Progetto FINDNANO
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT FINDNANO
Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. Occupations in STEAM-related careers are some of the fastest growing and best paid of the 21st century, and they often have the greatest potential for job growth.The main motivation for applying for this project is to build a solid STEAM foundation through a well-rounded curriculum incorporating Nano Technology which is the best way to ensure that students are exposed to math, science, and technology throughout their educational career. Students are extremely curious and impressionable, so instilling an interest at an early age could spark a lasting desire to pursue a career in any of these fields. By the time a student is ready to enter the work force, they must have enough knowledge to make invaluable contributions to our nation’s STEAM industries. It is also important that schools have an ample amount of teachers who are experts in STEAM, and these subjects should always be considered as high demand subjects.It is a movement to develop the deep mathematical and scientific underpinnings students need to be competitive in the 21st-century workforce. But this movement goes far beyond preparing students for specific jobs.
Our motivation for this project is appropriate with the main objective of the Europe 2020 strategy - Employment (75% of people aged 20–64 to be in work) and Education (at least 40% of people aged 30–34 having completed higher education). Occupations of the future have been changing rapidly and the knowledge and skills acquired today are not foreseen to be sufficient while preparing our students for life. It is emphasized about these occupations that 21st century skills such as digital skills, critical thinking, cooperation, team spirit, innovative and analytical thinking are required.Therefore, innovative approaches are required in education.
Nanotechnology has become a popular buzzword in science and politics. This key technology is considered not only a major source of innovation in technology, medicine and other fields, but also one of the main challenges for the 21st century. European universities and high-level vocational training program already cover this technology extensively. However, although the word nanotechnology will be familiar to many high-school students, the subject is not widely taught in European schools. Our identified need matches with two of the benchmarks according to the Key Competence Framework:strengthen knowledge and skills in math, science and engineering; and digital competence.
Our main motivation for carrying out this project internationally is to empower the students with knowledge, skills and positive attitudes towards the every day life solutions, and make them prepared for the challenges of the fast moving world. By having competences to work and study in an international setting they will develop social and democratic skills to have equal opportunities and be competent at European level.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
First, the project is aimed to develop in students so called "STEAM skills" (Science, Technology,
Engineering,Art and Maths), which can be considered basic skills and are the main focus of our project. In particular, our project is promoting a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach, involving different disciplines (Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Science) in learning Nano
Technology, promoting learning based on real problems and innovative approaches to teaching contexts of high technology, with particular emphasis on in high-tech physical environments.
Inclusion of nanotechnology in the science curriculum will foster interdisciplinary explorations of science in curriculum. Because nanotechnology is an emerging interdisciplinary field, it can be included in physical science, chemistry, physics, biology, environmental sciences, and engineering.
Nanotechnology provides connections between and among the sciences that will help students to develop an understanding of the relationships between disciplines. Nanotechnology “fits” into current science curriculum because it relies on numerous science concepts and processes which are part of the National Science Education Standards.
The objectives of the project:
-Implementing innovative and interdisciplinary approach, involving different STEAM disciplines for promoting learning based on real problems and innovative approaches to teaching contexts of nano education
-Reinforce the centrality of the student as part of a training process, boost motivation to learn, the ability to build its own learning&training path, the sense of responsibility with respect to the future path;
-Stimulate interest in students towards a knowledge proposed by experimenting, with forms of learning on the job in real situations
-Develop skills of self-orientation and train students to think critically and independently about the big picture of Nano technological change and the challenges it creates for ethics, politics, security, business and individual decision-making
Among the produced results of the project we expect from the students the following:
- 21 st century competencies;
- Engagement, interest, enjoyment and achievement in STEAM subjects and Nano Technology;
- Ability to transfer understanding across STEAM disciplines;
- Opportunity to explore NANO technology in an interactive manner with effective methods and techniques of work;
- Increased creativity;
- Increased problem-solving skills;
- Increased access to ICT and open educational resources;
- Increased level of digital competence;
- Development of employability and practical skills;
- More positive attitude regarding school education and the role of education in the future career;
- Increased opportunities for education abroad
The application proposes several short term activities with students that would lead to reaching and producing the objectives we have set.