Abstract:

STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) is vital for economic and social development in the 21st century. However, women and gender non-conforming individuals face barriers such as gender stereotypes, lack of role models, and non-inclusive educational environments, leading to their underrepresentation in STEAM fields. In Chile, these inequalities are evident from primary education through to professional careers, perpetuating cycles of exclusion. To address this, an interdisciplinary team composed of professionals in education, psychology, design, and public service has developed a comprehensive model to promote the educational trajectories of women and gender non-conforming individuals in Villa Alemana, Chile.

The core components of the model are:
- Collective awareness and support regarding gender and STEAM issues.
- Continuous teacher training in STEAM teaching approaches with a gender perspective.
- Implementation and use of digital fabrication laboratories to facilitate active participation in STEAM projects.
- Institutional support for educational trajectories and enriched learning experiences.

After a year of fieldwork with communities in three public schools, the model was adapted to the contextual conditions and appropriated by the working teams. This presentation aims to understand the process of adopting the work model to promote STEAM educational trajectories by the professional teams, systematizing their practices and results in the region.

A participatory qualitative study was conducted with all members of the working core through a participatory analysis workshop. This included:
- Systematization of practices developed by the teams.
- A group session to conceptualize the model from practices using narrative-visual resources for each line of work.
- An intergroup discussion session on the obtained conceptualizations.
- Systematization of a consensual model based on the discussions and analyses conducted.

The process resulted in a readaptation of the model that integrates practical action and responds to the experiences of the interdisciplinary team. This model is inclusive and equitable, promoting STEAM trajectories that consider gender diversity and non-conforming identities. The findings highlight the importance of a participatory and interdisciplinary approach in constructing inclusive educational models. The study concludes by emphasizing the relevance of integrating participatory practices, the challenge of advancing towards a transdisciplinary approach, and reflexivity among teams as key elements for the effective transformation, appropriation, and adaptation of educational models in specific contexts.

Keywords:

STEAM Education, interdisciplinary approach, interdisciplinarity, public education.