About project
Idea
STEM Identities and Food Culture encourages students to use food science to connect their cultural heritage with STEM concepts. Applying culturally responsive teaching, students from different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds are empowered to actively participate in various activities.
What’s next for this project?
Thanks to the Scientix STE(A)M Partnership Education Resilience in Europe support, RuSTEM plans to develop the following activities within the STEM Identities and Food Culture project:
→ creating learning scenarios on food culture integrated in STEM subjects;
→ organizing a focus group with teachers to get insights into the most-needed areas;
→ designing a workshop for teachers to share best practices and know-how;
→ translating the content into additional languages;
→ providing a video diary of the project development. Understanding students’ customs and cultural characteristics and allowing them to be centered into various learning activities would increase their classroom engagement, while their teachers’ resources and teaching materials will be enriched with content linked to diverse cultures and geographies.
About the Scientix STE(A)M Partnership Education Resilience in Europe
www.scientix.eu/projects/steam-partnerships/education-resilience
The Education resilience in Europe initiative, supported by the Scientix STE(A)M Partnerships and funded by Cisco, aims to identify and support projects which address the challenges encountered while integrating students from different cultural and language backgrounds. The selected projects will develop best practices and provide tools for a smoother integration of students, and, finally, share the results with interested stakeholders.
Scientix
Scientix is the community for science education in Europe and its STE(A)M Partnerships promote collaboration between Ministries of Education, schools, teachers, and other stakeholders to develop research and testing initiatives for new approaches for creative and innovative STEM teaching and learning opportunities.
Workshop for teachers
The project STEM identities and food culture started with organizing a focus group consisting of STEM professionals and teachers from Petro Kuzmjak school who are passionate about STEM.
Focus group discussed the following topics at two workshops:
• STEM education that shapes students’ identities and build up students’ resilience
• Strategies that make STEM inclusive and accessible to students from diverse background
• Integrating food cultures into STEM lessons
• Examples that use food-related activities to teach scientific concepts such as chemistry, biology, applied science, mathematics, physics and technology
• Ways of incorporating food culture into STEM subjects to enhance students’ engagement and understanding of STEM subjects
• Promotion of diversity and representation in STEM fields among students
• Challenges that students from different cultural backgrounds face when pursuing STEM education
• Strategies for overcoming stereotypes and biases associated with STEM education
• Connection of curriculum requirements with STEM lessons that incorporate food culture and identities
Workshops were very successful and we have shaped 20 lessons that could be used in the STEM classrooms. They are product of practical examples and personal experiences in teaching STEM content trough identities and food culture. Developed lessons offer actionable strategies and recommendations that could enhance STEM learning experience and foster a deeper connection between STEM and personal identities.
Exploring food culture can help students to appreciate diverse cuisines, understand the historical and cultural context of different foods, and foster cultural appreciation and awareness. It helps to adapt, cope, and recover from challenges, setbacks, or adversity they may encounter during their educational journey. Resilient students possess mental and emotional strength, problem-solving skills, perseverance, and a growth mindset.
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