachers to recognize giftedness and address the unique needs of gifted and talented students.

Project objectives

The aim of STEAM Stars is to design OER digital learning materials and tools in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) for gifted students. The project will develop the STEAM Stars Open CAMPUS, a multilingual ICT based training hub and platform which includes different elements of open education and innovation based on digital technologies. This includes an Online Instructional Guide on Digital Competencies for Virtual Learning and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) addressed to schoolteachers, trainers and non-formal and informal educators.

• Impact statement

  Societal Impact:

  The project is expected to impact schoolteachers, trainers and non-formal and informal educators in terms of their teaching and learning practices in the area of gifted education. Increasing the skills and competencies of these groups will have a social impact on gifted students and students more generally, by integrating them and their needs into the curriculum creating more engaged and creative citizens.

  Academic Impact:

  The project mission is to create new pedagogical approaches, methodologies and tools for teaching gifted education using STEAM. Impact from the outputs of the project will inform educators of the innovative use of STEAM education for teaching gifted students. The project is also expected to have impact in the area of technological development by creating Open Educational Resources and new creative pathways for continued professional development in teaching across Europe.