Using mobile phones as a tool to improve STEM skills

The main objective of the project was to increase motivation in and during lessons in the STEM subjects by incorporating the mobile phone, which is very much used by pupils, and utilising its pot...

The main objective of the project was to increase motivation in and during lessons in the STEM subjects by incorporating the mobile phone, which is very much used by pupils, and utilising its potential. We tried to take innovative paths and show the pupils how to use their mobile phones efficiently and in a fun way (activity) by using suitable apps, learning platforms, etc., but also through related excursions and workshops. However, we also addressed the critical use of the device (e.g. data security, rules of behaviour, etc.). Overall, we wanted the pupils to improve their IT skills. It was also very important to us to raise awareness of the fact that girls and women in particular are also successful in STEM subjects. This target group was particularly addressed in the project. The topic of ‘environmental protection and climate change’ was also taken into account. We paid attention to environmentally friendly measures when implementing the project (public transport, paper reduction, etc.). Other objectives were also achieved, including the promotion of social, intercultural and (foreign) language skills.

We started with a joint online English course and IT training to lay the foundations for our joint work. There was a lively exchange between the respective project coordinators via email, WhatsApp and a Moodle platform, which we used to upload materials. Unfortunately, we had some (technical) problems with the eTwinning platform at the beginning, so we switched to Moodle. As indicated, we first organised a kick-off meeting for the teachers in Italy, followed by project meetings with teachers and pupils in Croatia, Spain and Germany. At the last meeting in Mönchengladbach, a science fair was also organised to disseminate the results. An agenda was drawn up in advance for all meetings and presentations and activities were prepared by the students (e.g. video, PowerPoint presentations). Some of the students stayed with host families during the meetings. In addition, an eTwinning project was carried out in which the pupils developed and evaluated apps and quizzes on the STEM subjects. The project website https://www.besmart-project.eu/home was also developed, on which the progress and results of our project are documented.

Many of our results are documented on our project website https://www.besmart-project.eu/home and on the eTwinning platform. We have learnt many innovative and creative methods in various workshops on how to use the mobile phone efficiently, e.g. by using the phyphox app in physics, how to construct a mobile phone-controlled bedside lamp or use robots, but also how to record and edit experiments, create learning videos or use learning apps. This will benefit both pupils and teachers in their future teaching development. Lesson plans have been developed and published on the website. We have tried to share our experiences and suggestions in various places, besides the website through publications on our school websites, by using social media channels, newspapers, during school events, at the Science Fair, etc. In addition to the concrete results for the work in the STEM subjects, the project was also enriching for the general exchange between us partners, for the expansion of our IT and language skills, we have learnt a lot about other cultures and can use this in the future.