STEM model for primary education was presented to Ukrainian schools
Editorial team•
Ukraine presented a new model of primary education, the "Country of Knowledge", which was developed as a response to the challenges of war, the digital age and the future labor market. The authors of the program declare: a modern school can no longer be built only on memorizing rules and reproducing information — children must learn to think, research, ask questions and find solutions independently.
The presentation took place during the press conference "Primary education as community capital: presentation of a learning model for today's challenges", organized with the participation of scientists, school directors, teachers and representatives of the parent community.
"We are changing the very philosophy of education. We don't just teach children to apply knowledge, but form a research mindset. This is the support of a child in an unstable world," said Oksana Onoprienko, the head of the primary education department of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and the scientific director of the "Country of Knowledge" program.
According to the authors of the program, the world is changing so quickly that in 15-20 years, current first-graders will work in professions that do not yet exist today.
"65% of today's first-graders will work in professions that do not currently exist. Therefore, we must teach the child not just the rules, but an understanding of how the world works," Onoprienko emphasized.
The program explains: the traditional school was built for decades on a model where the child listens, remembers and reproduces information. Instead, the Land of Knowledge offers a different approach — learning through research, practice, and emotional involvement.
In math lessons, children don't just study geometric figures, but investigate which materials will make the structure the strongest. In Ukrainian language lessons, they learn to present their ideas and argue their own opinion. And in the "I explore the world" classes, they conduct experiments, put forward hypotheses and look for explanations for phenomena.
The authors of the program put special emphasis on the fact that current Ukrainian children study in conditions of full-scale war - to the sound of sirens, after sleepless nights due to shelling and in an atmosphere of constant anxiety.
"Psychologists are already talking about a dangerous symptom - the early maturation of children. This affects the psyche and the ability to fully study," she said.
That is why, according to the developers, a modern school should not only provide knowledge, but also return a child's sense of security, interest and joy of knowledge.
In schools where the program has already begun to be implemented, there is talk of noticeable changes in children's behavior. The director of Lyceum No. 157 of the Obolon district of Kyiv Tetyana Yermak said that students have become more motivated and interested in learning.
"Children's interest in school has increased by almost 90%. They want to go to classes, research, ask questions. Children even get sick less because they are interested in being at school," she said.
According to her, the program also has a positive effect on the emotional state of children during wartime, helping to reduce the level of stress through creativity, teamwork and a research approach.
Primary school teacher Alla Korol said that already in the first grade, children freely use the concepts of "hypothesis" and "assumptions", learn to work in teams and independently formulate rules.
"Our first graders are already able to propose hypotheses. They are not afraid to make mistakes and learn to find answers on their own," said the teacher.
During the presentation, a video from the lessons was also shown, where first-graders demonstrated their own STEM projects and experiments. One of these videos is about the "energy source of the future", which was created by a first grade student.
Parents are also talking about positive changes. The representative of the parent community Daryna Nagornyuk noted that children not only learn the material better, but also become more independent and confident.
"My child, after a sleepless night due to the attack of the Shaheds, said in the morning: "Mom, I want to go to school, we have a knowledge test today." For me, this was an indicator that the child is not afraid of learning, but really wants to learn," she said.
The developers of the program emphasize: "Country of Knowledge" was created as an accessible model that can be implemented both in large cities and in small communities without expensive equipment or multimillion-dollar costs.
"In order to form a research mindset, you don't need expensive laboratories. It is enough to teach a child to ask questions and look for answers," the authors of the program noted.
Schools in Kyiv, Brovary and Ivano-Frankivsk region are already working in the program. Next year, the project is planned to be scaled up and expanded to preschool and elementary school.
"We are training not just students, but small inventors and citizens who will restore Ukraine in the future," concluded Onoprienko.
The educational program "Country of Knowledge" was created by scientists of the Institute of Pedagogy of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine together with practicing teachers as an atypical model of primary education for Ukrainian schools. The program is based on a STEM approach and is focused on the development of critical thinking, research skills, emotional intelligence and the ability to work in a team. The model is currently being implemented in schools in Kyiv, Brovary and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. According to the developers, the program is adapted for both urban and rural communities and does not require expensive technical equipment for implementation.
