Stem education in eco-farming supported by ict and mobile applications

Abstract

The presented research focused on developing and testing an innova-tive interdisciplinary STEM didactic model. The developed didactic model was introduced in the field of eco-farming. To the participants, it offers the possibility for non-formal training, which can take place anywhere and anytime. Participants require some knowledge of STEM subjects (especially chemistry and biology) as well as knowledge of ecology, technology, and engineering, in order to provide answers and solutions to environmental challenges while using knowledge of mathematics (especially combinatorics and statistics) to search for optimal solutions (in our case, a lean business plan). The model was tested in non-formal education settings, based on an interdisciplinary approach and modern technologies, such as monitoring the effec-tiveness of training using electroencepha-lography (EEG) and mobile applications. In the presented didactic model, special emphasis was placed on an interdisciplinary STEM approach to environmental protection, ecology, connatural forms of production and sustainable development. The presented research confirms the hypotheses that non-formal education is becoming an increasingly important form of education and training, and that the use of the interdisciplinary didactic model, contemporary technologies, and mobile applications, increases the time and inten-sity of concentration in learning and thus improves learning effectiveness.