Since October 2018, the Silves School Group has been coordinating the Erasmus+ E-STEAM project - Equality in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, which involves five partner countries, namely Portugal, Spain, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.
This project, according to teachers Nuno Garção and Ana Bio, seeks to “establish synergies between schools and the labor market for the significant involvement of girls in STEAM education (through a mentoring program for young students); develop a virtual platform as a resource center for practical and innovative learning solutions, complementing school curricula; explore and disseminate personalized activities promoting the use of the platform».
As its promoters explain, «gender equality is a current issue and, as such, it cannot be far from schools or curricula, even more so when it is considered that cultural, family and professional gender stereotypes may condition the options for choice of women in STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics). According to several studies, these professions are the best paid and mainly dominated by men».
The project is being developed in partnership with University Foundation Jaume I – Company (Spain), Professional Foundation (Romania), IInstitute of Entrepreneurship Development (Greece), First Private School Leonardo da Vinci Ltd (Bulgaria) and Dimitrie CantemirUniversity of Targu Mures (Romania).
During the duration of the project, three international meetings have already taken place (one of them in Silves) and a vast and important set of initiatives, which have resulted in reports and support materials for mentors and teachers in addressing the topic in the context of education and follow-up of students.
In each of the countries, the project managed to capture the attention and curiosity of various institutions and women with professions in the STEAM areas who volunteered to guide a six-month mentoring program created by the partnership of E-STEAM project.
The program, which is now halfway through, has allowed to show the students the areas of valence and activity of the mentors, their professional and personal experience as women, and has provided a space where the students can question their mentors about their fears, options and potential, according to the pre-established program.
The program has been carried out through a platform moodle law managed by AES.
In some cases, it has even been possible to schedule sessions in which the students have visited their mentors' workplace and met with them in this professional environment.
Currently, 61 mentors from the STEAM areas are involved in this activity in the five partner countries, 12 in each country, who are developing the mentoring program for 122 students, ranging from basic education (1st cycle) to university education , going through all the cycles.
In Portugal, the target audience is the 9th year students of Escola EB 2,3 Dr. Garcia Domingues and mentors with outstanding careers in these areas are involved, in institutions such as the Municipality of Silves, Instituto Piaget de Silves, CATIM – Technological Support Center for the Metalworking Industry, Instituto Superior de Agronomia – Lisbon, Contentserv Technologies Ltd, Geek Girls Portugal, Turbine Kreuzberg PT, Alexandra dos Santos Designer, Lagoa City Council and MTL – Madeiras Treated, Lda.
The consortium of Erasmus+ E-STEAM project concluded, last month, the elaboration of the curriculum and training program that presents several work suggestions to address the issue of gender stereotypes in the professional practice of teachers and a large number of activities that they can use in addressing the topic with the your students.
Currently, the Greek partner institution is transposing this training program to an international digital teacher training platform (Athena) and, in March, around 60 teachers from the five countries will receive training based on these guidelines, it is proposed that they use with your students the suggested activities.
With this initiative, it is intended that education professionals become aware of their actions and stereotypes as they may influence students' choices in the future and, on the other hand, work with them on gender equality issues. In Portugal, around 13 teachers from the EB 2,3 Dr. Garcia Domingues School will be involved.
The Portuguese Erasmus+ National Agency has shown a lot of interest and curiosity for the project and has been closely following its development and implementation.
By the end of the project, scheduled for September 2020, the consortium intends to present a final report to policy makers, directors of School Groupings, directors of training centers and national and international education entities on the development of the project and make it available for use The free student training and monitoring program for mentors, teachers and vocational advisors.
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