We have presented the printed STEM Educators’ Handbook!
On July 19th, 2022, a public presentation of the handbook was held at the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum in Zagreb.
Children should be encouraged to discover knowledge on their own! This was the consensus among biologists, mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists, and experts from other STEM fields at the presentation of the Handbook on STEM in Non-Formal Education for 21st Century Professions. This is the first handbook in Croatia to provide a systematic overview of methodologies for teaching and popularizing STEM in non-formal education, especially for children and young people.
“We are witnessing the rapid development of science and high technologies. Knowledge and innovation drive this progress, and the only way to keep up is through education. Formal education does not have a positive attitude towards failure, which contradicts the nature of STEM, where failure is an essential part of the process leading to great achievements. Unlike formal education, non-formal education offers a freer space where children, without the pressure of grades, can use play and exploration to learn,” said Jelena Likić, president of the Bioteka association and co-editor of the handbook STEM in Non-Formal Education for 21st Century Professions.
The current formal education system often sends two incorrect messages: that all knowledge has already been discovered and that solutions should come from external sources, such as teachers. Educators in associations argue that teaching should be different.
“An educator does not explain the principles but places children in situations where they can explore them on their own. Children should be encouraged to question established methods and authorities. This way, they develop critical thinking, learn from our mistakes, and become ready to design better, more constructive, and more successful solutions,” said Kristina Duvnjak, co-editor and co-author of the handbook STEM in Non-Formal Education for 21st Century Professions.
This view is shared by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dalibor Paar, another co-author of the handbook. He believes that children and young people in Croatia should have access to the best European education.
“Children should be introduced to current science and technology from an early age. They should become familiar with these concepts in kindergarten, not just at university. We hope that some of the ideas from this handbook go beyond traditional approaches and that it will inspire educators to present their fields to children in a very engaging way,” said Paar.
In addition to Kristina Duvnjak and Dalibor Paar, the handbook’s authors include Bojan Markičević, Dr. Maja Brkljačić, MSc. Aneta Golebiowska, Biljana Trifunović, and Hrvoje Vrhovski.
The Handbook on STEM in Non-Formal Education for 21st Century Professions is primarily intended for educators in non-formal STEM education, but also for primary and secondary school teachers, preschool educators, university staff, and anyone interested in developing their competencies, knowledge, and skills for STEM education that children and young people in the 21st century need and deserve.
Markita Franulić, director of the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, emphasized that the handbook helps connect society with science and technology, which is also the museum’s mission. She added: “It is extremely valuable to systematically encourage children to explore, question, and think independently, as well as to ignite their passion for discovering solutions.”
We would like to thank educators, scientists, colleagues, and the interested public who honored us with their presence at the presentation and shared this important moment with us! We hope you will find the handbook useful and will use it as much as possible!
The handbook was created as part of the project “Razvoj mreže STEM ambasadora”, co-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund. Printed copies will be provided free of charge to individuals and institutions that can confirm they belong to one of the target groups for which the handbook is intended. A large portion of the 2,500-copy print run will be donated to primary schools and libraries across Croatia that are directly or indirectly involved in the “Razvoj mreže STEM ambasadora” project, while the remaining copies will be reserved for donations through pre-registration.
If you are interested in obtaining a printed copy of the handbook in Croatian, you can pre-register via email at kontakt@bioteka.hr.
The handbook is also available in an electronic version, which is free to download in Croatian here.
