Joint Staff Training in Athens: Exploring Data Science & STEAM for Education

On September 25-26, 2024, the Erasmus+ DataScEd4CiEn project partners gathered at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens for a Joint Staff Training Event. Over two days, participants engaged in a series of theoretical inputs, hands-on activities, and discussions focused on data science, STEAM education, and civic engagement. Mrs Leoni Hadjithoma (Erasmus+ coordinator) and Mr Michalis Gavrielides (Head of Maths) attended the training on behalf of our school. 

Day 1: Theoretical Foundations & Digital Tools

The first day covered key theoretical aspects, including:

The first day covered key theoretical aspects, including:

• Civic Engagement for Social Justice – Understanding how to identify societal problems and formulate relevant statistical questions (Limerick & EUC).
• Pedagogical Aspects of STEAM – Exploring design thinking, project-based learning, and STEAM-based approaches to enhance classroom engagement (Limerick & EUC).
• Introduction to Data Science – Learning data management and cleaning techniques, as well as methods for identifying relevant datasets (Münster & Limerick).
• Digital Data Exploration – Hands-on training with CODAP for data visualization and analysis (Münster & Limerick).
• STEAM Scenario 1: Poverty – Participants worked in small groups to explore the first STEAM scenario, applying data analysis to understand poverty-related issues (LSBC & ES).

Day 2: STEAM Scenarios & Classroom Adaptation

The second day focused on practical application and classroom integration:

• STEAM Scenario 2: Climate Change & Drought – Exploring an interactive learning experience related to environmental challenges (LSBC & ES).
• Adapting Scenarios for the Classroom – A collaborative session to refine and implement the STEAM scenarios in educational settings.
• Reflection & Next Steps – Concluding discussions on future applications and project goals (All partners).

This training fostered a deeper understanding of data science in STEAM education and provided valuable tools for integrating data-driven, problem-based learning into classrooms.
 

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