New Perspectives in Science Education

At European level, the CETP – SRIA [1] states that a challenge-driven interdisciplinary and multi-level approach is needed to guarantee the required increase in rate advancement of technological development. Students in the scientific-technological field are required to achieve an inter-disciplines competence with attention also to environmental, economic and social awareness issues enabling future technicians to the required challenge-driven approach. Therefore, also a nexus between sciences and humanities is strongly encouraged since the integration of different disciplines produces a holistic approach that enables to better understand real-world problems.

In consideration of what above the STEAM-ACTIVE project (KA2-Erasmus+) [2] proposes an innovative problem-based learning (PBL) methodology, for Training Learning Sequences (TLS) design, which implements an active learning approach and incorporates two main transversal axes to be considered throughout the entire process: sustainability and gender equality.

The developed methodology has been deeply formalized in a Protocol, developed for Teachers in the scientific-technological Higher Education. Also an e-learning-based training course for teachers has been realized to support their training. The Protocol, which includes a preliminary theoretical description of STEAM approaches and active methodologies’ implementation, guides the teachers in the TLS design process passing through relevant steps as i) definition of the problem to be solved; ii) identification of learning objectives that students should achieve (technical but also related to circular economy and gender issues); iii) assessment of learning demands in reference to the gap between students’ initial knowledge and knowledge related to the achievement of the learning objectives; iv) problem segmentation (i.e. learning pathway, each segment focused on achieving at least one learning objective implying a specific learning demand); v) design of activities (inquiry and experiment activities, design and making activities), at least one for each learning objective, identifying the recommended didactic technique for their development and the evaluation modality; vi) assessment of the achievement of each learning objective at the beginning, during the TLS and at the end. In addition, the Protocol gives guidelines on techniques to adapt the TLS to different education contexts.

The Protocol has been reviewed by external university teachers. Moreover, a collection of 24 STEAM-based TLS has been designed by applying the Protocol. Part of the designed TLS have been already tested being the project entered the piloting phase. Feedbacks produced by the piloting phase are considered for the revision of the designed TLS.

Globally, the STEAM-Active project, improving teachers’ knowledge and experience in implementing the proposed PBL-based methodology, enhance students’ ability to integrate different disciplines in solving a technical problem taking into account though all the solving process also the social impacts their decisions have. Moreover, it contrasts gender gap in the STEM field increasing women's participation. For this also its application to the high school is preliminary assessed.