<< Background >>This project aims to promote innovative ways of teaching STEM outdoors in particular to girls and underprivileged children aged 8-16. The rationale is that the target group is underrepresented in STEM occupations and with the project we aim to motivate them to consider STEM-oriented careers. Recent studies have shown that children are better susceptible to STEM subjects, therefore we want to enhance their curiosity with the possibilities that STEM offers. At the same time, we aim at bridging the gap between digital technologies with real nature by designing and implementing combined STEM activities: online and outdoors. As a result, students will not only have knowledge but will also get equipped with skills for solving real complex problems required in today’s world. Another known problem that children face is the application of theoretical knowledge in nature. To overcome such problems, the project aims at defining difficult theoretical tasks and offer various implementations of the theory in the natural world. Through using a guided mobile application, using gamification elements for motivation, students will be able to easily understand the connection between theory and practice.<< Objectives >>The project has four objectives. 1. Creation of outdoor possibilities, for example, trails, for schools and their pupils to engage in collaborative activities for practicing STEM knowledge by using digital tools but outside of traditional school settings.2. Bridging the gap between theory and practice by introducing educational experiences and interdisciplinary approaches to solving real-life challenges. Tasking pupils with real-life challenges will help them understand the relevance of STEM knowledge in daily activities.3. Flexible and inclusive e-toolkit. E-toolkit will offer teachers and students a description of various possibilities for practicing STEM in nature. It will consist of e-materials and a freely accessible mobile app that will help in discovering activities and outdoor STEM trails for different pupils’ ages and interests. 4. Increase the motivation of girls and underprivileged children to engage in STEM activities.<< Implementation >>Each primary school will develop two trails, or six altogether including the STEM activities on each of the trails. All partners will develop a GREEN&STEM e-toolkit (e-learning space) with a description of all activities and trails for all ages. The e-toolkit is an easy-to-use and ready digital collection for outdoor science and STEM activities, with a specific focus on girls and underserved communities. The GREEN&STEM e-toolkit will be a basis for developing a mobile app by FIS. Development of an outdoor STEM educator guide (e-learning space) to engage students with STEM activities. We will create a project webpage (by FIS), a Facebook page, and a YouTube Channel (by SIM) and organize multiplier events for the promotion of the project results.<< Results >>Established six trails with STEM activities. Preparation of an e-toolkit GREEN&STEM and a mobile application GREEN&STEM. Project promotion and increased motivation in girls and underprivileged children for considering STEM careers by organizing three learning, teaching, and training activities in the partner schools in Slovenia, Spain, and North Macedonia. Organization of three multiplier events for the promotion of the project activities, one in each country. Established project webpage, a YouTube channel, and a Facebook page.

This project of Cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practice is named as Ready to innovate: Maths&Sports4all (RIMAS)Several investigations assure that education in Europe is equal in terms of gender perspective. However, we know that, due to cultural tradition, certain countries still make distinctions between boys and girls and give more value to the male figure.Physical education is a subject positively valued by most students. Despite its benefits to improve physical condition and health, many teenagers decrease physical activity or certain sports because they consider that they masculinize them.On the other hand, the percentage of girls enrolled in STEM careers or degrees (31%) and physical education (20%) is low. In addition, it is quite common that a high number of students feel rejection towards mathematics, which makes them more unwilling towards learning this subject and others highly linked to it.Therefore, what we intend is to promote maths learning through physical education, from a gender perspective. We want students to improve results, change their perception towards the subject and increase their performance and level of satisfaction. Also, we intend to promote the scientific vocation especially among the girls, always keeping co-education in mind.Our main objective is to develop a toolkit for students between 6 and 11 years old to learn, expand and reinforce mathematics content through physical education by training teachers in this new approach.As secondary objectives of the project: · Develop a package of educational tools to improve mathematical competence from the playground and gym.· Favouring the process of ubiquitous learning and teaching.· Strengthen the conditions of women in Physical Education and Maths to educate schoolchildren in equality.· Carry out activities in different countries to know and promote social cohesion, cultural awareness, international cooperation and understanding within Europe.The partnership is made up of seven partners. The university contributes to the development of the methodology itself, the team which belongs to it is an expert on the matter. The mathematicians’ group is an educational researchers’ team who has extensive experience in educational research, information collection and data interpretation. The four schools are the ideal place to put the RIMAS methodology into practice, compare results, see how it evolves in different contexts but belonging to a common European framework. And a technical partner which will add a technical and proficiency profile to the tools developed. Five out of seven partners already have experience managing Erasmus+ projects.The activities that will be carried out are:Two intellectual products, the first will be a toolkit for maths learning trough physical education for teachers, of free