SHAREE
Title: STE(A)M for Home Economics And Research Exchange (SHAREE)
Period: 1st of June 2024 – 31st of May 2027 (36 month)
Call: HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-02
Project manager: Jaana Taar PhD, Associate Professor of Home Economics, Head of Science Kitchen, School of Natural Sciences and Health, Tallinn University.
Project summary
The overall objective of SHAREE is to develop a European-scale research and innovation based hub at Tallinn university Science Kitchen, with a sustainable management and research performance, strong networking and finance generation capacity to become an independent and internationally recognized actor in the field of home economics.
The specific objectives are:
- To establish a fully functioning Science Kitchen hub at TLU to lead and foster science-based home economics research and education in Estonia.
- To maximize the sustainable management of Science Kitchen in TLU.
- To advance the quality and volume of research on home economics in Estonia, especially integrating STEAM pedagogy and natural sciences in cooperation with the international project partners and increase the impact of the research locally, nationally and internationally, with a specific focus on the policy relevance of the research ideas.
- To improve TLU’s network in the home economics area as well as the visibility of all the partners.
- To improve the attractiveness of TLU and its partners for both experienced and early career researchers.
- To foster gender equality by creating bridges between different disciplines, which traditionally attract more women, and disciplines which traditionally attract more men.
Consortium Partners and Organisational Structure
Tallinn University
Tallinn University is the coordinator of SHAREE project.
TLU emerged in its present status in 2005 when a number of former Academy of Sciences research institutes were merged with the Tallinn Pedagogical University into a new HEI - Tallinn University. Research in TLU is conducted in five focus fields, six institutes and a regional college. In order to support interdisciplinary and international cooperation, TLU has launched five centres of excellence, where researchers and teams with a shared interdisciplinary research focus are united. TLU is ranked 1001-1200 thus belonging to the 5% of world top universities.
Following the Development Plan for 2023-2027 the mission of TLU is to support the sustainable development of Estonia. One of the main activity lines is to contribute to Estonia’s adaptation to changes in nature and society, offer solutions to developing people’s health-related behaviour and well-being, sustainable management of natural resources and the implementation of green transition. Establishing Science Kitchen clearly reflects the university's efforts to encourage interdisciplinarity within and outside the organisation and to raise the awareness of science methods in homes, schools but also work-places in everyday life. The university rectorate and also the host institute - the School of Natural Sciences have strongly supported the core team of Science Kitchen to work-out a strategic development plan and to find a start-up capital.
Tallinn University project team includes:
- Jaana Taar, Head of Science Kitchen, Associated Professor in Home Economics, School of Natural Sciences and Health
- Kristi Paas, Lecturer of Home economics Theory and Didactics, School of Natural Sciences and Health
- Tiina Vänt, Teacher of Food Technology, School of Natural Sciences and Health
- Katrin Männik, Head of Cooperation of KEKO cluster, Visiting Research Fellow in Sustainable Education, School of Educational Sciences
- Marit Nõmmik, Junior Research Fellow, School of Natural Sciences and Health
- Helen Arov, Junior Lecturer of Art Didactics, Baltic Film, Media and Arts School
- Elyna Heinmäe, Lecturer of Educational Technology, School of Educational Sciences
- Jane Remm, Junior Lecturer of Art Didactics, Baltic Film, Media and Arts School
- Helen Haab, administrative support
- Hedi Meigas, administrative support
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is Finland’s largest and oldest academic institution and an innovative centre of science and thinking. During the years, the academic community has grown into 40 000 people scattered into 11 faculties on four campuses. UH is ranked in a group of 100-110 of world top universities. The strategic plan currently emphasizes four research themes: wellbeing for humans and our environment, a humane and fair world, a sustainable future for our planet, and the possibilities that limitless curiosity opens up – a universe of ideas and opportunities. The Degree Programme of Home Economics Teacher Education educates Home Economics teachers for comprehensive schools, adult education, and for other expert posts in the field. Yearly there is a great willingness to continue studies at the doctoral level, and there is a well-functioning international doctoral seminar group providing the critical mass and discussion for the doctoral students in the field of Home economics pedagogy. The development of teacher education is thereby research-based.
The Helsinki team of SHAREE has a history of successful multilateral research and developmental projects, while realising the need to share our results and practices more widely and especially with the countries having Home Economics as a part of the national educational system. This cooperation has enabled us to have broader, coordinated, and long-term collaboration between these international colleagues for learning from each other and to develop Home Economics pedagogy more cohesively. The Helsinki core team of SHAREE has many years of experience in carrying out national and international research and development projects within home economics pedagogy and teacher education.
