The Institute of Education finished its international online summer school "STEM vs. STEAM: Current Trends and Development Strategies"

     The school was organised within the Erasmus+ project "Integrated Approach to STEM teacher training " and took place from 28 June to 02 July. Representatives of partner universities from Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Sweden, Finland elaborated common strategies for the development of STE(A)M-education in their countries.

     STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) means both acquiring knowledge in these sciences and being able to apply it in practice. Thanks to the STEM approach, children can develop in several subject areas at once, realising that the theory being studied has an applied character.

     Colleagues discussed STE(A)M-practices methods and technologies and presented the experience of their implementation in their universities. The representatives of the resource centres of the Institute of Education, Gymnasium №40, School of the Future, Kindergarten №56 and their colleagues from different educational organisations shared their experience and showed examples of concrete project solutions in the field of STE(A)M-education. Specialists from the Southern Federal University held a hackathon, which allowed participants to independently implement given design cases: STEM quest for schoolchildren and Interactive Museum-Kiosk.

     Anna Budarina, Director of the Institute of Education: "The process of integrating different levels and organisational forms of education and science is a global trend. We see the STEM approach as a key solution for increasing the efficiency of the educational process and the competitiveness of our graduates. We train designers and developers of educational spaces, specialists at the intersection of technical sciences and creative activities. Of course, events of this kind provide our students with an insight into their future profession and an opportunity for practice. And our applicants can better understand the philosophy of STE(A)M-education and decide on their choice of master's programme. We express our great appreciation to all participants, speakers and experts for the atmosphere you have created throughout the summer school."

     Natalya Volik, teacher of School №5 in Kara-Balta, Kirgizia. Kara-Balta, Kyrgyz Republic, summer school participant: "For me the STEAM approach is now a new tool in teaching the children. When organising physics lessons, I will be able to make them more interesting and productive. As a teacher I will develop in a new direction for myself."