📅 Date: 2 February
The first Professional Development (PD) session successfully launched the training series, bringing together educators and academics to explore the integration of data science within STEAM education, with a focus on civic engagement and social justice.
Opening and Introduction
The session began with a welcome to participants and an overview of the PD programme structure. Attendees were invited to complete a short pre-survey, enabling the project team to better understand their backgrounds, expectations, and learning needs, and to tailor the training experience accordingly.
Conceptual Framework
Dr Aisling Leavy presented the DataScEd4CiEn conceptual framework, offering participants a clear foundation for understanding how data science can be meaningfully integrated into STEAM education. Her presentation highlighted the importance of data literacy in addressing real-world challenges and fostering informed, active citizenship.
Pedagogical Approaches
Dr Maria Meletiou led Module 2: Pedagogy for STEAM and Data Science for Civic Engagement, focusing on effective teaching strategies that connect data science with socially relevant issues.
She also introduced the Design Thinking methodology, emphasizing its role in supporting student-centered, inquiry-based learning and helping learners engage with complex societal problems through data.
Looking Ahead
Participants were given an overview of the upcoming sessions, which will focus on:
- Practical toolkits for implementing data science in the classroom
- The role of machine learning and AI, including ethical considerations
- Real-world classroom applications and teaching scenarios
Preparatory Activities
To prepare for the next session, participants were encouraged to:
- Select a relevant theme (e.g. climate change, gender equality)
- Develop a data-driven question for classroom exploration
- Align the topic with their curriculum
- Identify potential datasets for analysis
Conclusion
The session concluded with guidance on accessing materials via the course platform and an invitation to continue engaging in the upcoming, more hands-on sessions. Overall, the first PD event laid a strong conceptual and pedagogical foundation for integrating data science into STEAM education.
