STEM4MATH: the process

Stem4math started in September 2016. Based on a needs analysis in each partner country and a literature study on integrated STEM education a "stem4math methodology" was developed during the first partner meeting (November 8-11, Kortrijk, Belgium).

The stem4math methodology is used as a guideline for the development of activities. One of the main tasks in the project is collecting, exchanging, creating and optimizing STEM activities for the age groups 9-12 years and 6-8 years old.

These activities are developed by each partner, in such a way that we have a total of 10 STEM activities with a focus on the implementation of math for each age group.

The draft of the activities for the age group 9-12y, needed to be finished in English by the end of the second partner meeting (May 18-20, 2017, Viseu, Portugal). The developed activities were then discussed and evaluated among the partnerschip. Based on this feedback, optimization could take place.

A next step in the process was the translation and the testing of the activities. Each activity needed to be tested twice by 2 different pilot teachers (from different countries). During the period June 2017 till November 2017 the 10 activities for the age group 9-12 y old were tested by more than 20 pilot teachers among the different partner countries. 

During a joint-staff training event (28 November - 2 December 2017, Segovia, Spain) more than 20 pilot teachers from the different partner countries came together to exchange their experiences and give feedback in focus groups.

Based upon the feedback during the focus group in Spain, partners optimized these activities, so that they could be published on this web platform.

When the 9-12y activities were finished, the partnership started working on the 10 activities for the age group 6-8 y. During a meeting in Vendelsö, Sweden (26-27 april 2018) the partnership met in order to discuss the first proposals of the activities. From then on, pilot teachers started to test the activities for the age group 6-8 y. They all met in Brugge (Belgium, January 2019) to discuss the activities and give suggestions for optimization. Based upon this feedback, the partnership finalized these activities. 

During a meeting in Joensuu, Finland (2-4 may 2019) the partnership met for a last time in order to discuss the research article as a final product of the project and in order to prepare the final report.