ISR STEAM Experimental Learning Workshop

On August 16, 2022, the Department of B.Ed. of Loreto College organized a workshop on ‘STEAM Experiential Learning’ which was conducted by International S.T.E.A.M Research (ISR) for teacher-trainees. In order to contribute towards the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, ISR provides programmes based on Science and Technology through the use of engineering and artistic processes, based on the principles of mathematics called STEAM that represents a paradigm shift from traditional educational philosophy which is based on generalization and standardization of education to a more sustainable and holistic educational philosophy that emphasizes on valuing the learning process as much as the results. The workshop was conducted by Dr. George Panicker and his team and they asserted that the teaching and learning ecosystem model of the present generation must promote invention literacy through innovation, collaboration and cooperation between various institutions, organizations, community networks. The workshop, through various activities like designing innovative models of a penthouse, restaurant, cars etc, enabled the teacher-trainees to understand that the future job market belongs to the heutagogical and versatile individuals. The workshop also involved activities like understanding the functioning and coding of drones within a limited time period. It emphasized that with all the free coding resources available today, we can learn to program in a limited time. The various activities like understanding the mechanisms of motion sensors, light sensors and solar panels enabled the students to understand that the sophisticated technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, coding etc will facilitate quality education through inclusive, integrated and self determined learning by way of higher order thinking and invention literacy. The objective of the workshop was to reinforce the idea that education is the most powerful transformative force and it is only by providing quality education that one can achieve a sustainable world.