As part of the ‘The dream of flying’ project, five didactic modules were developed on various aspects of flying. These cover topics such as alternative propulsion systems, aerodynamic design, drone technology, the ecological footprint of flying and the social organisation of an airport. The modules were revised and trialled in several iterations and supplemented with digital and physical teaching materials.

In addition to the topics of the environment and aviation, a focus was placed on the topic of diversity. By using inclusive language, consciously avoiding stereotypes and specifically integrating the topic into the teaching modules - particularly in the airport module - a reflective approach to diversity in STEM lessons was implemented.

Over the course of the project, training courses and workshops were organised for both teachers and PH students. At the same time, practice-oriented workshops were held at SWISE conferences as well as offers for children and young people in community centres (GZ) in the city of Zurich. These contributed to the further development and dissemination of the project content.
Students from the PH Thurgau and the ZHAW were also involved and specifically supported in the realisation of the various workshops. This enabled the students to deepen their didactic and communication skills in the context of technical topics.

Various measures were taken to safeguard the project results beyond the end of the project: Teaching materials can be borrowed from the PH Thurgau library, digital content is accessible via the project website or available on request.

Overall, the completion of the project can be considered a success. The feedback from teachers and the number of materials borrowed show that the project content is increasingly finding its way into everyday school life - a promising sign for the continued transfer of knowledge of the concepts developed.

The continuation and expansion of the national network for the promotion of STEM education established in the previous funding period 2017-2020 is intended to further strengthen cooperation between people from universities of teacher education and technical and scientific universities in the training and further education of teachers in the STEM field. As part of this network, the ZHAW Department of Life Sciences & Facility Management, the ZHAW School of Engineering and the PH Thurgau are jointly carrying out a project entitled ‘The dream of flying’.

‘The dream of flying’ has been dreamt of for a long time, much longer than fossil fuels have been used and noise or climate change have been an issue. Today, the world of aviation is characterised by the tension between fascinating technology and social challenges. By way of example, the overarching theme is intended to inspire as many teachers and therefore pupils as possible to take an interest in technical and environmental issues. In addition to the technical component, the environmental system component in particular should also be addressed.

The aim is to demonstrate the multidimensionality of aviation and also to address research into the effects of and attitudes towards this mobility. In this way, direct links are made between science and technology and the concerns of education for sustainable development. The aim of sustainable STEM education is to support the transformation of today's social and technological processes into solution-orientated systems for the future.