Below you will find several scenarios of use for schools in both primary and secondary education. These scenarios are ready to be used in the classroom and are coming from already existing activities. Though, teachers can adapt them into their settings or even could use part of the activities described. Also, it is a suggestion from the NEXT STEP Team to use the provided template and develop your own scenario. To develop you own scenario you can be based on the already existing or to your own idea of operating the STEAM IDEAS’ Square in your school.
You will find 5 sectors. The 1st one includes the NEXT STEP Scenario of Use Template, ready to be use in order to develop your own scenario. The other 4 sectors are according to the STATUS that you believe your school belongs (School Typology). In order to identify the STATUS, you are encouraged to fill in the NEXT STEP Self-Reflection Tool (SRT) here: https://srt.the-next-step.eu/.
The School Typologies are identified by filling in the NEXT STEP SRT according to approaches that your school is following at this moment in 3 levels:
MANAGEMENT LEVEL
The aim of the instrument is to assess the vision, the leadership of the school community key stakeholders towards the adoption of a changing culture towards STEAM approaches, and the overall innovation potential of the school community (George and Desmidt, 2018) and to highlight the appearance (or not) of the key factors that can catalyse the cultural changes (e.g., coherence of local or national policies, development of a shared vision and understanding, development of motivation mechanisms and specific plans for staff competencies, school autonomy). This section of the instrument includes a step-by-step approach for the school heads to define a root of development and to locate the current position of their school in the STEAM approach journey towards the overall operation of the STEAM IDEAS Square.
PROCESS LEVEL
The aim of this section is to identify which process is already in place in the school community and which must be further developed. The instrument is sensitive in highlighting the processes and the mechanisms such as a) the operation of collaborative environments and tools (for content co-creation and sharing), b) how many members of the school community are using them regularly, c) adjustments with the curriculum that allow for the implementation of STEAM activities, d) parents and external stakeholders’ involvement in the STEAM activities, and e) procedures in place that are offering opportunities to reflect and debate, communication and feedback mechanisms.
TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEVEL
The aim of this section of the instrument is to assess to what extent teachers and school staff engaged in the STEAM approach (the STEAM IDEAS Square) have a holistic view of science, scientific research, and major scientific developments (Harris and Tassell, 2005; Sotiriou et al., 2016) as well as arts involvement and elaboration in the whole process. This section includes reflections on the integration of RRI principles into school curricula and teaching practices (van Atteveldt et al., 2019). These reflections and evaluation of curricula and practices are supposed to reveal changes in awareness/knowledge aspects/behaviour in relation to the RRI principles—such as gender, ethics, open access, open science, public engagement, governance, socio-economic development and sustainability, social issues related to scientific developments. Supporting teacher leadership may play an essential role to empower reaching this target (Muijs and Harris, 2003).
Schools’ Typologies
STARTER
Schools that are planning to incorporate STEAM educational in their classrooms.
ENABLED
Schools that have implemented at least one STEAM education activity by means of collaboration between teachers of various STEAM disciplines.
ADVANCED
Schools that have achieved a high degree of STEAM education, by actively promoting collaboration between teachers of various STEAM disciplines in e.g., a project-based learning approach.
ICT tools are integrated in their practices.
Cooperation with community stakeholders and other external partners on specific STEAM activities/projects has been established
MASTER
Schools that have STEAM learning as a common practice among their teachers and can provide best practice examples as well as recommendations on how to implement relevant activities.
These schools can act as agents of STEAM Education. The school has established systematic collaboration with community stakeholders and other external partners on specific STEAM activities/projects.