In recent months, the Road-STEAMer project has significantly advanced the conversation on STEAM education in Ukraine thanks to the contribution of Ecsite, the Junior Academy of Science of Ukraine (JASU), and the Institute of the Gifted Child in the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine.
On 16 May 2024, Ecsite and JASU organised a workshop on real-life use-cases. The main purpose of this event, organised for education practitioners and experts in the field, was to capture how the identified Road-STEAMer criteria for STEAM emerge in the various contexts of education delivery within Ukraine. After an explanation of the project core objectives and the project criteria, the workshop facilitator Dr Stephanos Cherouvis invited to ponder ways the European Union can continue to fund and support STEAM practices, especially in emergency settings such as that of Ukraine. Some of the main takeaways stemming from this discussion:
- the identified criteria offered an accurate picture of the various STEAM activities addressed
- the STEAM approach has crucial role to play in an emergency setting. It could be a way to increase resilience in the face of harsh developments, and could incorporate expressive means to address trauma while addressing skills that will be needed to rebuild a country.
On 12 June 2024, A Road-STEAMer presented the criteria at the ‘Conference on STEAM: from theory to practices‘, organised by the Institute of the Gifted Child in the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine. In this context, scientists, teachers, and practitioners in the field of STEAM education exchanged experiences, established cooperation, and discussed current problems and prospects for the development of STEAM education in Ukraine and the world. Attendees also investigated the development of practical recommendations for the implementation of forms and methods of the STEAM educational approach.
