Daniela Preda's Learning Diary for Opening Minds to STEM Careers by Daniela Preda

Parole da ricordare Awareness - consapevolezza Engagement - impegno Self-efficacy -autoefficacia

d_preda — 2017-04-04 20:58:22 UTC

Awareness (students are aware and know the variety of STEM careers available),
Relevance (they see the connection between the subject they are studying and day to day life),
Engagement (students show direct interest and motivation to interact with the subject matter),
Self-efficacy (students are comfortable with using tools of science).

1.2 STEM careers in the job market1) Do you think there is a lack of STEM skills in Europe? 2) If so, which is the main reason for that? 3) If not, why are employers finding difficulties to employ workers?

d_preda — 2017-04-04 21:05:16 UTC

1) I think yes, there's a lack of STEM skills in Europe. 2) The main reasons are: a) the students have no interest or few for STEM because they think that STEM are too difficult, they must study too much; b) STEM in the school are often boring, not interesting because of the style of teaching: we have different style of learning so we need different type of teaching. c) Too much teachers don't want to change or improve their knowledge about STEM or they think it's a "problem" of Maths and Science teacher d) We often find something new only on the web, the change is too slow.

1.1 The world of STEMDescribe why (and if) for you, as a teacher, STEM education is essential in our current society.

d_preda — 2017-04-04 21:06:58 UTC

I'm a primary school teacher and I teach linguistic area subjects but I always try to find the way to improve STEM in my job. I think these are essential to understand and to solve many daily life problems. At the same time I think STEM can help pupils to find their way in the future life, to live better together into the society and to have more possibility to find a good job.

1.3 STEM career guidance in schoolsRead Section 3 “Challenges and solutions to infusing career information into the science classroom” from the report presented in this section (1.3), and, in the Padlet below, name which of those challenges are most present in your daily professional activities and how do you overcome them

d_preda — 2017-04-04 21:12:59 UTC

I work in a Primary School and so I think it's easier to join theory and laboratory experience, not only easier: it's a priority. Students can imagine and try what they could become in their future only if they see, touch, listen to other experiences. Every subject can touch the STEM world and improve the self knowledge and the skills with pratical experiences. If you have a problem or a need you can try to solve it with the help of a teacher and with a set of tools that you can use. In this way the student can try a real experience. With every subject.

Start 3.4.2017

d_preda — 2017-04-04 21:25:34 UTC

I'm Daniela and I live in Cattolica- Rimini , Italy. I love STEM even if I teach linguistic area subjects (Italian, History, English, Art). I think STEM are important for the LIFE because they can help to solve easily and faster all the problems you meet along the way.
Good job to all!

The learning objectives of Module 2 are:

d_preda — 2017-04-04 21:40:28 UTC

Understand which are the currently relevant STEM industries and what is the spectrum of jobs available in each of them;
Explore and learn about different career pathways available to reach those careers;
The men will have to focus on design and research and creativity. The computer is a machine controlled by man but it is not creative. To generate creativity and originality and so the novelty is required human intervention. To work on the machine is necessary for man to come close to scientific subjects, and to understand the importance and possibilities of development. So projects and projects. Also inside the education world. Not necessarily with TIC but with brain, practise and fantasy

My context

d_preda — 2017-04-10 13:11:05 UTC

I teach in Italian Primary school. At the moment in a 5th grade class with 10/11 years old children. In the classroom we daily use LIM and PC, sometimes tablet (personal devices or school devices if available). In the school we have a TIC classroom but we don't use it. I like to use photos and videos during my lessons. Sometimes we used Skype to connect with our Etwinning Project friends.

Mod. 2 the fourth revolution

d_preda — 2017-04-10 13:24:32 UTC

The author goes on to present the major challenges and opportunities this revolution brings: increased growth, prosperity and efficiency, but at the same time, a very high risk of inequality, and a shift in the labor market that a large part of the population may not be able to keep up with.

