SHAREE

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.
 

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.
 

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.

The roles in the project consortium:

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.

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.
 

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