Innovative digital tools promoting inclusion and diversity in schools are the cornerstone of the Erasmus+ funded project “DIVERSITY IN STEAM (STEAMDIVE)”, that started on December 30th 2022, and had the first Kick-Off Meeting on 9-10 February 2023. STEAMDIVE is a new pioneering project that through designed workshops, using the “learning by doing” method– and digital tools, will urge students to realize the ground truth of diversity and work on social inclusion.
The teaching material will be developed under the STEAM educational framework focusing on inclusion and diversity, in order to have the best possible result for the end users, the students. Teachers will create the Curriculum and the activities for the workshops, enriched by scientific knowledge, art methods and digital tools. The ICT tools themselves will also be based on the same educational guidelines, so that students learn and understand the diversity and inclusion in a playful manner.
The project is in its core designed as a proposition for an innovative method in school education for creativity and social inclusion with the use of technology, science and art. It combines different teaching methods, like the STEAM education framework, Learning by Doing method and Teaching through Art, in order to empower Diversity. It also uses cutting-edge technology (such as Artificial Intelligence for 3D face representation and photorealistic facial video synthesis) in combination with science and mathematics. Its highly innovative characteristics rely on the unique combination of Science, Creativity, Art, Digitalization and Social awareness, the practical artistic workshops, and outermost the project results that connect technology, art and knowledge in a unique and original way.
In STEAMDIVE project all results are combined, leading to an integrated application that adds value to the vision of a connected, open-minded and technologically equipped Europe and connects directly to the priorities of the Erasmus+ program. According to the EU youth strategy 2019-2027, gender-based discrimination still affects many young people, especially young women. Equal opportunities and access to rights need to be ensured for young people of all genders including nonbinary and LGBTQI+ young people. The Strategy recognizes that education remains a key for active citizenship, inclusive society and employability and therefore should focus more on transferable skills, student-centered learning and non-formal education. Nowadays the issue of fighting discrimination through diversity acceptance is crucial for an evolving and modern education system but also for an open-minded society.
This project is coordinated by the Foundation for Research and Technology- Hellas (FORTH), Greece. The project’s consortium includes seven organizations from five different countries: The ErasmusLearn Center by Oloklirosi and the 11th General Lyceum of Heraklion from Greece, the Tehnicka Skola from Serbia, the Danmar Computers from Poland, the Mucur Saglik Education and Aid Foundation from Turkey, and the Agrupamento de Escolas de Atouguia da Baleia from Portugal.
Erasmus+ aims to increase the quality and relevance of qualifications and skills. Mostly it is funding people to study, train, work or volunteer abroad. It also provides funding for partnerships between educational institutions, youth organisations, enterprises, local and regional authorities and NGOs, as well as support for reforms in Member States to modernise education and training and to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and employability.
More information shortly in https://steamdive.eu
For More Information: Dr Giorgos Giannakakis, Project Coordinator, e-mail: ggian@ics.forth.gr, tel: +(30) 2810-391310 and Dr Anastasios Roussos, Researcher, e-mail: troussos@ics.forth.gr, tel: +(30) 2810-392555, Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas
