SellSTEM — Spatial thinking in STEM learning: Training a new generation of researchers to increase enrolment and gender balance in STEM learning by addressing deficits in spatial ability among children in Europe

Results in brief

Spatial thinking in STEM learning: Training a new generation of researchers to increase enrolment and gender balance in STEM learning by addressing deficits in spatial ability among children in Europe

For Europe to achieve its agenda for growth and jobs, more young people need to enrol in STEM course. Fresh thinking is required about how to promote STEM education and careers. Research has shown spatial ability to be strongly associated with success in STEM learning and a significant gender gap in spatial ability in favour of males . Spatial ability is a core aspect of intelligence yet across Europe many young people fail to develop spatial ability to a level that allows them to engage successfully with STEM learning and this group is over-represented by girls . Raising spatial ability levels of young people, and girls in particular, will positively impact on their ability to engage with the cognitive demands of STEM learning, improve their confidence and self-efficacy in STEM and lead to increased enrolment in STEM education and careers. SellSTEM is an interdisciplinary, international and intersectoral network researching how to measure spatial ability across childhood, its relationship to learning and career choice and how to raise spatial ability levels of boys and especially girls, and it will transfer this research into practice through engagement with teachers, teacher educators and policy makers. By training 15 ESRs, SellSTEM will achieve the following objectives (RO): 1. Investigate how cognitive development in childhood relates to STEM learning by gender and socioeconomic status (SES) and how spatial ability interacts with affective and academic measures relevant to STEM at different stages of development, 2. Investigate ways to develop spatial ability that can be implemented in the classroom and lead to greater cognitive preparedness for STEM learning by young people, especially girls, 3. Investigate barriers and enablers faced by teachers when developing spatial ability in the classroom, 4. Engage with key stakeholders – policy makers, curriculum designers, teachers, teacher educators, STEM industry - to assess existing policy, raise awareness of the need for spatial ability development, and make recommendations for future.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

SellSTEM will train a new generation of early stage researchers (ESR) to bring fresh thinking to the twin issue of low enrolment and gender imbalance in STEM education and careers by addressing deficits in spatial ability among young people across Europe. A key factor of intelligence, spatial ability is strongly related to achievement in and attraction towards STEM learning yet is underdeveloped among many young people in Europe. The large gender gap in spatial ability in favour of males means girls are over-represented in the low spatial ability group and more disadvantaged in STEM learning. ESRs will be trained to collect spatial ability data from children in Europe, measure their relation to academic performance and career choice and analyse interaction by gender, region and socioeconomic status. ESRs will create ways to develop spatial ability among children through online learning, tactile activities, integrated with other subjects and through project-based learning including maker space workshop. ESRs will work with teachers and teacher educators to identify barriers and enablers to developing spatial ability so they can provide sustainable classroom solutions to increase the spatial ability of children beyond existing levels. Education policy and curriculum design will be critiqued against latest research on cognitive development. Improved policies and curricula will be produced along with strategies to change teacher education and teaching practice. Guides for teachers to assessing spatial ability and classroom teaching activities for different age groups will be developed so teachers can assess and promote growth in spatial ability especially among girls. SellSTEM ESRs will produce new knowledge and methods to promote spatial development, increase STEM enrolment and reduce gender imbalance and help to open up an important research topic in Europe. In this way, SellSTEM will and directly support the EU agenda for growth and jobs both now and into the future.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY DUBLIN · DublinCoordinatorIreland
BANGOR UNIVERSITY · BangorUnited Kingdom
KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLAN · StockholmSweden
LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATE · RIGALatvia
NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNU · TrondheimNorway
PARIS-LODRON-UNIVERSITAT SALZBURG · SalzburgAustria
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT · DelftNetherlands
UNIVERSITAET REGENSBURG · RegensburgGermany
UNIVERSITAT KOBLENZ · KoblenzGermany
UNIVERSITEIT LEIDEN · LeidenNetherlands

SellSTEM · Spatial thinking in STEM learning: Training a new generation of researchers to increase enrolment and gender balance in STEM learning by addressing deficits in spatial ability among children in Europe

Results in brief

Spatial thinking in STEM learning: Training a new generation of researchers to increase enrolment and gender balance in STEM learning by addressing deficits in spatial ability among children in Europe

Project objective

Participants

Links