University of Helsinki project team includes:
- Päivi Palojoki (contact), Professor in Home Economics, Department of Educational Sciences
- Janni Haapaniemi, Lecturer in Home Economics, Department of Educational Sciences
- Kati Oikarinen, Doctoral researcher, Department of Educational Sciences
- Sonja Tuulia Anttila, Doctoral researcher, Department of Educational Sciences
Atlantic Technological University
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) is based in West and North-West of Ireland and is the second largest University in Ireland in terms of registered student numbers. In 2023, St Angela’s College, which includes the School of Home Economics and aligned National Centre of Excellence for Home Economics, was officially incorporated into ATU including the three academic schools of Home Economics, Education and Nursing, Health Sciences & Disability Studies. The ATU is a leader in the provision of access to Higher Education by offering programs from pre-degree to doctoral level with delivery on campus, online or in blended mode. As a new and distinctive Technological University, ATU supports the needs of enterprises, especially SMEs, across the region through collaborative research and enabling technology transfer to support economic and social prosperity. It provides research-informed teaching and access to emerging technologies for all learners supported by eight research centres.
ATU St Angelas, previously known as St. Angela’s College, has a well-deserved reputation, nationally and internationally, for delivering high quality programs at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The provision of Home Economics higher education has been a core feature of St. Angela’s College, Sligo since its foundation. The School of Home Economics ATU St Angelas is the only post graduate provider of this disciplinary area of study in higher education in the Republic of Ireland. The school boasts a large and internationally recognised specialist staff in the field of Home Economics and is the largest School of Home Economics in Higher Education in Europe.
Atlantic Technological University project team includes:
- Helen Maguire (contact), Head of School of Home Economics
- Amanda McCloat, Head of ATU St Angela
- Anna Callaghan, Lecturer in Home Economics, School of Home Economics
- Caroline Hopper, Lecturer in Home Economics, School of Home Economics
The roles in the project consortium:
Work Packages
WP 1 – Administration and management
Task 1.1 Management of project implementation.
Task 1.2 Management of communication and network coordination.
Task 1.3 Risk management and monitoring.
WP2 – Mobility for knowledge transfer
Task 2.1 International meeting in TLU.
Task 2.2 Seminars/workshops with partners and other HEIs.
Task 2.3 Institutional building days.
WP3 – Institutional capacity building
Task 3.1 Putting together a sustainable strategy for Science kitchen.
Task 3.2 Organizing summer school.
Task 3.3 Staff exchange.
Task 3.4 Developing research management and administrative skills of TLU.
WP4 – Research Capacity Building in home economics and STEAM education
Task 4.1 Mapping and networking for forming a research cluster.
Task 4.2 Mapping new funding options and training applications writing with interdisciplinary focus.
Task 4.3 Mapping and analyzing home economics education in EU.
Task 4.4 Putting together the policy recommendations.
WP5 – Fostering interdisciplinarity by integrating disciplines through STEAM
Task 5.1 Interdisciplinary meetings with colleagues from TLU.
Task 5.2 Co-design to work out activity content for Science kitchen.
Task 5.3 Putting together the recommendations for working across disciplines.
WP6 – Dissemination, communication and outreach
Task 6.1 Putting together and following the strategy for dissemination and exploitation.
Task 6.2 Communication and Dissemination activities.
Task 6.3 Organizing international conference in Tallinn.
Activities
23.-28. of June 2024. Presenting the project at the IFHE international conference
Representatives of the SHAREE project team attended the International Federation of Home Economics (IFHE) World Conference in Galway, Ireland. The theme of the 25th anniversary conference was "Home Economics in a Time of Transformation: Bridging the Past - Charting the Future" The presentation of the SHAREE project fit well with the theme of the conference, leading the audience to think about the connections between STEAM practices and home economics education. The feedback for the presentation was positive, leading to additional questions and discussion. In addition, while listening to other presentations, we got to know several key persons in the context of the SHAREE project. The established contacts help us to expand the SHAREE cluster and provide an opportunity to ask for additional clarifications when analyzing home economics education in European countries.
16.-18. of September 2024. Project Kick-off meeting in Tallinn
We spent three meaningful days at Tallinn University to take time for getting to know the project members, for understanding the nuances of home economics education in the partner countries and, above all, to set common goals for the collaborative work ahead. SHAREE members are active communicators, so the participants had to be stopped from time to time and directed to stretch their legs. Although all the project members could not come to Tallinn due to the overloaded schedules, with the help of the OWL Pro webcam, it was still possible to get all the participants around a common table.
As typical to kick-off meetings, there were a number of organizational topics on the agenda, but we also managed to start with a fruitful discussion on the analysis of the study content of the home economics subject in European countries. At first, it seems that there are more questions than answers and the plans become more blurred than clearer. Although, technical solutions were also helpful here. Discussions and group work took a clearer shape thanks to the Flinga environment, which again made it possible to engage participants in the room and in Zoom.
In accordance with the content of the project, we also introduced the nature, possibilities and technical solutions of the Science Kitchen to the foreign partners. Although the physical environment was approved as attractive and cozy, we all understand that the developmental work with the concept and content is indispensable. So the results of the SHAREE project are needed sooner rather than later.
