Meet some of the Speakers at the EFDN STEM Conference in Glasgow
EFDN is proud to present some of the speakers that will take part in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Conference in Glasgow on the 29th of June! The aim of STEM activities is to make children digitally proficient, preparing them for their future through play. ‘Working with robots is not difficult but foremost a very interesting and fun way to teach children STEM and digital skills.’
One of the speakers is Júlia Lotina Cartanyà, Project Officer in the Science Education Department of European Schoolnet (EUN). The EUN is a network of 34 European Ministries of Education, based in Brussels. Júlia contributes to the activities of NBS EduWORLD and Smart Connected Classrooms, among other projects in STEM education. She also holds a BA in Global Studies from Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona) and an MA in Social Policy with a specialisation in Education from the London School of Economics. She has previous experience working on education projects in Spain and Tunisia. Her interests and areas of expertise include education policy, and research and sustainability.
Ross McLaren, Education and Employability manager and Jonny Roy, General manager will speak on behalf of Morton in the community, social arm of the Greenock Morton club. They deliver the EFDN STEM Educational and Football Programme within their community and achieve a huge work to permit pupils discover an innovative way of learning. Through this educative curriculum, pupils can develop skills in block coding and increase their understanding in the technology field such as coding, as well as, using the tablet and robot makes pupils’ week. Great feedback was also received from teachers, mentioning the involvement of some less engaged children in class, starting to be involved in other activities such as this robot activity.
“Morton in the Community are excited to showcase some of our learnings from the STEM Educational Programme. Through the programme we engaged over 600 primary school pupils in STEM education using Sphero Bolt robots. Our staff, Jonny and Ross, will present an interactive session around how to begin to code using Sphero.”
Morton in the Community Representatives
Next up is Dion Pol who is an Education Coordinator at Feyenoord Foundation, Feyenoord Rotterdam‘s community trust. The foundation launched the programme Club 1908, in which primary school children learn skills to be better prepared for their future. The programme trains 21st-century skills, and is run by teachers, sports instructors and educators who recognise the importance of sport and can combine it well with the educational curriculum used in primary schools. They focus on support with business subjects at school (arithmetic, spelling and reading comprehension) and additionally, awaken an interest for the professions of the future, where (digital) technology will play an increasingly important role. 21st-century skills are more than just digital skills, especially in components such as problem-solving, cooperation, communication and social skills, and sports is the means by which children can best train them. These aspects are all combined in Club 1908. Children gain more self-confidence, ensuring better future prospects. In this way, Feyenoord Foundation can give the child a positive experience for life.
Another speaker at the EFDN STEM Conference in Glasgow is Klaas Kuperus, founder of Eduwinkel in The Netherlands, supplier of Sphero Sports materials and market leader in STEM Education. Sphero is one of the bigger brands in the field of robotics, understanding the importance of investing in linking teaching materials to the curriculum with supporting teachers.
“The advantage of working with robots is that it is very hands-on, results are immediately seen. That is why it is very attractive for children to work that way as it is very diverse. Additionally, children learn reading-comprehension, arithmetic, spatial understanding or planning steps in groups of 2, 3, 4 pupils or sometimes more. Learning with a robot is a fun and interesting way for children and as a result, it also sticks with them longer.”
Klaas Kuperus, founder of Eduwinkel, supplier of Sphero Sports materials and market leader in STEM Education
The programme Klaas and his colleagues developed, links robots to football elements and takes place on a mat in the shape of a football pitch. This way, the exercises done, directly incorporate football. Some clubs link this back to other technologies, for example by using a 3D printer to print the stadium near the mat, or by mimicking certain famous goals and dribbles, allowing clubs to add entirely unique elements to what children have to do in terms of tasks. Importantly, it also provides a complete teaching programme with all materials, curriculum and training.
Lastly, Hubert Rovers, CEO of EFDN (European Football for Development Network) will also speak at the EFDN STEM Conference. Hubert’s leadership at EFDN has dedicated a profound commitment to improving education and strengthening communities. His experience and competence in the industry, allow for insightful observations related to his multiple initiatives in promoting STEM education with the incorporation of football.
