Course Content
Introduction
Activities and exercises developed within this methodology aim to increase fundamental soft skills in female students who are currently attending STEM university courses. Following the introduction of "Arts" in STEM - i.e. implementation of creative and artistic thinking - we developed a methodology that helps mentoring students while elaborating different types of projects with the aim to empower their skills through an art thinking process. The proposed methodology follows an input-output process that leads students through the development of a project, where each output activity represents the input of the following activity.
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Technology & STEM
The methodology
WeSTEAM methodology
Useful links
Incubation
In the Incubation Phase the participants carry out research in relation to the topic of their interest and begin to put the foundations for a more concrete and precise idea.
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Creative visualisation
Connections and analogies
Conceptual reworking through photography
Learning questionnaire
Imagination
In the Imagination Phase participants begin to idealize and define the key steps for the development of the project. During this development phase, the first goals and objectives are set.
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Interactive mind map
Your project storyboard
Visual storytelling
Learning questionnaire
Creation
During the Creation Phase, participants begin to concretely develop their product, project, or idea. After a prototyping step, this phase is accompanied by testing moments, where participants begin to understand what works and what should be changed. The testing phase is accompanied by the collection of external feedback, crucial to implement transversal points of view useful for the finalization of the project.
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Shape your prototype
Collecting feedback
Art data visualization
Learning questionnaire
Evolution
During the last Evolution phase participants aim to complete the project and present it to the audience of experts and external auditors. The Evolution Phase is a finalization phase but also a phase that looks to the future, as participants can take the key decisions on what should be changed in order to make the project more successful and to plan potential follow up.
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Strengths and weaknesses towards the finalization
Pitch your project creatively
Wind and anchors of your project
WeSTEAM Methodology
About Lesson

ACTIONS

Collecting Inputs and discussing: This activity combines collecting input through research with discussion and presentation through exchange of experience and collection of different keywords (positive and negative features) participants associate with educational games. 

Exploring: Participants can gather stimuli for creatively visualizing the topic through online research and thanks to a visit to some exhibitions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

This workshop aims to stimulate the analytical thinking and creativity of the participating students in order to open their minds to generate new ideas. Specifically, the activity is aimed at finding ideas and suggestions for games dealing with the topic of girls’ involvement in scientific careers.

The research aims to generate odds that have never been thought of before and that do not yet exist. Asking questions allows them to question their established systems and offers them the chance to go beyond what is and consider other possibilities. 

With the help of specific software, they should research similar projects and then highlight the positive and negative aspects of each.  The activity could be divided into steps such as:

  1. Choose 3 key words related to the topic in question. 
  2. Explore the literature using specific software such as google scholar or research rabbit.
  3. Select at least 5-10 articles and explore their content by downloading them. 
  4. Extract key words and main concepts from the selected papers. 
  5. Catalog the contents in a mind map, which can be created by paper or can be virtual. In the latter case, the activity can refer to software such as Miro.com or similar.

The last part of the activity will be reserved for a face to face feedback round in order to discuss deeply about the results achieved.

TOOLS

Research softwares as: Google scholar, Research Rabbit

For the mind map: paper and pencil, or Miro.com software

SKILLS

Analytical thinking: to investigate a topic it is not enough to gather information, you must also shape it: this means being able to interpret information objectively, putting aside your preconceptions, and knowing how to process it creatively, combining disparate elements to create something innovative or solve a problem.

Curiosity: “You never stop learning,” goes a famous adage: it means approaching the research phase with the attitude of an explorer, aware that to gain a better understanding of things you must never stop digging and that next to a road already beaten there is always an unexplored path.

Open-mindedness: During the creative process you must be able to welcome inputs from outside, in order to seize opportunities, prevent risks and solve problems: this means being receptive to novel ideas and willing to modify your opinions and actions, understanding the context and adapting yourself to it.

USEFUL LINKS

https://www.researchrabbit.ai/#show_popup_video

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