Purple STEAM: Proceso de mentoria y gamificación

The project aimed to promote scientific and technological vocations among women in STEAM fields, raise awareness about vocational training stereotypes through gamification, and mentor and recogniz...

The project aimed to promote scientific and technological vocations among women in STEAM fields, raise awareness about vocational training stereotypes through gamification, and mentor and recognize the talent of vocational training students. It sought to improve professional guidance between educational centers and companies and promote the work of small local organizations that could benefit from the project and contribute their expertise in gamification and mentoring. The project's objectives aligned with priorities of inclusion, diversity, increasing the attractiveness of vocational education and training (VET), and enhancing flexibility in educational opportunities. By promoting STEAM fields, the project aimed to attract younger people to these careers, making them more appealing. Mentoring and recognizing VET students' talent in STEAM fields also contributed to this goal. Additionally, the project aimed to increase flexibility in education and vocational training by improving career guidance, allowing students to explore various training and employment options, thereby enhancing their adaptability in the labor market.

The activities implemented have been the following ones: -Management: it was divided into three key components: coordination, communication, and quality control. Each of these areas was led by a different entity, under the general direction of the coordinating entity, La Salle Managua. -Initial transnational meeting (KOM): The inaugural transnational meeting launched the project, defined objectives and task distribution, and fostered collaboration among consortium members. -Educational game: an educational board game was created with cards to promote STEAM vocations among women, featuring scientific women through history and introducing the mentroing sessions. -Mentoring: a mentoring process was created to promote STEAM vocations among women with trained mentors. It included sessions on gender stereotypes, women's STEAM profiles through history and essential skills. Mentors delivered these sesions in educational centers to promote gender equality and STEAM vocations. -Final transnational meeting: it was the last activity and served as the closing of the project. The following issues were discussed. -Evaluation of the results -Discussion on the methodologies, approaches, good practices and new opportunities. -Future planning.

The project saw significant improvements in methodologies and practices used by each partner to engage with their target groups. A collaborative network was established and strengthened among partners with common goals, fostering cooperation and mutual support. The Purple STEAM educational game was developed and implemented, making STEAM learning more engaging and accessible. A comprehensive mentoring process was put in place to encourage and nurture scientific and technological career aspirations among the female population, guiding them towards STEAM fields. Efforts were made to enhance the project's visibility, ensuring its goals, activities, and outcomes were widely recognized and appreciated by the target audience and the broader community. The project's impact on its target audience was assessed and maximized. Additionally, the consortium entities involved, as well as the Erasmus+ program, gained visibility and recognition.