Expanding STEAM Horizons: SENSE Presented Across Europe
We are pleased to share that Sasha Brown, Postdoctoral Fellow, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, has actively promoted the SENSE. project and our STEAM Labs approach at three major international conferences last year, highlighting our educational methods and the role of participatory, art-infused learning in shaping inclusive and innovative futures.
Presentation at the Nordic Geographers Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark, June 2024
Held at the University of Copenhagen, the Nordic Geographers Meeting (NGM) is one of the largest geography conferences in the Nordic region. It brings together scholars, educators, and practitioners to explore critical spatial and environmental issues. The 2024 theme emphasized new directions in geographical thought and community engagement.
This conference’s focus on place, community, and environmental challenges aligns strongly with the SENSE project’s use of local environments and participatory education to empower young people as active, knowledgeable citizens. The SENSE approach to STEAM education, grounded in real-world geography, supports the conference’s goals of social relevance and innovation in teaching.
Presentation at the International Geographical Congress, Dublin, Ireland, August 2024
The International Geographical Congress (IGC) is a major global event that brings together geographers from across the world. The 2024 congress explored themes of sustainability, spatial justice, and educational transformation, offering a platform for progressive pedagogies and interdisciplinary practice.
The congress’s emphasis on youth engagement and geography education made it a valuable setting for the SENSE project. By involving secondary school students as experts in their own neighborhoods, the SENSE project contributes to international discussions about how geography and STEAM education can promote democratic engagement and sustainable futures. Sasha Brown presented the project’s participatory and arts-based methods, demonstrating their relevance beyond the Norwegian context.
Workshop at the Institute of Physics Frontiers of Physics Conference, 2024
Sasha also led a workshop at the Institute of Physics’ Frontiers of Physics 2024 conference. This annual event brings together educators and researchers committed to advancing science education through creativity and collaboration. The workshop, titled “Experiments in senses – STEAM education as an opportunity for bottom-up curriculum to encourage innovation, inclusion and change”, introduced participants to the SENSE. educational method through hands-on, reflective practice.
The conference’s focus on interdisciplinary approaches and inclusive science education provided an ideal space to showcase the SENSE. project. The workshop highlighted how our bottom-up, sensory-driven curriculum design supports innovation, creativity, and diverse learning needs in formal and informal educational settings.
These international engagements reflect the growing visibility and influence of the SENSE project across disciplines and borders. By sharing our approaches at high-level academic forums, consortium members like Sasha Brown, are helping to build recognition for STEAM education as a powerful tool for inclusive, participatory, and future-facing learning. These contributions strengthen the collective impact of the SENSE. consortium, reinforcing our shared commitment to transforming education through creativity, collaboration, and community engagement.