If we are already seeing mass disappearance of jobs due to automation, then how can we prepare for this total reorganization of our lives? How can we make sure that future generations are prepared and ready to ‘ride the waves’ of this revolution, and even more, to contribute and support the shift towards a more prosperous future?

One of the answers, as you can guess, is education. Teachers represent a critical ingredient in preparing the human resources of the future - in making sure that by the time the students have left school, they are able to enter the work field. We will see more on this in the upcoming modules.

2.1 The Fourth Industrial RevolutionArtificial intelligence, integrated energy supply chains, neuro-technological brain enhancements, genome modification… Can you name other advancements you think this revolution will entail? How do you think it will affect your everyday life?

d_preda — 2017-04-10 13:25:22 UTC

It doesn't change what we are doing but it changes us.
We need a new economic model that will be focused not on growth but on maximising human well-being. The 4th IR has the potential to make inequalities visible and to make less acceptable in the future.
My answer
The vision of this video is quite worrying. On one side you can see how technology improvements are in our daily lives. On the other hand there are still many problems to be solved to achieve equality in the world's population. Certainly all the advancements have been possible thanks to technology but also through the efforts and intelligence of man. He is the man who moves the machine. It is hoped that this will allow the elimination of inequalities one day. All this has of course consequences for the education and the instruction. It is inevitable. So I think that educators and parents should prepare for and train to be able to understand all this and address it in the most appropriate way, to go on he right path.

2.2 Evolution of STEM professionsIf machines will continue to take over a large part of our jobs, what do you think are the skills and activities that humans need to focus on in order to continue having relevant and fulfilling careers?

d_preda — 2017-04-10 13:59:12 UTC

In the future you will need to become specialists and technicians in STEM and learn at the same time to use and develope fantasy and creativity more and more. Through creativity you will always find new ways to go on. Don't forget that sharing is important: sharing is progress. However, I also think that manuality will have its own space.

Screenshot mod.2.2

d_preda — 2017-04-10 14:11:35 UTC

2.3What do you think are some of the future STEM jobs we should start preparing for? Share your thoughts here

d_preda — 2017-04-19 20:20:30 UTC

Some of the future STEM jobs could be specialists in artificial intelligence, robotic engeneering, in communication, marketing to help people to join and share their job with other people in the world. We'll need to know new ways to product energy and protect the earth.

2.4 Current STEM industries and professionsThe demand for STEM careers in specific fields can vary between geographical regions. Use the padlet to let us know: What do you think are the most highly looked after career paths in your regions? Reflect: what qualifications would the applicants need to secure those jobs?

d_preda — 2017-04-19 20:40:27 UTC

The most highly looked after career paths in my region are about tourism where they are important computer technicians and sales managers, but also in construction engineering and agriculture engineering. And business and security managers.

3.1 STEM skillsUse this padlet to answer the following questions: 1) In your opinion, which is the best definition of STEM skills and why? 2) Provide at least one example of non-STEM professions that use STEM skills.

d_preda — 2017-04-19 21:09:23 UTC

In my opinion STEM Skills are related with science, maths, engeneering and technologies but, at the same way are a style of knowledge: I think they are the base of every project to envelope abstract concepts. So in every activity, also manipulative where I must project anything I need to use STEM. I think also a child when he want to project a new way to use an object use a STEM skill.

3.2 STEM skills of the future. In focus: ICT and digital skillsAnswer the following questions through this padlet. 1) Are you using technology in the classroom? 2) How would you develop digital skills in the classroom?

d_preda — 2017-04-19 21:22:17 UTC

I always use technology in my classroom with PC, LIM, sometime personal devices or school tablet. We work for etwinning projects, or for digital storytelling with Storybird, or on Code.org for the Hour of Code and Course 2. I also work with the flipped classroom and cooperative learning project especially to develope History. I use lim and app in other subjects like English and Italian. We are a lucky school with LIM, Wi-fi and tablets (only 7 tablets for a school but we are so few that want to use them!).

