20 - 21 September 2023


TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH CO-CREATION IN STEAM* EDUCATION

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You are invited to take part

* STEAM – Internationally recognised acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics

Main highlights of the event

The event is an opportunity to meet and introduce different stakeholders in STEAM* education, to inspire each other and to build collaborations. The main focus of the event will be on workshops, round tables and other activities dedicated to students, young enthusiasts of STEAM*. The event also aims at presenting examples of good practices of STEAM* teaching and learning across the education vertical, current research findings in STEAM* education, possibilities of digital support for STEAM* education, job opportunities in STEAM*, etc.

  • Primary, secondary and university students
  • teachers and other education staff in primary and secondary schools
  • higher education teachers, assistants, researchers
    interested in evidence-based instructional practices in STEAM*
  • other STEAM professionals*

What can you expect at the event?

Various workshops and events for young STEAMers*

Various STEAM* activities by event participants for pupils and students - popularisation of STEAM* among young people (workshops, roundtable discussions, etc.).

Promoting a "co-creation" approach

Various activities will be carried out by the participants of the event for all participants in order to promote a "co-creation" approach, to foster collaboration with young people and other STEAM* stakeholders, and to promote mutual understanding of the different perspectives, needs, aspirations, as well as interdisciplinarity, creativity and innovation in STEAM*.

Invited speakers

Plenary lectures by invited speakers in the field of STEAM education* (plenary lectures).

Scientific and research results

Presentation of the scientific and research findings of the participants' research in STEAM* teaching and learning (plenary and breakout lectures, poster presentations).

Teachers' experiences of teaching STEAM*

Presentation of the experiences of teachers, participants in the event, in teaching and learning STEAM* across the education vertical (plenary and breakout sessions, poster presentations).

Teme dogodka

  • Current and emerging themes in the development of STEAM education*
    STEAM*
  • definitions and integrated education
  • STEAM* education and curricula
  • Interdisciplinarity in STEAM* education
  • Assessment and evaluation of STEAM* education
  • Attitudes of teachers and students towards STEAM education*
  • STEAM* Educational Practices in Primary Education
  • STEAM* Educational Practices in Secondary Education
  • STEAM* educational practices in higher education
  • STEAM* educational practices in non-formal education
  • STEAM* approach to distance education
  • Policies at local, national and European level for STEAM* approaches to education
  • Proposals for curriculum redesign with a STEAM* orientation
  • Future directions for STEAM* education
  • STEAM* education and the economy
  • STEAM* occupations – the gender factor in the choice of STEAM* occupation
  • STEAM* education and culture
  • STEAM* and sustainability – Sustainable Development Goals
  • STEAM* and inclusive education
  • Contemporary approaches to teaching and learning in STEAM education*
  • Integrating ICT in STEAM education*
  • National and international projects and programmes promoting the development of STEAM* approaches in education
  • International STEAM* competitions (for students and teachers)

Plenary Speakers

Assoc. prof. dr. Boštjan Genorio

Dr. Bostjan Genorio is currently an associate professor for Materials science at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He received his B. Sc. and Ph. D. degree from University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Then he worked as a post-doctoral research associate with Prof. Dr. James M. Tour at Rice University, Houston, Texas from 2011-2012. He was a visiting scientist at Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory from 2013-2015. His research interests are synthesis of nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion applications. He is institutional head of international MESC+ Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree programme in Materials Science and electrochemistry. He is also involved in STEM education through Erasmus+ KA2 project, Green STEM. He has published 55 research articles with a total of 3276 citations and his h-index is 25.

Chemical sustainability is a critical aspect of environmental stewardship and responsible industrial practices. It entails developing, producing, and utilizing chemicals in a manner that minimizes their negative impact on human health and the planet. Electrocatalysis plays a crucial role in achieving environmental goals by enabling energy conversion and sustainable chemical production.

Connecting electrocatalysis with the education of future scientists, researchers and teachers holds immense potential for advancing our understanding and application of these crucial fields. By integrating this cutting-edge research with educational efforts, we can nurture a generation of scientists and teachers equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle these challenges. We will discuss the practical applications of electrocatalysis in energy conversion and sustainable chemical synthesis. By engaging students and teachers with cutting-edge research, we aim to inspire them to explore further and pursue innovative avenues. This approach is pivotal for the early careers of future scientists and educators, enabling them to contribute to a sustainable and greener future.

