“Why EDUTECH STEAM? Because we understand the technologies selected and available in the laboratory not as a good in itself making the work easier for the teacher, the pupil, the school administration, but as a tool for innovative and integrated education. Tools and equipment are essential for STEAM education to become a routine and everyday learning practice and environment. It is encouraging that the network of methodological STEAM centers is being expanded, but this is not enough. In order for STEAM practices to reach educational institutions more quickly, pedagogically sound solutions for the use of educational technologies are also needed,” says Gražina Šmitienė, Doctor of Social Sciences (Educology), Associate Professor at the Department of Pedagogy, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, KU.
The EDUTECH STEAM Lab follows the concept of a living lab, i.e., a user-driven open innovation ecosystem approach, where the research and innovation process are integrated into real-life settings.
EDUTECH STEAM Lab activities aim to help teachers, researchers, and companies to effectively use and develop cutting-edge educational tools, to analyze the accumulated experience in the field of educational technologies and STEAM education, to promote the development of evidence-based innovations in education and training, and to develop the STEAM education ecosystem in the Western Lithuania Region.
The Laboratory has a collection of educational technology and STEAM tools:
LEGO education toys. The Laboratory has a variety of LEGO sets for 2–3-year-old toddlers as well as for pupils in grades 5-6. LEGO sets promote early engineering awareness, programming skills, also introduce children to the whole LEGO concept.
VEX Robotics. VEX Robotics is also available for pupils aged 4 and up to grade 6. Teachers are offered a variety of educational technology solutions to teach early robotics and engineering to children of respective age, as well as scenarios for activities. The scenarios are tailored to the curriculum.
Virtual reality (VR) technology (REDBOX VR glasses and ExpeditionsPro 360° camera). These tools allow the exploration of 3D objects in virtual reality. It is possible to design immersive VR training scenarios.
3D printer. It can also be used by pupils in primary education to create layouts using the easiest programming languages.
“The EDUTECH STEAM lab and its activities join the development of STEAM learning ecosystem at Klaipėda University. In cooperation with research, study, and business institutions we plan to research, design, and develop innovative technological solutions and methodologies, which will enable qualitative improvement of teaching and learning at all levels of education – from pre-primary to higher education and lifelong learning,” says Assoc. Prof. Dr. G. Šmitienė.
EDUTECH STEAM Laboratory: EDUTECH STEAM Laboratory | Klaipėda University