access, which will be used by teachers. The second intellectual product is an online teacher training course for the implementation of the previous product.Two multiplier events to publicize the project, present the battery of tools to teachers from any country, comment on the results obtained, attract more interested colleagues in the methodology, publish and disseminate the use of the educational platform, expand the network of professional contacts at local, regional and international level.Learning/teaching/training activities with teachers and students to implement, improve and test O1 and check the effectiveness of O2. All students from the four schools will get involved to prepare activities and workshops and will have the opportunity to go through a unique experience that will change them as person, developing their social and civic competence as members of the common space that is Europe.Four transnational project meetings that will deal with issues that require the opinion of all partners.As expected results are: an increase in motivation and interest towards mathematics, which will lead them to obtain better results, in mathematics, science and other areas. Provide teachers with manipulative tools with the presence of ICT to increase students’ level of knowledge. Develop critical thinking and gender equality in students. Improvement of linguistic, social and civic competence.The first impact we expect is on participating schools, which will extend this methodology to the entire educational stage between 6 and 11 years old. With multiplier events we can reach other schools, teachers and professionals even outside the partnership.The universities that train teachers are an important agent to give continuity to the methodology. Schools will continue implementing this approach to the following promotions. Dissemination activities are also key points to broadening impact.The tools will be developed to work on the common content of the mathematics curriculum of the 4 participating schools, with which they can be extrapolated to almost any other. These tools will be available on the Results Platform.

"For years now the Eurocar 2 project partners have had bilateral relations in education. During these exchanges the need to know better the education systems of partner countries was identified as well as the need to share education practices, specifically in foreign and second language teaching and in primary school. Foreign languages were chosen because they are a learning tool and a means of communication in international education. What is more, they facilitate the opening of oneself to the others, the building of European citizenship and professional skills development. To better respond to these needs, Eurocar 2 project unites university actors with education practitioners. More specifically, the project is aimed at carrying out a comparative analysis of the education systems of participating countries, along with a comparison of foreign and second language teaching practices. To this end, the project will be based on professional behaviour, which is a concept that allows for the better understanding the teacher's work and puts education actions to practice.The comparative analysis of education systems will contribute to identifying differences and similarities in the relevant ideological and pedagogical substrata and to shed further light on, among others, the actors and their roles, on organisation modes, the content taught, the frequency and distribution in time, on the place and role of foreign and second language teaching. Familiarity with the profession's context leads to proper understanding of teachers' practices, as they are always socially defined. The concept of professional behaviour encompasses the wider picture of the teacher's leading role (preparation and organisation of teaching), the management of the atmosphere (pedagogical relation), connection-building (lending meaning to what is being taught, creating links between different teachings, links between the class and society, etc), support (types of assistance for those in training), as well as the content itself. Thus the Eurocar 2 project will result in: i) establishing an overview of what exists in foreign and second language teaching in partner countries; this overview will be focuses on the methods, models, practices, tools and theory frameworks that form the basis of learning strategies; ii) analysing and comparing teachers' practices, as well as the representations and views of students and practitioners on foreign and second languages (their roles, interests, ways of learning, etc). Gaining better understanding of those views is important as they have an impact on language teaching and learning; iii) developing common pedagogical resources to benefit from skills and enhance foreign and second language teaching and learning; lastly, iv) foster mobility in education and teaching in the project partner countries.The project beneficiaries are future primary school teachers who are currently in training, primary school teachers from partner schools, education professionals (heads of institutions, inspectors, pedagogical councillors), researchers from universities, primary school students from the project partner schools, and, more generally, the entire education community, and political decision-makers.The main activities envisaged under the Eurocar 2 project are transnational meetings, an intensive study programme, short-term trainings for staff, as well as mobility. The expected outcomes at the end of the project are: i) gaining a better knowledge of educational systems, contexts and foreign and second language teaching in partnering countries; ii) enhancing vocational skills of education professionals in general and particularly of those involved in the project; iii) developing common pedagogical resources accessible to all and exchanging best practices by creating a digital pedagogical platform and module for regular and distance training, as well as publishing materials on education as a crossing point between research and training, and iv) establishing an enhanced network and interactions in the wider framework of ""pedagogy through exchanges"", which includes the mobility of researchers, teachers, trainers and students at university and school level."