Abstract:

To respond to 21st century challenges, education systems should provide students with the necessary “transformative” competences to thrive in and shape the future and at the same time develop learning environments which nurture such competences. Modern education systems should shift their focus from a teacher-centered traditional education model to students-centered classrooms (Salhberg, 2006), which imply students’ increased autonomy in determining learning goals and learning strategies, the presence of enquiry-based learning and learning in collaborative team and a learning process which contributes to solving authentic problems (IEA, 2006). The roleof students in the education system is also changing from participants in the classroom who learn by listening to directions of teachers, to active participants with agency and co-agency to shape the classroom environments and positively influence their life and world around them (OECD,2019a). Indeed, innovative pedagogical practices recognise learners as core participants, encourage them in active engagement, promote co-operative learning and connection across subjects and with the wider world (OCED, 2017; OECD, 2019b).

In alignment with these principles and framework, two Horizon Europe [1] funded projects are worthy of interest. The first is the GenB project: "Informing and educating young people on more sustainable behaviours and choices to build a future Generation informed and interested in Bioeconomy" (https://www.genb-project.eu/). In collaboration with teachers, students, parents and multipliers, the european project partners promote and implement pedagogical models which “inform, inspire and engage” young students through active and experiential activities, such as “hands-on” labs, which educate on the circular economy principles through practical experiments, creativity, curiosity and manual skills (arts and crafts); living lab workshops, where students co-design and co-produce their educational product in collaboration with teachers and stakeholders, fostering motivation, engagement, autonomy and transfer of knowledge and skills to real-world contexts; the launch of a “GenB Youth Ambassadors” call and programme, attracting young people and empowering them to take a role, “create new value”, and responsible action for the circular and green transition, and finally, educating/coaching teachers to use their professional knowledge and expertise to implement experiential and active teaching approaches while teaching the bioeconomy. The second project is the STEAM Learning Ecology (SLEs)(https://www.steamecologies.eu/), which promotes an “open schooling approach”, in collaboration with teachers and external stakeholders belonging to academa, industry and the public administration, to foster student engagement, motivation and co-agency while developing innovative STEM curriculum and new learning materials related to environmental, digital or health challenges.

Based on the concrete experience and results deriving from the ongoing implementation the two above-mentioned projects, the paper aims to provide evidence-based reflections, good practices and insights related to the use of experiential and active learning approaches with primary and low-secondary students, as a way to stimulate transformative skills and co-design processes to address urgent global challenges.

Reference:
[1] HORIZON EUROPE is the main funding programme at European Union level for research and innovation.

Keywords:

STEAM skills, European projects, Horizon Europe, youth agency, active methodologies, experiential learning.