3.3 Soft skills. Share which 3 soft skills do you think are the most important within STEM fields and explain, in your own words, how you would address them in the classroom.

d_preda — 2017-04-19 21:32:53 UTC

I think the most important soft skills are

collaborative working
problem solving
creativity
argumentation
adapting to change

In the classroom we believe in cooperative learning so we work in group, small groups, where pupils can discuss and try a solution to a problem or complete a work o an assignment,
Almost every day we try to speak into a circle to discuss about a problem, to find an anwer to a question: we often try to teach argumentation, the ability to substain an idea and find positive or negative sides.
At the end I think that if an idea doesn't go, we can change it, so the children if make a mistake have the possibility to change or adapt their work.

Appunti sulle soft skills

d_preda — 2017-04-19 21:33:43 UTC

Gabrielle Ferguson, Talent Development Partner at CA Technologies, has mentioned an array of soft skills (including communication, adaptation, time management, collaborative working, agile working, adaptation to change, response to change or presentation skills) that are relevant in STEM study fields and STEM careers.

Soft skills such as resilience, self-control and time management can be incorporated through pedagogical approaches like project-based learning and inquiry based science education (which will be further explained in the coming sections).
In general, group work activities are always an opportunity to integrate soft skills in the classroom. Problem solving tasks can be a chance for pupils to engage in social skills. The freedom of working in groups will help students to develop time-management and self-control abilities, emphasizing the notion of self-regulation and time-on-task. Last, working in small groups can also encourage quiet students to express their thoughts in a more comfortable manner. (Concordia University, 2016)
Incorporating student self-assessment into lessons is another way to promote soft skills. While students can measure their knowledge attainment through tests, they do not always take time to reflect on their own work, on what is challenging them and in what areas are they succeeding. Having students review their own work will also help them develop resilience and add a goal setting approach to their educational experiences (Concordia University, 2016).

3.4 Classroom methodologies to promote STEM skillsShare your thoughts on pedagogical approaches or classroom tools you can use in the classroom to promote STEM or soft skills. Which one is the best one? What tools are you using? Share your experiences, success stories and challenges!

d_preda — 2017-04-21 09:40:04 UTC

I really believe in practical activities and projects. So in the class sometimes I use padlet or maps to project an activity and then test the result. I teach in primary school and I always use manipulative materials and practical tests even through the game. In this, LIM and technology help us because there are a lot of resources on the web. I work so with PBL and Flipped CIassroom, I use Google Apps for education to join all our works, Storybird, Scratch, Code.org, BBC...

Appunti 3.4

d_preda — 2017-04-21 09:51:19 UTC

Kahoot è una piattaforma di apprendimento basata sui giochi che aiuta gli educatori a creare una serie di domande su argomenti specifici creando un ambiente di apprendimento simile al gioco. Attraverso questa piattaforma puoi creare quiz, discussioni e indagini su qualsiasi argomento di tua scelta.

Classflow è una piattaforma basata su cloud che consente agli insegnanti di creare lezioni interattive in un unico luogo, mentre (allo stesso tempo) tirano le risorse da qualsiasi luogo.

Le simulazioni PhET sono libere, interattive, basate sulla scienza e sulle simulazioni matematiche. Questi sono scritti in Java, Flash o HTML5 e possono essere eseguiti in linea o scaricati da qualsiasi computer. PhET è progettato per incoraggiare l'indagine scientifica e per fornire interattività tra gli studenti.

3.5

d_preda — 2017-04-21 10:03:40 UTC

Strumenti per l'orientamento

3.5 STEM skills and STEM careers. Tools for match-matchingExplain which of the matchmaking tools presented is most interesting and the reasons for it. Do you have any such tools in your country? Post your links in the padlet!

d_preda — 2017-04-21 10:05:01 UTC

I'm a Primary School teacher and I don't know this tools. I think they are useful in a middle/high school. Among the matchmaking tools presented, the most interesting is Openskimr because there are many choosing possibility. But also I like the Dream Job Game, useful for teachers and students and Skillage, easy!