Assoc. prof. dr. Stanislav Avsec

Stanislav Avsec started his professional career as an engineer in a large industrial company in the energy sector, and then taught theoretical engineering subjects in technical and vocational secondary schools for several years. He currently works as an associate professor in the field of technology and engineering education at the Faculty of Education of the University of Ljubljana. He is the Head of the Department of Technical Education and the manager and researcher at numerous international and national projects. He actively researches in the areas of technology and engineering education, educational technologies, cognitive science, creativity and innovation, education for sustainable development and management. He also disseminates his knowledge through research in other academic institutions around the world. He is a member of the editorial boards and reviewers of several scientific journals abroad. He also received the World Institute for Engineering and Technology Education (WIETE) Fellow Award (Melbourne, Australia).

The turbulent events around us make Einstein’s famous thesis that “we cannot solve problems with the same level of thinking that created them” all the more relevant and require careful thought about what, how, and when we should learn for the future we desire. Innovation starts with people, and the human experience is at the heart of the concept of design thinking (DT) as an approach to problem solving. It’s not about everyone being like the designers…, it’s about thinking like them. When applied in the context of the Agenda 2030 (UN, 2015), the DT approach can lead to local, collaborative, and participatory initiatives based on, rather than adapted to, the local context. The approach of DT, based on key thinking paradigms such as holistic, unconstrained, collaborative, iterative, and visual, promotes integrative and interdisciplinary thinking. The DT, approach presented in this speech, not only promotes innovative thinking, but also enables successful demonstration of the four leadership characteristics identified in the UN Leadership Framework (UN, 2017): Focus on Impact, Promoting Transformational Change, Systems Thinking, and Co-Creation.

Prof. dr. Jože Rugelj

Prof. Dr. Jože Rugelj started his research activity at the Jožef Stefan Institute almost 40 years ago in the field of group communication, computer-supported group work and remote collaboration. As remote collaboration using ICT becomes increasingly important in all forms of learning, he later focused his research in this area, recognising that effective learning requires the use of modern didactic approaches that enable students to engage in active forms of learning tailored to their individual characteristics. One such area is learning through educational games, where over the past decade he has developed an original approach to the use of game design and development in teacher education. With partners from several European universities, he has established a network that develops the theoretical basis for game-based learning and acts as a consortium for project proposals in this area and in the dissemination of knowledge through various forms of postgraduate education. He also places great emphasis on research in computer science didactics, the introduction of new active forms of learning, and the teaching of the importance of conceptual knowledge.

Over the past 20 years, he has coordinated 14 international projects on the use of digital technologies in education and game-based learning. The results of his research have been published in over 160 articles in journals, monographs, and conference proceedings. The international visibility of his publications is evidenced by 120 citations in WOS and 269 citations in Scopus.

In the area of teaching, he has supervised students on 102 bachelor’s and master’s theses, 9 master’s degrees, and 4 doctorates.

The digital revolution is changing the way we work, the way we organise, and the way we live our daily lives. It is also changing the way children and young people play, access information, communicate, and learn. But this revolution has not transformed teaching and learning in most classrooms, and where technology is used, research findings on its impact on learning outcomes are disappointing. So there is a need for new pedagogies that would help us accelerate improvements in educational outcomes. This includes not only literacy and numeracy, but also the broader, less well-defined outcomes such as problem solving, collaboration, creativity, and building effective relationships and teams.

Fullan and Langworthy propose a “new pedagogy” that should be based on a learning partnership between and among students and teachers that harnesses the intrinsic motivation of students and teachers alike. This new learning should be strongly oriented toward “real world” action and problem solving and is enabled and greatly accelerated by innovations in digital technology. These forces are converging to produce deep learning tasks and outcomes. Many of these ideas build on a tradition that goes back to Piaget, Vygotsky, and other key learning theorists.

Gaja Brecelj

Gaja Brecelj is the director of the non-governmental organization Umanotera, The Slovenian Foundation for Sustainable Development, which is promoting sustainable development in society for almost 30 years. Gaja joined Umanotera in 2005, and in recent years she mainly covers the areas of climate change, ethical consumption, responsible tourism, green jobs, sustainable events and development of the non-governmental sector. She regularly implements workshops on these topics for both educators and young people. She advocates that systemic changes are key, and at the same time she herself adheres as much as possible to the “Walk the talk” principle. She sees social innovation and community practices as drivers of transition to a sustainable society.

The lecture will present the context of climate crisis with its causes and consequences, which significantly affects our lives and us as individuals in all our roles – consumers, active citizens, educators, parents, children… We will learn about good sustainable practices and focus on what we can do as a society, individuals and educators.

