Learning ecologies as an inclusive impactful approach to increasing science literacy

Science education should be a fundamental part of all children’s habitat. Policies should empower students, teachers, parents, and the broader community by enhancing access and creating opportunities for involvement and excellence in science literacy. STE(A)M Learning Ecologies (SLEs) is an EU-funded project developing engaging open schooling-enabled science learning paths for all in learning continuums of formal and informal education settings focusing on inclusiveness. The SLEs approach is grounded in three main pillars: STE(A)M as an overarching pedagogical and content approach, Open Schooling as a way to connect schools with their communities, and Living Lab practice to foster co-creation, experimentation, and real-life relevance. In this article, we discuss the potential social impact of successfully quality science education via learning ecologies; describe the SLEs methodology as an approach to achieve this goal; and showcase lessons learned from the first phase of the project. So far, the SLEs approach has demonstrated promising results in enabling stakeholders to recognize gaps in STEAM learning opportunities—spanning content areas, age groups, and experience levels—and highlighted the importance of cross-community collaboration to address ongoing challenges.