4.1 STEM career activities: how to use them?1. Choose a strategy from above 2. Choose a career material/activity/tool 3. Write in the Padlet below how you would combine these two in a lesson (add also any relevant links, information, etc.)

2017-04-23 14:36:35 UTC

1) I think that the most useful in my classroom is to meet real scientists and to make questions about their jobs.
2) I can use some web tool to evalute possible career
3) I can ask to the scientists to explain to the pupils which path they followed

4.3 STEM career activities: teacher practicesBased on the 10 practices presented above, post in the Padlet below 3 practices you already use and 3 practices which you are NOT currently using but would like to implement in your classroom/school.

d_preda — 2017-04-23 14:55:51 UTC

3 practices I already use are:

Utilize career materials in science texts/journals/articles
Share personal experiences
Integrate experiential activities in the classroom

3 practices which I'd like to use are

Invite guest speakers
Research science careers / map out career paths
Incorporate authentic research

5.1 Gender equality and the gender gap in STEMIn the padlet, discuss about “the gender gap in STEM” in your country. Are your female students interested in STEM areas? Are there many women in research careers? Share your insight!

d_preda — 2017-04-23 15:08:17 UTC

In my classroom female students are very interested in STEM areas because they always work in the STEM area. Of course there are stylists and hairdressers but there are also many fenale student who want to follow STEM careers, In my country I think that now womans have many possibility in STEM careers and also the number of female students in STEM area at the university is increasing.
The second video is very very nice! Thank you!

5.2 Gender equality in the the job market and in the classroomIn the padlet, pick one of the tips mentioned in the info sheet “Your guide to ensure gender equality in the (STEM) classroom”. Apply it with your students and (afterwards) tell us your experience

d_preda — 2017-04-23 15:35:09 UTC

I'm very sensitive to the problem. So often, when we meet stories of famous male scientists, story stories of famous female scientists! However in class I always try to entrust the same roles without distinction of sex, sometimes the females are more organized and precise and help balance the impulsiveness of males. Each time we organize a job, the roles are equally divided, so activities generally assigned to male children are played by female girls and vice versa. Activities are almost always carried out in groups.

5.3 Women in STEMShare who is your favorite female scientist of all time and tell us why

d_preda — 2017-04-23 15:39:00 UTC

Rita Levi Montalcini in the 1950s, her research led to the discovery and identification of the NGF growth factor (NGF), discovered for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1986.
Margherita Hack was an Italian great astrophysicist. Recently we have known Samantha Cristoforetti who shared her space travel experience.

5.4 Projects about gender equality in STEMIn the padlet, share information about any project, awareness campaign or initiative related to STEM and gender equality. If you need any help, you can also search in the Scientix project repository. http://www.scientix.eu/projects

d_preda — 2017-04-23 15:47:56 UTC

In general, lately in my country have begun to develop many courses on STEM skills, especially the Program of the Future with the Digital Pink initiative
where we participated. We've also seen Code.org videos. https://code.org/educate/resources/inspire

6.1 Role of teachers in career counsellingRead pages 20-28 from the study presented above and reflect in the Padlet: Which roles do you use actively, which do you use less and why? Are there any roles you are not doing but want to do? Name at least one you would like to exercise more.

d_preda — 2017-04-23 16:15:21 UTC

In recent years, the Italian school has developed many strategies to help students organize their future into study or work. So there are many contacts between high school and high school, between high school and companies or universities. Students attend a working period at the company during the school. I do not use the tools at hand because I work in a primary school, but by attending this course, I have found many useful tools for younger students and I will definitely use them in my work.