Prof. dr. Ivan Kalaš

Professor Ivan Kalaš is a Head of the Department of Education at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics of Comenius University, Bratislava. He is engaged in pedagogical research and development in the field of teaching informatics. For more than 30 years he has been building informatics educational content in primary and secondary education. He is co-author of textbooks and teaching materials for informatics, and also books on children’s programming. For several years he was an international advisor for the Microsoft Partners in Learning programme. Ivan has contributed to several international initiatives such as Kaleidoscope, Playground or ScratchMaths. Since 2013 he is a visiting professor at UCL Institute of Education in London. Ivan represents Slovakia in the IFIP TC3 Committee for Education.

Teaching informatics as a compulsory subject is a hot topic everywhere today. Yet, educational systems are still searching for what content to choose, what pedagogy to use, who should teach it and how to qualify teachers for it. Clearly, if we want school informatics to be modern, sustainable and beneficial for every learner, we need to initiate it properly in primary already. That’s why in 2017 we decided to focus our effort exactly on this. We launched a long-term development project called ‘Informatics with Emil’, in which we have built a comprehensive educational content, pedagogy and materials for primary teachers.

Emil is currently being used by several hundred schools in Czech Republic and Slovakia. One key aspect of it which primary teachers highly value is our emphasis on building natural bridges into all other learning areas. This is happening easily and naturally since our informatics is being taught by primary class teachers. In my talk, I will present our new content, its design principles and the support we provide to teachers. The amazing opportunity to build modern informatics as a systematic and useful subject for all pupils is simply not to be missed.

Prof. dr. Janez Demšar

As an aging professor at the University of Ljubljana, Janez Demšar strives to not being bored and boring by involving himself in a number of pet and not-so-pet projects. He is one of the core developers of Orange, a large open source data mining suite used in education, academy and industry. With his wife, Irena Demšar, he translated the CS Unplugged material to Slovene, expanded it and tried it out in schools and summer schools. Together with prof. Blaž Zupan, he established a maker space at the Faculty of Computer Science at the University of Ljubljana. Lately, he is involved in a project Teaching with a Pinch of Artificial Intelligence, which aims at enriching school subjects by adding elements of AI (and also, sneak teaching of AI into different subject through the back door).

In physics, a teacher can introduce equations for pendula – or let pupils experiment with different lengths and weights to discover them. In biology, the teacher can describe a cell – or let the pupils see it under the microscope. In chemistry, the teacher can describe a reaction – or let the pupils mix and heat ingredients on their own.

Is it possible conduct experiments in history? And geography? In languages? Arts? Can children uncover facts on their own rather than being told?

Yes, in a sense. You cannot grow a new language in a petri dish, but you can explore a properties of an existing languages. Or discover a tree of languages using some data. You can explore the history of a region based on distribution of surnames. Teach a neural network to distinguish between Monet and Manet, and you can learn from mistakes it makes.

You would be surprised how even the most boring school subject (you know, which!) can become interesting when turned into a data mining adventure.

Doc. dr. Andrej Brodnik

Andrej Brodnik

was named by the minister of education, science and sport of Slovenia to head a committee analyzing the status of K12 computing education in Slovenia. The committee published three reports including the one proposing a K12 computing education framework (https://www.racunalnistvo-in-informatika-za-vse.si/about/). Besides, he also led the working group at JRC on programming competence within the DigComp framework. He is also serving as a chair of a national committee on Informatics high school matura, and Computing competition committee at ACM Slovenia. Recently he was nominated into Committee for preparation and introduction of general learning objectives and in into Committee for update of computing currical. Dr. Brodnik is one of authors of the Slovenian high school textbook on Informatics and a former member of the International Bebras Board (Bebras https://bebras.org) and recipient of a national teaching award.

Digital technology swept the world and, whether we like it or not, it affects every our activity. Its influence increases with our capability to manage it. Therefore for success in our profession, we need – our domain-specific knowledge and knowledge of computer science (CS). In the MINUT project (mathematics, informatics, natural sciences, art and technology, Slovene for STEAM) we focused on topics approached with knowledge of STEAM – e.g. room temperature measurement, stoichiometry, mimicry, air pollution, etc. This knowledge was supplemented with the fundamental knowledge of CS, which enabled students to creatively use digital technology and, as a result, gain a better understanding of the original problems and their solutions.

The success of the approach requires a cooperation between STEAM and CS teachers. To strengthen it the community of practice represents an important factor. Its role is to provide a permanent environment for regular meetings, exchange of experiences and acquiring new knowledge.

Mag. Tjaša Kampos

M.Sc. Tjaša Kampos is a teacher of chemistry and biology at the elementary school Venclja Perka. For many years, she has been a member of the Subject Development Group for Chemistry, which works under the auspices of the National Education Institute Slovenia. She is a member of the subject group for chemistry for the National Elementary School Examination. As a multiplier, she has conducted numerous trainings in the field of information and communication technology for teachers of chemistry at the elementary and secondary levels. She is an advocate of formative assessment in learning. She has shared her approaches and ideas with teachers in numerous in-service trainings, workshops, and conferences over the years. In her practice, she strives to make each student an active and responsible agent who walks alongside the teacher through the learning process.

