"The project was born in the Centro Autonómico de Formación e Innovación (CAFI), a member of the teacher training network. We are responsible for training around 30,000 teachers of all levels (pre university levels). Besides the CAFI, the network is made up of other 6 Centros de Formación y Recursos (teacher training centres). CAFI is in charge of organizing online teacher training activities, designing and assessing innovative instructional programmes.Within this context and following the recommendations of the Council of Europe, the department of training and innovation at CAFI developed a framework of teacher competences in 2015. Several universities have similar proposals, but they often lack an essential component: the context (the school). Lifelong teacher training should go beyond transmission of specific knowledge. It is essential to reflect all their functions in a holistic training that takes into account all the needed competences for their job, as well as the context and the team.Bearing this in mind, the CAFI set out to generate a Framework of Teacher Competences. This was a ""common"" framework inasmuch as it would be useful to agents of initial teacher training (universities) and agents of state and public teacher training. The term also intended to be global and validated for different European contexts, allowing us to export our proposals at the same time as we imported cross-border solutions.To attain this global aim we allied with the following international partners:Universities:PHW - Pädagogische Hochschule Wien, Viena, AustriaIPL - Instituo Politécnico Leiria, Leiria, PortugalTeacher training centres:LFEE - Le Francais en Ecosse, private teacher training centre in Edinburgh, Scotland UPC - Ugdymo Pletotes Centras, public lifelong centre in several areas of expertise in Vilnius, LituaniaLegislative agent in education at a regional level: Consejería de Educación, Junta de Castilla y León.With all these partners, we designed the following objectives for the project:1. We developed a Common European Framework of Teacher Competences (hereforth MCCPD) made up of 9 competences and 31 subcompetences articulated around 3 levels of performance, defined in descriptors of competence level.2. We created a system to assess initial training needs according to this framework, which takes into account both real and sensed needs. This system was implemented with self-assessment forms and self-reflection questions linked to descriptors of a specific competence level.3. The framework was translated into a set of rubrics to assess teaching practice, which can be used for self-evaluation and hetero-evaluation by many different agents. These products were developed in the 6 official languages of the strategic association: English, German, Spanish, Galician, Portuguese and Lithuanian.Later, as outlined in the initial project, a practical turn was taken, and we generated:4. Two online courses, one for new teachers and one for mentor teachers. These courses were tested in the CAFI during 2017/2018.5. A good practice in teaching guide, with multimedia, multilingual examples which illustrate each and every one of the competences and subcompetences defined in the MCCPD.The results reached in the lifetime of the project have been highly satisfactory. The Framework has been presented to university students in the two contexts of further education level of the association, and teachers have assimilated it as a framework to develop their syllabi. In the Pädagogische Hochschule Wien, they succeeded in proposing and integrating the framework within the context of their KA3, PREPARE to elaborate audiovisual teacher portfolios. The project has also left its trace in institutional programmes in the context of educational regional policies: from the CAFI and in collaboration with the Junta de Castilla y León the framework was implemented in the context of Observa-acción, a job-shadowing programme within and among schools. 12 Galician and 12 Castillian schools participated in this programme. Likewise, and following the spirit of the porject, the teacher training network in Galicia reached and agreement to work with universities and try to find a common thread related to competences that articulates study plans both in initial and lifelong teacher training. Both through these actions and thanks to dissemination through the website, university teachers and their students, and teachers in primary and secondary will be able to use the resources, modifying and adapting them to best suit their needs and understanding their training and tasks in a global, holistic way to reach excellence in education."

"Europe looking for innovative strategies and means to foster an increase in skilled personnel in STEM and secondary education institutions are holding a key to unlock STEM potential. This calls for a joint action on national and international level in order to contribute to resolution of European level challenges by targeting teachers from STEM focused schools the vehicles of change and multipliers in STEM education in their countries, working with future generations and prospective employees in STEM fields. Project “STEM capacity building” intended to build a critical mass of teachers capable to implement a cohesive approach in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) teaching, which is based on ideas of values promotion, more complex integration in STEM education and learner-focused approach, and contribute to the development of responsible individual, who uses science to contribute to the progress and well-being of society. Project objectives: To identify new and explore effective forms and methods in STEM teaching, learning and assessment; To share experience of good practice on:- increasing students' interest in STEM and creative STEM application through engaging, integrated STEM learning activities tailored to learner needs and capabilities;- developing students’ skills of creativity and critical thinking, STMD competences (STMD = mathematical competence, basic competencies in science and technology, digital competence) social and civic competences; To guide teachers, how to organize STEM teaching based on values promotion, more complex integration in STEM education and learner-focused approach; To develop teachers’ skills and competences necessary for cohesive STEM education implementation.The project brings together 6 partners from 5 countries with experience in STEM education and teacher professional development. During the lifetime of the project (24 month) partners from Greece, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain identified new and explored effective forms and methods in STEM teaching, learning and assessment, shared experience of good practice in STEM education, developed teachers’ skills and competences necessary for cohesive STEM education implementation. Project partners, taking into account Sustainable Development Goals, a clear demand for innovations, especially those from STEM (Science, technologies, engineering and mathematics) fields, the importance of science in understanding the world, guiding technological development, recent very important insights of analysis on good practices in STEM education from 7 EU countries (good practices target mainly 14-18 age group, STEM good practices tend to develop few intellect types, the participating individuals in society through creative application of STEM implies the need for more complex level of integration in STEM education and even incorporation of other disciplines) developed STEM focused 40 h 5 modules online course “STEAM capacity building” and 40 h. 4 modules Long-Term Professional Development (in-service training) face to face program ""STEAM capacity building"" for teachers and educators for dissemination in local, national and international (Erasmus + KA1) levels. To reach those goals 4 transnational partnership meetings (total 150 participants), 5 national dissemination events (total 150 participants) and 1 international Roundtable discussion (28 local and 12 foreign participants) was organized.Number of teachers, educators and students indirectly involved in project – 2000 (each partner involved 2-10 schools).Project contributed to improved basic, didactic and subject competences of STEM teachers. Partners believe that Outputs intellectual base enhanced innovative learning in the classroom. In the long term the Project expects STEM education know-how multiplication to other schools/teachers and involvement of other schools in Output exploitation. Partners expect that Project results and cooperation for STEM education advancement built a support on STEM PD initiatives among PD centres and policy makers and cooperation in the Project built fundamentals for future cooperation in STEM PD."