Estratto per lezione 5.1.

d_preda — 2017-04-23 16:16:39 UTC

More recent reviews of the evidence on school careers programmes (Hooley et al., 2012; NFER, 2012; Gatsby Charitable Foundation, 2014) have all come to broadly similar conclusions to those advanced by Heppell in the UK and Gysbers in the USA. CEL should be well integrated across the school, connected to the school’s mission and led by a senior leader. It should start early, possibly in primary school, but certainly in the first two years of secondary school, and should continue throughout schooling. It should offer opportunities for personalised learning and support that are connected to the aspirations of the individual. It should also be strongly connected to the curriculum, and presented as a progressive learning programme rather than as a series of disconnected activities. Finally, it is critical that the school’s programme should provide a bridge for young people into the post-school world, giving them access to representatives and experiences from the learning and labour markets. Sir John Holman’s recent work for the Gatsby Charitable Foundation (2014) summarises this evidence base in the context of contemporary English schools. Like Heppell, 40 years before him, Holman has been concerned with providing schools with tools that support excellent practice, in this case through the identification of eight Benchmarks which define quality careers provision: 1. A stable careers programme. 2. Learning from career and labour market information. 3. Addressing the needs of each pupil. 4. Linking curriculum learning to careers. 5. Encounters with employers and employees. 6. Experiences of workplaces. 7. Encounters with further and higher education. 8. Personal guidance. The Gatsby Benchmarks have received considerable media and policy attention. This report will refer further to them as a useful and pithy articulation of evidence-based practice in this area, and will consider what roles teachers need to play in order to convert these benchmarks into reality. As this discussion shows, most of the research in this area has tended to view CEL programmatically and has cautioned against seeing interventions as a series of disconnected activities. However, there have also been a number of attempts to evaluate the components of CEL programmes, to identify which elements are the most effective. Most notable is the Whiston et al. (2011) quantitative metaanalysis which found promising results in relation to one-to-one counselling, small group interventions, interventions which involved parents, and peer facilitation and mentoring. Nonetheless, they argued that all these interventions needed to be located in a broader programmatic framework, and highlighted that it is easier to observe impacts from these composite programmes than from any one element. Their analysis highlighted impacts on enhanced problem-solving skills, improved behaviour and academic attainment. 16 International Centre for Guidance Studies www.derby.ac.uk/icegs Recent research by the Sutton Trust (Hooley, Matheson & Watts, 2014) investigated the impact of quality careers programmes. The research was informed by the existing research in the area, and explored the impact of holistic, developmental school CEL programmes on attainment, progression and engagement. The research used a range of existing careers quality awards to identify 820 schools which had implemented programmes that aligned well with the evidence base. Statistical approaches were used to examine the differences between schools which did and did not hold careers quality awards. The research found that holding a quality award was correlated with small but significant improvements in attainment, student engagement and progression to top universities. The evidence that exists about effective practice in CEL therefore has a number of lessons to which Teach First may want to attend as it develops any new initiatives in this area. In essence, these lessons are about using participants in the Teach First leadership development programme and the programme’s ambassadors to achieve a culture change in England’s schools. While the research emphasises the importance of whole-school approaches to CEL, until recently schools in England have not had to take sole responsibility for CEL. Changing this is unlikely to be straightforward and will require leadership and vision. It will also require the development of a range of new skills and roles for teachers. 17 International Centre for Guidance Studies www.derby.ac.uk/icegs 3. What roles do teachers have in career and employability learning? As noted in Section 2, much of the literature on CEL emphasises the importance of integrated, whole-school approaches to careers work. Effective careers work cannot just be a bolt-on, nor a series of disconnected interventions. Such conclusions require involvement from teachers. However, there are a range of possible roles that teachers can take in CEL. This section will explore these roles. It will begin by discussing the roles that teachers play in a range of comparator countries, before moving on to conceptualise the possible roles of the teacher in this area in England. International models Career guidance is by its nature a hybrid activity since it operates across different worlds (notably education and the labour market). Given this, it is unsurprising that there are a range of different ways to organise this activity and a range of different professional bases for it across countries. Watts et al. (1994) identify teaching, psychology, labour market administration and a distinct guidance specialism as the main professional bases for the activity. In addition to thinking about the professional basis of CEL, it is also important to consider the organisational arrangements that support its delivery. OECD (2004) draws a distinction between external, internal and partnership models in schoolbased careers work:  In an external model, CEL is delivered by an organisation outside the school, usually with strong links to the labour market.  In an internal model, the school has the responsibility for delivering CEL. Examples from our case studies which organise CEL in this way include: Canada (although the province of Prince Edward Island is moving to a partnership model); Finland; Hong Kong; Ireland; Korea; Malta; the Netherlands (which operated a partnership model until 2000); and the USA.  In a partnership model, responsibility is divided between the school and an external agency. Examples from our case studies which organise CEL in this way include: Austria; England before 2010 (although more clearly before 2000); New Zealand (although schools have no requirement to engage with Careers New Zealand); Norway, which is currently developing a network of Career Centres that are moving from an internal to a partnership model; Scotland; and Switzerland. Northern Ireland and Wales, too, have retained a partnership model (Department for Employment and Learning & Department of Education, 2009; Watts, 2009). OECD found that the partnership model was the strongest model of delivery

