Empowering STEM Talent by Making the STEM Olympiades Inclusive and Accessible

STEM Olympiades’ educational initiative empowers students with disabilities, particularly those with dyslexia, to actively participate in a STEM Olympiade. Faced with the challenges of traditional assessments, their commitment to inclusivity led them to create a level playing field for all students.

Engaging 27,873 pupils in the Junior Group and 34,226 pupils in the Youth Group across 712 schools in Flanders, the STEM Olympiade aimed to foster an inclusive learning environment.

Collaborating with ReadSpeaker and Eummena, they ensured an effective and inclusive learning experience.

We spoke with Rik Hostyn from the STEM Olympiades to learn more about their decisions to leverage technology for a diverse and inclusive learning and how they worked with ReadSpeaker to achieve their goals.

Background

Our educational initiative, driven by our commitment to inclusivity, aimed to empower students with disabilities to participate in the STEM Olympiade, especially those with dyslexia. Recognizing the challenges posed by traditional assessments, we sought to create a level playing field for all students to showcase their true potential.

In the academic year 2023-2024, across 712 schools in Flanders, we engaged 27,873 pupils in the Junior Group (5th and 6th grade) and 34,226 pupils in the Youth Group (1st and 2nd year Secondary School). The STEM Olympiade, a highlight of our initiative, featured preliminary rounds from November 27th to December 8th, leading to a grand final on March 9th, 2024.

Technology and Platform

Opting for the Moodle LMS and quiz questions facilitated the seamless integration of text to speech, contributing to the creation of an inclusive learning environment. This integration into the e-assessment platform played a pivotal role in our mission to make STEM education accessible to all.

Integration and Training

The integration of text to speech into our curriculum was effortlessly achieved, requiring no additional training for teachers or students. Clear notification also accompanied its inclusion in the online application process, ensuring a smooth transition.

Why Text to Speech?

Our motivation to integrate text to speech was grounded in the aspiration to offer visually impaired students, and those with learning disabilities, an equal opportunity to participate in the STEM Olympiade, thereby championing equity in educational opportunities.

Design and Student Experience

Employing multiple-choice assessment formats, we had an overwhelmingly positive response from learners. Visual evidence, such as pictures of students using earphones during assessments, underscored the widespread adoption of this innovative feature.

Teachers’ Reactions

Teachers exhibited enthusiastic support for the technology, with over 96.7% expressing satisfaction. This positive attitude toward text to speech remains unwavering over the years, showcasing its enduring impact on the teaching community. In addition, anecdotal evidence, including uplifting emails from teachers, suggested a positive influence of text to speech on student engagement and motivation.

Challenges and Future Plans

The implementation within Moodle was seamless and quick working together with Eummena a premium Moodle partner in Belgium and the EMEA region, who provide the hosting and technical support of the STEM Olympiade platform.

Collaborating with the ReadSpeaker team consistently ensures a swift process and delivers an effective learning experience!

Jad Najjar – Co-Founder Eummena

ReadSpeaker’s technical support proved exemplary, swiftly addressing challenges. The ability to correct pronunciations and the proactive approach in adjusting STEM terminology pronunciation by the dedicated team were instrumental in the initiative’s success.

Costs and Return on Investment

Additional costs were minimal compared to the substantial benefits of offering speech technology. The positive return on investment reflected our unwavering commitment to inclusivity and the overall enhancement of the educational experience.

Future Plans and Recommendations

The success of text to speech in promoting inclusivity means that we will continue its integration in future STEM assessments. Our ambitious goal is to achieve 100% online participation, ensuring accessibility for all participants in both the Junior and Youth Groups. Our commitment to leveraging technology to foster a diverse and inclusive learning environment remains steadfast.

About STEM Olympiades

www.stemolympiade.be

Junior

The Flemish STEM Olympiade Junior wants to help young people discover their technological talent, stimulate interest in technology, increase appreciation for the field, adjust the social image of technology, demonstrate the social relevance of technology, and encourage students from primary and secondary education to receive training in technology.

During the preliminary round, students are presented with a series of challenging and socially relevant multiple-choice questions. This happens in school, under the watchful eye of a responsible teacher. The 64 students with the highest score and the ten best teachers are selected to compete against each other in the finals. In addition to multiple choice questions, this final also includes four practical tests.

The final round takes place at a central location in Flanders. The multiple-choice questions come from different domains that can be linked to technology. The questions ask about technological insight, more than about professional knowledge.

The domains covered are biotechnology, construction, chemistry, electricity, electronics, computer science, mechanics, and technical drawing. No single course of study in primary education covers all these domains, which is why everyone with some common sense and an affinity with science and technology has a chance to succeed!  

Youth

The Flemish STEM Olympiade Youth wants to help young people discover their technological talent, adjust the social image of technology, and encourage secondary education students to pursue higher education in technology.

During the preliminary round, students are presented with a series of challenging multiple-choice questions. This happens inschool, under the watchful eye of a responsible teacher. The 64 students with the highest score are selected to compete against each other in the finals.

In addition to multiple choice questions, there are also some engineering assignments in this round. The multiple-choice questions come from different domains that can be linked to technology.

The questions ask about the technological insight of the young people, more than about professional knowledge. The domains covered are biotechnology, construction, chemistry, electricity, electronics, computer science, mechanics, and technical drawing. No single course of study in secondary education covers all these domains, which is why anyone with some common sense and an affinity with science and technology has a chance to succeed!

Rik Hostyn

About Eummena

Jad Najjar