WHY STEAMERS®?????
OUR GOALS FOR THIS STEAMER PROJECT
*Address the current shortage of young people- particularly women) choosing to study Maths and Sciences (includes Technology, Arts and Ethics as integral to their understanding)
*Encourage prospective teachers to adopt these subjects with a view to stemming the ongoing shortage of teachers in these domains.
* Extend the current acronym used in educational systems today STEM to include critical areas of Art (creative pursuit) and Ethics.
*Work to solve problems through the medium of playful stories for young people ie. early intervention to instil a love of all things linked to sciences
*Reduce “screen time” by encouraging fun research, speculation and exploration through the medium of booklets which expand reading time.
* Emphasise the interlinking of moral/ethical issues in scientific design and resolution of global problems….creating sustainable alternatives.
*Encouraging scientific inquiry and endeavour by introducing unusual or different science facts which they may never otherwise be exposed to, in a fun story type format.
* Stimulate neutral discussion and objective study around contentious issues in the scientific domain.
*Inspire more young people to choose to study the sciences- particularly encourage girls to aspire to enter these professions
*Develop creativity in the sciences and show the link between the Arts and Technology, Maths, Engineering etc.
*Break male/female stereotypes in working in scientific fields. Celebrate diversity and dare to be different.
*Enhance vocabulary and understanding of scientific concepts in young minds
*Instil a love and curiosity in all things related to scientific phenomena.
* Build resilience in the face of failure and diversity in pursuing scientific endeavours. There is always another way to solve a problem. Give the self a permission to fail.
* Inspire and celebrate individuality in scientific endeavour- move away from herd mentality and present one’s true self despite social norms and expectations.
* Create a shift away from just accepting information presented in social media, and a move towards an inquiring, mindful approach to the natural environment.
*Promote the need to problem solve and query ethical practice in scientific endeavours…think outside the box!
* Encourage critical thinking and promote an ability to analyse and synthesise in searching for scientific solution.
* Reinforce the need for building relationships and a cooperative approach in solving problems– no need to “go it alone”.
* Demonstrate the need for delayed gratification in scientific endeavour- there are often no immediate solutions! Maintaining the search for an optimistic alternative.
*Lock in to current issues that impact on young people- bullying, , trans/gender diversity, homosexuality, eating disorders, drug abuse, depression, suicide, AI, social media-its positives and negatives such as hate speech, trolls, cyberbullying, deep fake etc.
* Illustrate that neuro diversity is also to be celebrated in STEAMERS®. Autism spectrum individuals have special talents.
* Provide a diverse range of work options /careers for young minds to dream about! No stereotypes!