6.2 Role modelsCan you identify a national STEM role model of your country who could be suited to discuss with your students about STEM careers? Write how this person fits with what you’ve learned in this activity and share with us at least one idea about how you will integrate him/her in a lesson with your students.

d_preda — 2017-04-23 16:24:48 UTC

I think the ideal person could be Samantha Crisforetti who participated in one of the last space missions. He is a young person and for this reason he may be closer to the reality of the students. We could watch videos or listen to interviews or link to their social page.

6.3 STEM professionalsReflect on your upcoming lessons and plans for your students – which professional of your town/country could you bring to supplement your teaching activity? What would they talk about? How would you integrate their lecture/talk/activity in your lessons?

d_preda — 2017-04-23 16:32:34 UTC

To integrate my lessons I could invite the Coding expert Alessandro Bogliolo of the University of Urbino who has already organized many outdoor games and activities with the students here. Next to my city there is a famous dolphinarium and aquarium and an astronomical observatory: we have already met some experts and thoroughly discussed many topics.

6.4 Bringing parents into career counselingThink about your discussions with the parents of your students: are they encouraging their children toward STEM careers? What is their general attitude towards STEM careers? Reflect on this section and share in the Padlet below. Additionally, share some ideas you will keep in mind from now on, in your work with parents.

d_preda — 2017-04-23 16:39:13 UTC

Parents today seem very interested in STEM and consider them a great opportunity for the future of their children. That's why when we discussed a lot of STEM topics, they urged their children to engage and review videos or materials at school at home. I think even parents are aware that STEM careers are the future.

Appunti 7.2

d_preda — 2017-04-24 19:25:28 UTC

What happens when this collaboration does not take place? It should not be too hard to imagine as, unfortunately, in many cases it is the reality we are facing today. Very few countries manage to achieve high levels of collaboration between schools and industry. Moreover, this collaboration is often only achieved in resource-rich schools or in those schools were it happens by fortune, and not necessarily through a guided, school-centered or policy-directed approach.

7.1 Business and education collaborationBased on the description above, where do you think your students are placed? What is their level of access and desire for employability? What are some actions you can take to improve the situation?

d_preda — 2017-04-24 19:26:21 UTC

At the moment I teach in a primary school. But my school is connected to a secondary school and my colleagues often organize meetings with high schools and sometimes also with professional figures. They rarely take contact with companies. Surely I think the link between school and the world of employment is important for our students' decisions. In Italy it is difficult to find companies available to engage students in an activity. On the other hand, many teachers are very much attached to the classroom classroom in front of the blackboard. They are fortunately changing their minds, but it is difficult. With classmates I have often been organizing coding projects in the classroom, but I have not yet had the chance to bring kids into a company of technologies or electronics.