13th of January 2025. Visiting the Flavoria living lab at the University of Turku
New Year started for SHAREE with a visit to the Flavoria Research Platform, a living laboratory coordinated by the Nutrition and Food Research Centre (NuFo) at the Faculty of Medicine. However, most of the university's faculties (both in terms of budget and researchers) contribute to Flavoria's activities, as well as various collaborative partners.
Flavoria is a multidisciplinary research platform and at the same time a unique lunch restaurant, café and snack shop. Adjacent to the lunch restaurant is the multidisciplinary research space called Aistikattila. There, a screen covering an entire wall can be used to create a rapidly changing environment, adding also voices to create a new situation. NuFo research focuses on human well-being and sustainable development, more specifically on food behaviour and multisensory perception, food choices and food waste. It is an intervention research where scientific data is collected on a daily basis form customers (then processed and applied), new products and services are tested in a cafeteria setting, and a multi-sensory environment is used both for research and learning activities. Collaboration is done with the whole university family, businesses, local government, Business Finland (the start-up and growth business ecosystem in Finland), etc.
What did we learn? We had lunch in a university restaurant and gained a rich user experience. Our lunches, weighed by food components, were also added into the database. We got a lot inspiration from the discussions and the guided tour of the restaurant. For example, what models work well for working with the local community? The Science and Gastronomy Food Clubs are held by NuFo eight times a year as two-hour meetings in a hybrid format, in three cities (Turku, Helsinki and Seinäjoki) at the same time. There is always one topic on the table (e.g. rye, tomato), two presentations (about cultural history and natural science) are done, experiments done, followed by a sensory evaluation and a discussion on the results. One of the highlights of the year is the Flavoria Innovation Festival. Last year a five-day programme involved 60 students and 5 companies who presented innovation challenges to student teams. Similarly, Science Kitchen needs few recognizable activities every year that the local community, including the university, companies, city representatives and others look forward to and contribute actively. Research is at the heart of the Flavoria, therefore we foresee various collaboration opportunities with them in the future (e.g. in European projects). The study visit was attended by: Jaana Taar, Kristi Paas, Tiina Vänt, Elyna Heinmäe and Katrin Männik.
20th of January 2025. Visits the University of Helsinki
The SHAREE team visited the University of Helsinki to learn from their best practices. The first site of the visit was the home economics learning environment and research group "Food, Culture and Learning" at the Institute of Education (our partners in SHAREE). The research group, which is part of the Maker@STEM community focuses on didactical issues related to the teaching and learning of home economics in different cultural contexts and at different school levels (from primary school to higher education). They are interested in formal teaching and learning contexts, for example in the classroom, but also at home or in NGOs. Impressive are the newly built modern learning spaces (for practicums) in the field of home economics and crafts. These facilities support various forms of cooperation.
Secondly, in the Faculty of Science, we visited ChemistryLab Gadolin, the oldest research center in the Finnish LUMA network and the only one of its kind focusing on providing and popularising chemistry education. Collaborations are also carried out with other labs including Geopiste, Computer Science Class Linkki, Math Lab Summamutikka, Foton Student Laboratory. The truth that love goes through the stomach was once again confirmed! One of the most popular workshops for school children to understand chemistry is ice cream making. So also we made ice cream together. But we started with the links between ice cream making and sustainability; ice cream and climate change; and the carbon footprint of ice cream (e.g. choice between animal vs. plant-based milk). As a result, everyone got a better understanding of the life cycle of ice cream as well as the structure of the science practicum.
One of Gadolin's priorities is to attract and educate the next generation, encourage teachers, and involve young people in the labs. They value learning through experimentation and giving university students versatile practice opportunities. Therefore Master students are included as instructors for student groups. The Helsinki Upper Secondary School for Natural Sciences (HELLU) was established on the university campus recently to bring students even closer to the university. In 2024, Gadolin's activities involved 8,849 students and 3,305 secondary school pupils. 224 children participated in science clubs, 40 in science camps, and 380 science practicums were organized.
We came up with several ideas for Science Kitchen. For example, to cooperate more actively with science labs at Tallinn University, invite more university students to participate in the development of the Science Kitchen, and launch new event formats (e.g. summer camps) to involve students and teachers, as well as opening the Science Kitchen activities to a wider audience. The study visit was attended by: Jaana Taar, Kristi Paas, Tiina Vänt, Elyna Heinmäe, Katrin Männik, and Krinsli Pius.
Deliverables
D1.1 – Project management handbook
D1.2 – A list of risks and hedging measures
D1.3 – Data Management Plan
D1.4 – Data Management Plan (Updated)
D1.5 – Progress report
D2.1 – Science kitchen concept paper
D3.1 – Financial, marketing and local community involvement plan
D4.1 – A report on contemporary home economics education in EU
D4.2 – A guide on home economics education policy and connection to STEAM subjects
D5.1 – Materials for Science kitchen activities I
D5.2 – Recommendations for working across disciplines
D5.3 – Materials for Science kitchen activities II
D6.1 – Plan on Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation
D6.2 – Plan on Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation (updated)
D6.3 – Report on events with stakeholders