Intellectual Output 2

This output acts as complementary to O1 under the prism of increasing K-12 teachers’ motivation to embrace new concepts in their trainings and thus to be able to generate awareness about the importance of IP among their students. That been said, one of the latest trends and hot-button topics related to ways of stimulation in class refers to the implementation of gamified learning strategies that can encourage intrinsic motivation (Waterford.org, 2019). There is thus an exceptional need for teachers to remain motivated within an educational ecosystem that does not yet provide them with an appropriate infrastructure and relevant freedom to implement changes in school curricula.

The ‘IPinSTEAM Mediator’ comes into play in order to provide a wholistic solution through a digital tool that promotes gamified learning utilizing the basic elements of Self-Determination Theory (SDT):

- Autonomy: promotes self-regulated behaviours

- Competence: enhances efficiently interactions within the learning environment

- Relatedness: supports the feeling of belonging to a social group

The tool will serve as a mediator between the implementation of IP knowledge and STEAM-related subjects providing real-life scenarios that trigger users’ critical thinking and problem solving skills. The scenarios will be displayed in a purely visual way that acts as a magnet to a learner’s attention and yet enhances understanding of the importance of IP in STEAM teaching.