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Practice video

How to spark interest for science through whole school approach

Šiauliai Salduvės Progymnasium in Lithuania has invested in partnerships, teacher training and many more to boost its pupils interest for science.
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Practice video: How to spark interest for science through whole school approach (Šiauliai Salduvės Progymnasium, Lithuania)

Natalija Kaunickienė, Head teacher

Our STEAM development strategy is based on the STEM School Label platform. We have six areas such as STEAM teaching and curriculum adaptation. Another area is assessment. The third area is professional development of staff. The fourth area is school culture and environment. We want to create a good environment and infrastructure in our school for STEAM subjects. 

Loreta Motuzienė, Biology teacher

Students work on their projects throughout the entire school year, giving them ample time to dive deep into their chosen topics. Throughout the projects, students frequently have to collaborate with other institutions or organisations gaining valuable experience in communication and also applying their knowledge beyond the classroom. 

We have an annual event called 'STEAM week.' During this week, all fifth to eighth grade students explore the central theme through interdisciplinary, hands-on activities across different subject areas. 

Kamilė Valiušytė, Primary school teacher

At our school we aim to make learning meaningful and engaging especially for young children. One of the ways to do this is to integrate STEAM activities in their everyday life. Primary school students participate in a variety of projects. They might build small structures, models, carry out experiments or, for example, explore digital tools and basic coding. 

Also, our school participates in eTwinning projects. We collaborate with a lot of schools from around Europe and this gives opportunities to students to learn about culture and to carry on small projects about science or environmental problems. So they can see that everything is more global, see how every culture has the same struggles, how other students are also learning the same things as them. 

Natalija Kaunickienė, Head teacher

Our school cooperates with a STEAM centre and a botanic garden. Both are departments of the Šiauliai Academy of Vilnius University. Our other partners are the Vilnius Technical University and companies. 

Loreta Motuzienė, Biology teacher

Our school is also participating in the "Future Engineering" project organised by Vilnius Technical University with support from experts and consultants in areas such as sustainable living environment, medical engineering and more. Students make research projects for the entire year and they have to present their results to a panel and the broader project community. 

Justė Povilaitienė, Career specialist 

I organise and lead students to the STEAM centres and organisations which offer programmes and activities related to science, mathematics, technologies, physics, and so on. As a career specialist, I can say good words about the STEM activities, because it is a great opportunity for students to gain knowledge about various professions. They can use scientific tools, they can recognise tools with various equipment, IT programmes, which are very useful for the contemporary world and for the working world. Because they are our future. 

Gabija, Student 7th grade 

I've been here, I think, three times. The activities were very fun especially this one. I learned a lot of new things and I really liked it. And right now we were experimenting with a fake kidney. We experimented on which minerals go through the membrane and which don't. 

Laurynas, Student 7th grade 

This laboratory is probably the most interesting place I've been in. It's important to do these activities because in a regular school you don't learn everything. Sometimes the environment is just not right. Sometimes the materials are not enough. 

Kamilė Valiušytė, Primary school teacher

We believe that it's important to spark children's interest in science and related subjects because it's a very useful skill for the future and also a lot of students with different abilities can work together. 

Most students really like activities with STEAM because they can express themselves more. It's easier to work together. You don't need to do everything by yourself. So they come together, they put their own strength and it's a lot of collaboration. 

Boys sometimes are more encouraged to participate in science activities. Sometimes girls are interested but no one encourages them. So it's very important that everyone learns about science, that everyone knows coding, that everyone tries robotics, because they are equally intelligent and they equally like those things. So maybe we as teachers can change it a bit. 

 

Further reading

Additional information

  • Education type:
    School Education
  • Evidence:
    N/A
  • Intervention level:
    N/A
  • Intervention intensity:
    N/A
  • Participating countries:
    Lithuania
  • Target audience:
    Teacher
    Student Teacher
    Head Teacher / Principal
    Teacher Educator
    Government / policy maker
  • Target audience ISCED:
    Lower secondary education (ISCED 2)
    Upper secondary education (ISCED 3)