"PISA 2012 report revealed the need for innovative, interactive and engaging teaching approach for 21st-century schools in order to reach higher achievement of students. This approach can be transmitted and practically realized in classrooms only by the properly trained teacher and educator.The project aims to develop teachers’ and educators’ competences - especially integrated STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) teaching skills, based on collaborative problem-solving (CPS) - sharing experiences among countries involved in the project (the project was compatible with PISA 2015 aims to evaluate students’ performance in mathematics, science and financial literacy; performance in problem-solving and reading).Objectives of the project:– To develop teachers’ and educators’ integrated teaching skills, based on collaborative problem-solving;– To explore new forms of teaching, learning and assessment of students achievements;– To guide teachers and educators, how to motivate children and inspire their passion for discovery and learning;– To share experience of good practice on increasing students' interest in STEM and technical creativity; developing students’ skills of logical and critical thinking, CPS, as well as learning to learn, creativity, initiative and entrepreneurial competencies; preparing students for a successful professional career, encouraging their active contribution to the progress of society.8 countries and 10 partners were involved in the project: UPC (Lithuania)–institution affiliated to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania providing educational support in the field of pre-school, primary and general education.Alytaus Putinai gymnasium (Lithuania), lyceum 1erGeniko Lykeio de Thessaloniki (Greece) and Liceum “M. Immacolata” (Italy) are schools, seeking quality of teaching and learning. OÜ Miksike (Estonia)–provides teacher training courses, manages and develops Miksike Learning Environment. CREF (Portugal)- important establishments of the region of Setúbal, oriented to the development of teacher education and training In-service training courses.The Galician Regional Ministry of Education (Spain) is responsible for educational standards and the training and development of the schools and works on the implementation of regional initiatives to meet school improvement priorities and to share in and support innovation in teaching, learning and school leadership. The Business and Finance College (Bulgaria)is a training institution experienced in training people for insertion into the world of work, in developing new methodologies in entrepreneurship education. CEI (Latvia)- provides training and implements projects in all regions of Latvia, develops and implements projects which promote quality education and accessibility of education to all children. Epimorfotiki (Greece) developed a wide network of associates, which includes a quality consultant, adults’ trainers, counsels of continuous local development, ICT, etc., This partnership is a good potential for dissemination of enriching experiences in the fields approached by the project and a genuine mutual interest in developing innovative approaches to sustainable education, the importance of teachers and educators competences, entrepreneurship and motivating measures in school.The target group of the project - teachers and educators, who are not afraid of challenges and are seeking quality of teaching and learning and higher learning achievements of students, are open-minded, communicative and collaborative, and are ready to provide meaningful learning experiences for 21st-century students.The main activities were undertaken:- 3 short-term joint staff training events- 4 international project meetings- 3 intellectual outputs were created: 1. PDP of 4 modules for teachers and educators2. Collections of good practices3. Collections of DLO This increased the variety of available learning resources.- The project activities (training courses, evaluation seminar, national multiplier events, dissemination events) involved more than 60 direct and more than 3000 indirect participants.- 8 national Multiplier event organised (285 participants)- 1 dissemination international conference organised and involved 46 participants (26 local and 20 international).Total Duration of the Project – 24 Months.The following outcomes are reached:- Raised competences and capacities of teachers, educators had a direct impact on students’ learning motivation, higher learning achievements.-The transnational network of teachers, educators, schools seeking higher learning achievements of students through applying CPS principles created.-The PDP were accredited at the national levels and offered to ERASMUS+ Key Action 1 by UPC (Lithuania), CREF (Portugal), Epimorfotiki (Greece). - New Erasmus+KA2 project ""STEAM capacity building"" (No 2016-1-LT01-KA201-023146) created."