SIMUL - Stimulate Innovative MUltigrade Learning with STEAM Education
Programme Erasmus+ Cooperation partnerships in the School Sector (Call 2023: KA210-SCH))
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Project Description
The SIMUL project aims to support teachers and students engaged in a Multigrade Classroom Implementation (MCI) to strengthen STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) skills and promote digital literacy and environmental sustainability.
The term „Multigrade Classroom Implementation“ (MCI) is used in literature to refer to educational settings related to multigrade or combined classes, where students of different ages and grades are engaged in a single physical class, facing varying levels of complexity in learning.
Although the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) approach has shown positive responses in teaching and learning mathematics and scientific subjects, it can be even more valuable in multigrade contexts, replacing traditional frontal lessons. Learning through the STEAM approach is based on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methods, recognizing interactions between subjects and the complexity of reality.
The project foresees:
Assistance in teaching and learning scientific disciplines through the STEAM approach, with the development, testing, validation, and online publication in multiple languages of a Toolkit consisting of 8 workshops related to STEM subjects. These practical activities are explicitly designed to engage students of different ages (6-10 years) simultaneously, addressing curricular needs. The workshops will propose cross-cutting content for digital development (5 workshops) and ecological awareness (3 workshops).
Support for teachers and students in multigrade schools through the „SIMUL Docere“ guidelines developed for STEM teaching in multigrade classes, focusing on methodologies (e.g., place-based education, cooperative learning, peer tutoring, etc.) and best practices. For teachers, this provides an opportunity to rethink scientific teaching activities more productively and learn to design new activities with a STEAM approach.
Project partners
Associazione LUMEN APS (Italy), Istituto Comprensivo Francesco Berti (Italy), Scoala Gimnaziala „Marcus Aurelius“Creaca (Romania), European Center of Entrepreneurship Competence & Excellence (Austria)