The Millennium Foundation, with the financial support of the US Embassy in Georgia, has launched a new project - STEM Mentors Course, which aims to improve the quality of teaching in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) discipline and introduce teachers to modern teaching methodologies. 40 teachers out of registered 450 applicants have been selected from all regions of Georgia to participate in the project.
In the six-month online course, trainees will learn how to design educational STEM projects and the basics of state-of-the-art digital technology and computer programming using the open source computer platform ARDUINO.
Magda Maghradze, CEO of Millennium Foundation says: "Our foundation's mission is to increase the interest of the new generation in STEM disciplines and to improve the quality of teaching. For this, we are launching a new educational course for teachers, where participants will learn about modern teaching methodology and using virtual resources and simulators, will be able to create STEM projects together with students. Our goal is to help teachers better master the constantly evolving new technologies, to improve their ability to apply theoretical knowledge in practice and, most importantly, to be able to develop scientific and technical creativity skills in young people".
The course will be led by Professor Davit Songhulashvili together with his two colleagues - Uta Kilasonia and Marekhi Mazniashvili.
According to Davit Songhulashvili, the goal of teaching at schools should be to develop students' logical and creative thinking, to increase their interest in new technologies and their desire to create independent projects and enrich their own knowledge and experience.
"We hope that after completing this course, teachers will be able to create a learning environment for their students where they will be able to conduct experiments, research, work creatively and make decisions based on analysis, intuition and savvy. The future is created by breaking old patterns, any innovation, invention or discovery is the destruction of patterns. Science - this is the acquisition of new knowledge through existing knowledge. Our goal in this course is to teach teachers how to teach students to see something that no one else can see, so that students' desire to implement new ideas is awakened," said David Songhulashvili.
All trainees involved in the project will receive the equipment needed for STEM training, specifically ARDUINO Kits, which will help them to better master the course, and after completing the course, will be able to use this device in the classroom with students.
At the end of the course, the participants will take part in a project summarizing event, which will be held at the project partner university - Kutaisi International University, where they will present their own projects created as a result of the course.