She works by the motto “Where there is a will, there is a power. And success”.

Building a partnership between learners and teachers, as well as between teachers themselves, is important for the successful implementation of the teaching process. The talk will present approaches to chemistry teaching, learning methods, and examples of activities that the speaker has found, based on her many years of experience as an elementary school teacher, to encourage students to become more active and involved in the learning process. Examples will be presented that reinforce students’ intrinsic motivation to learn and explore science concepts and phenomena. The principles of formative monitoring will be highlighted as an important guide on the path to high quality and useful knowledge that enhances students’ social and emotional skills and motor learning, among other things.

In addition to a strong will on the part of the individual (both student and teacher), the ability to listen and collaborate is essential to the success of the learning process. The speaker will share her experiences as a chemistry/science teacher who strives to encourage and develop her students’ critical judgement and thinking, stimulate their creativity, and foster their curiosity about science throughout their school years. In doing so, teachers should keep in mind that our students have different needs and that they must be listened to and given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and strengths and to achieve the goals they set for themselves in the learning process.

REGISTRATION

You can choose between three options to participate in the event:
You can join us as a speaker, as a teacher with a group of your pupils/students, or as a listener.

All participants presenting a paper will receive a certificate of active participation in the event, and all other participants will receive a certificate of participation in the event.

GROUPS OF STUDENTS ACCOMPANIED BY TEACHERS**

Participants** from elementary, secondary schools and university
Many new ideas, experiences and collaborations in STEAM *
Registration for the event from 1st July till 14th September 2023, or until places at the workshops are filled
Free entry to the event
Certificate of participation at the event

SPEAKERS **

Participants** from elementary, secondary schools and university
Many new ideas, experiences and collaborations in STEAM *
Section presentations/workshops/poster presentations
Registration for the event and abstract submission by 16th June 2023 (extended)
Notification about the inclusion of presentation in the conference by 30th June 2023
Free entry to the event
Certificate of participation at the event

AUDIENCE **

Participants** from elementary, secondary schools and university
Many new ideas, experiences and collaborations in STEAM *
Registration for the event from 1st July till 14th September 2023, or until all places are filled
Free entry to the event
Certificate of participation at the event

Organisation

Organiser: University of LjubljanaCoordinator of the event: University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education in cooperation with the Centre for the Use of ICT in the Pedagogical Process at the University of LjubljanaProgramme and Organising Committee:
  • Prof. Dr. Vesna Ferk Savec (Chair), University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education, KemikUm Centre
  • Assoc. prof. dr. Stanislav Avsec, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education
  • Prof. Dr. Janez Bešter, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Centre for the Use of ICT in the Pedagogical Process at the University of Ljubljana
  • Prof. Dr. Iztok Devetak, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education, KemikUm Centre
  • Sanja Jedrinović, Centre for the Use of ICT in the Pedagogical Process at the University of Ljubljana
  • Prof. Dr. Mojca Juriševič, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education, Centre for Research and Promotion of Giftedness
  • Taja Klemen, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education, Center KemikUm
  • Assist. Prof. Dr. Boštjan Kuzman, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education
  • Senior Lecturer M.Sc. Matija Lokar, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
  • Prof. Dr. Anton Meden, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
  • Katarina Mlinarec, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education, KemikUm Centre
  • Assist. Prof. Dr. Irena Nančovska Šerbec, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education
  • Assist. Prof. Dr. Uroš Ocepek, Secondary Technical and Vocational School Trbovlje
  • M.Sc. Marko Papić, Centre for the Use of ICT in the Pedagogical Process at the University of Ljubljana
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jerneja Pavlin, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education
  • Tim Prezelj, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education
  • M.Sc. Nika Cebin, Prof. Chemistry, Gymnasium Ledina
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gregor Torkar, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education
  • Meta Trček, Prof. of Phys. and Tech., Primary School Brezovica pri Ljubljani
  • Dr. Matej Vošnjak, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education

Contact us

    Location:

    UL Pedagoška fakulteta
    Kardeljeva ploščad 16
    1000 Ljubljana

    Contact person:

    Prof. dr. Vesna Ferk Savec, vesna.ferk@pef.uni-lj.si

    Naročite se na naše e-novice...

    … in bodite prvi obveščeni o dogajanju v Centru UL za uporabo IKT v pedagoškem procesu.