CARES PROJECT | ERASMUS

About the Cares Project

About CARES

This project was developed based on the urgent need to tackle poor careers advice and guidance in schools, and to address the STEM skills gap and gender imbalances in STEM. The project output will provide valid and up to date careers guidance to students. Thus the project will have an effect on three levels:

At an institutional level, the project will maximise the impacts of internationalisation as a process with the potential to further develop and strengthen management structures, international relations, educational services, and to further develop strategic policies related to the internationalisation of education, research, student and staff mobility, and educational technology development.

At national level, the project supports the science community, government agencies and bodies and other organisations which are contributing to addressing the challenge of future STEM skills and gender imbalance in STEM. The project also allows the partner institutions to have cross-European meetings, exchanges and discussions including multiplier events, on how the project’s activities can be adapted by other teachers/schools/education providers/NGOs.

At an international level, the project supports the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu), which provides a general reference frame to support the development of educator-specific digital competences in Europe. DigCompEdu is directed towards educators at all levels of education, from early childhood and this project will support educators’ pedagogic competences and demonstrate how digital technologies can be used to enhance and innovate education and training and it will also help to develop digital, subject specific and transversal competencies in both educators and students. Additionally, the project also supports the work of the European Schoolnet, STEM Alliance and Scientix.

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With this strategy, the project will have an impact at the local, regional, national, European and international level:

  • Boosting a Europe-wide collaboration among teachers as well as education researchers and policymakers regarding the promotion of STEM careers and addressing the STEM skills gap.
  • Boosting a Europe-wide collaboration among English teachers and teachers of other subjects as well as education researchers and policymakers
  • Exchanging inquiry-based and game-based learning, CLIL and other innovative, effective and engaging approaches regarding English and STEM teaching and learning. 

Objectives

The CARES Project aims to raise interest in and awareness of the range of exciting careers in STEMM (current and future careers). This project will help to develop students to become lifelong learners of science, technology and mathematics, enabling them to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Through the successful implementation of this project there will be an increase in the number of students choosing STEMM subjects in upper primary/secondary schools, with those progressing to STEMM pathways in Further or Higher Education and taking up careers in STEMM.

It was found that the STEMM sector had a significant gender gap, therefore the project partners will work together to increase participation of females in STEMM education and careers whilst ensuring young people sustain their involvement in their STEMM education.

With all of these factors considered it will also ensure that students’ learning in STEMM disciplines significantly improves, including the further development of their skills such as problem-solving, inquiry-based learning and team working to address demands from the world of work whilst creating a community environment that promotes and supports STEMM.

Implementation

The project’s primary target groups are teachers, students (14-18) and educational institutions.  The CARES project will greatly improve students’:

  • Understanding of future STEMM careers
  • Knowledge of STEMM concepts
  • Self-confidence in terms of speaking in English
  • Social and digital skills
  • Knowledge of Erasmus project and future opportunities
  • Knowledge of lifestyle and education in partner countries
  • Employability skills such as teamwork, problem solving, communication and independence

Teachers will be empowered to be more confident, to further developing their capabilities across key competencies such as digital skills, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and the ability to problem solve. Teacher’s will:

  • Enhance their understanding of future STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) careers
  • Enhance their understanding of English Education in a European Context e.g. how to teach STEMM in an English class (CLIL methods)
  • Improve their competencies and skills
  • Enhance their understanding about the use of digital tools in education
  • Improve their knowledge about theories and methods of second language acquisition
  • Experience an improved motivation for professional development

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The project activities are developed in order the achieve its objectives, therefore we will implement the following:

  • Problem solving workshops, role play, game based learning, interactive workshops delivered to students and teachers during the mobilities
  • Share best teaching practice – STEM, CLIL, ESOL
  • Introduce schools/teachers/educators to content and language integrated learning (CLIL), therefore developing cross-curricular teaching programme for the schools
  • Use eTwinning in order to collaborate with the partner institutions and the final findings will be published there being available for teachers across Europe 
  • Develop 2 intellectual outputs, which will aid target groups to further develop their skills and knowledge

Additionally, the mobility activities make it possible for both students and teachers to acquire knowledge about the partner institutions’ geography, history and culture, including how the institutions function, therefore being part of the citizenship education. We will transfer innovative teaching methods to a large number of teachers, through the development of the IOs. We will help students to develop important transversal skills such as creative thinking, problem solving, etc., which they can utilise in school and also in the near future in the labour market. 

Expected Impact

It is anticipated that the CARES project will achieve the following short term, medium and long term impacts: 

  • Improved understanding of developing strategies into stakeholders’ schools/organisations in order to tackle the STEMM skills gap and gender imbalances in STEMM
  • Improved understanding of developing STEMM and CLIL strategies into schools
  • Increased awareness of building common European network of organisations
  • Increased awareness of encouraging staff to use innovative approaches, digital tools and games

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One of the examples of the short-term impact would be to enable students to participate in STEMM-specific industry activities 

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One of the examples of the medium impact would be that girls can see themselves in any STEMM role (eliminating stereotypes); and increased synergies, links and improved transition between the sectors of education and STEM industry.

One of the examples of the long-term impact would be closing the STEM gender gap that currently exist, thus by 2030, 33% of young people moving into STEMM careers are girls