A revolutionary step for STEM education in Serbia

ICE has become a representative of Science on Stage Europe

in our country

It is a pleasure to inform you that the Institute for Contemporary Education (ICE) has met the strict criteria to represent the unique European organization Science on Stage Europe (SoS) in Serbia. This means that we have the exclusive possibility to organize Science on Stage teacher training for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) subjects in Serbia and work on the implementation and enhancement of this teaching concept.

 

What is Science on Stage?

Science on Stage is the largest network of STEM teachers in Europe, with more than 100,000 representatives from over 30 European countries. SoS has expanded globally and now includes Canada, Egypt, Kazakhstan and Georgia. 

The Science on Stage EU network was born out of the Physics on Stage project, launched in 1999 by CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), ESA (European Space Agency) and ESO (European Southern Observatory), as part of European Science and Technology Week 2000.

We are particularly honored to represent Serbia in this prestigious educational network at the international level and share innovative teaching practices with teachers around Serbia. SoS has recognized ICE as a partner for implementing STEM activities at the national level, including teacher training and workshops for children, as well as the national biennial Science on Stage festival and selecting representatives for the international festival.

 

 

Science on Stage Serbia opens numerous possibilities for teachers in Serbia

SoS mainly focuses on the exchange of the best teaching practices and the development of STEM teachers. This platform now enables teachers in Serbia to share teaching concepts and experiences with their European colleagues. In addition, it keeps them up to date with research, accomplishments and trends in their respective and related fields, and provides them with ideas and inspiration to enhance their teaching process and make it more interesting. 

Science on Stage organizes different events and teacher meetings at the national and international level, including: festivals, workshops, scholarships for professional development abroad, trainings and courses, as well as regular meetings with representatives from all countries. All this is now available to teachers and students in Serbia.

 

Festivals – the best experiments and exchange of teaching concepts

The Institute will organize the first Science on Stage festival in Serbia, where teachers and students from all over Serbia will present their STEM experiments and projects. In addition, ICE has formed a committee comprising STEM teachers from schools in Serbia, whose role is to select the best festival projects and a team which will represent Serbia at the next European Science on Stage festival to be held March 24 through 27, 2022 in Prague.

 

The festivals present today’s best and most interesting experiments in different STEM areas, and allow teachers to share contacts, experiences, information and good practices. Upon returning to their respective countries, team representatives can share numerous skills with their colleagues.

The SoS Serbia board of directors, comprising internationally renowned STEM experts from different Serbian cities, will continuously work on sharing ideas and information so as to provide their colleagues with access to STEM principles and possibilities.  

 

Why is STEM important and what does it bring to students?

STEM education is based on the idea that students gain interdisciplinary skills in four areas: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. So, the point is not to teach these areas separately, but to integrate them through STEM into a unique program whereby students gain knowledge in different subjects through multiple linked projects.

This approach to learning and knowledge transfer not only contributes significantly to the acquisition and application of long-term knowledge, but it also develops the students’ critical thinking skills, their creativity, innovation, problem solving and other skills. The application of STEM principles enables teachers at all education levels to design interesting, interactive and practical classes which improve the students’ attentiveness and performance, a result all teachers strive for.

 

Thanks to Science on Stage Serbia, teachers in Serbia now have at their disposal the materials, research results, contacts and the opportunity to meet colleagues from the country and the rest of Europe and share with them STEM education experiences.