Innovative Concept of STEAM Education at Primary Schools in the Czech Republic - Support for Implementation in School Practice

This paper presents for expert discussion partial results of the scientific research project. The aim of the project is to contribute to the innovation of STEAM education at lower secondary schools by means of applied research and through eliminating the barriers resisting the implementation of the new curriculum aimed at the development of technical thinking and creativity. In direct cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports and other partners the project focuses on the following: 1) designing, creating, and verifying the on-line system (software) for setting the adequate form of technical education that would enable schools to successfully reach the expected learning results; 2) designing and verifying learning situations; 3) developing innovative teaching aids (mobile toolkits enabling sharing). The above results and products will make a positive contribution to the development of pupils' competencies - in particular, basic scientific and technical competences consisting of cognitive, motoric, social, social-moral and information-communication competencies that ensure that individuals “participate in the use of technology as an element of culture”. Specifically, the following can be mentioned: the ability to solve problems, the ability to apply creative ideas in pupils' work, the ability to take responsibility, the ability to be self-sufficient, the ability to evaluate and express one's opinions, the ability to self-identify and self-assess in the direction of one's own professional orientation, the ability to respond flexibly to changes in the labour market.