Community partners 7.2

d_preda — 2017-04-24 19:40:03 UTC

these community partners are defined as “an expert in the community or somebody who can help us take our learning from the classroom and apply it into the real world”. The exact term used in the article to define them is “learning partner”. The school uses these learning partners to enrich lessons and to co-teach but also for teachers to learn from them, as experts in their field, through individual talks, before teaching a particular lesson. Another way these partners are used is to give authenticity to lessons and to connect students to real-life individuals who are experts in the specific area students are practicing or learning about during a lesson.

7.2 Connect with the communityActivity: [Padlet] After you have read these steps to connect with your local community, share with us what are some ways in which you can connect with the business community in your town or city: what professionals can you bring to your school and how can you involve them?

d_preda — 2017-04-24 19:41:38 UTC

In my city I'm always in touch with museum or library experts. But I also have the opportunity to get in touch with the nearby aquarium and oceanographic experts. At other times, we have contacted experts in food, agricultural or animal production, always in the nsotro territory. If I did not find experts in my area, I think today it is possible to contact them via the internet and have direct contact via skype, if their classroom presence is not possible. In fact we have already participated in video conferencing or video calls with coding experts.

Appunti 7.3

d_preda — 2017-04-24 19:47:37 UTC

Check out which are some of the big industry or corporate players in your town/city/country.
Usually, they should have a department/area of their organization allocated towards Corporate Social Responsibility (for example, Amgen has the Amgen Foundation, which offers the Amgem Scholars program) or a section on Careers, which almost always provides assistance to students/graduates who might be interested in a job with that company (like Microsoft for example). This information should normally be available on the company’s website.
See what types of activities they provide: these can be live ones, like trainings or workshops at their headquarters or live webinars. If they offer extracurricular study programs (like an Academy) see what are their aims, objectives, conditions and timeline.
Facilitate the connection with your students. Either in one on one discussions, in the classroom, or redirecting your students to that website.

7.3 School-to-work transitionAre there any training opportunities or companies providing programs in your country, from which your students can benefit?

d_preda — 2017-04-24 19:48:55 UTC

Secondary school students are forced to work two weeks in a business to learn how an activity works. There are several companies that are willing to accommodate students, especially those with large spaces and great economic resources. Sometimes even small artisans are willing to show students how to work on materials. It's important to make contact with the web, show your availability, and possibly overcome a selection or test

7.4 Case study: Internship placement in PortugalWhich do you think is one benefit and one disadvantage of such an internship?

d_preda — 2017-04-24 19:56:52 UTC

Through the internship experience students have the opportunity to know all the different aspects of the work world: design, control, verification, production, trade, accounting, contacts with foreign countries or country of origin, quality control, experimentation , and so on. Students also acquire greater security in their subject matter, more clearly identify their interests, improve socialization and autonomy, understand their mistakes and correct them. It is a very useful experience. What may be the worst aspects of internship? They might be the inability to relate to the people with whom you have to work or the lack of interest in the subject; but there are two issues related to the student's personality.

8.4 STEM careers fair organization. Strategies for successPick ONE main task for each of the phases (Planning - Implementation – Post event activities) and tell us why you think it is important)

d_preda — 2017-04-25 21:02:19 UTC

Phase 1- Planning. I think is important the organization so: to develope objectives and identify target because you must know what you want to do. Phase 2 - Implementation. It's important to set up contacts permits and insurance to control everything. Phase 3 Post event. The most important is to collect and analyze feedback: I need to know how was my event to improve it the next time.

8.5 Case study: The Teen Science Café experience in MaltaThrough this padlet, share your thoughts on the Teen Science Café experience. What did you find most interesting? Do you know of any similar experiences? Has it inspired you to set up a similar activity in your school?)

d_preda — 2017-04-25 21:14:30 UTC

I think this is a really good experience for all students because they have the opportunity to see closely how a scientist works, to observe how to design an experiment or construction and to try to realize it. It's a real task of reality that puts in place all the STEM skills.