In the rapidly evolving landscape of STEAM disciplines, the demand for multidisciplinary communication, problem-solving skills, and creativity has become increasingly critical. Traditional educational curricula often fall short in preparing students with the competencies needed to navigate these complex, interdisciplinary challenges in their professional careers. This study explores the outcomes of a three-day co-design spring school involving 27 students from diverse STEAM fields. The focus is on how participation in community-driven, real-world design activities influenced their self-efficacy, growth mindset, and creative problem-solving abilities. To achieve this, we employed a mixed-methods approach, incorporating pre- and post-questionnaires, student diaries, design artifacts, and observational notes. The pre-questionnaire aimed to establish a baseline for creative problem-solving styles and mindset using a reduced version of the Basadur Creative Problem Solving Profile (CPSP), as well as self-efficacy using selected items from Limeri's mindset scale. The post-program assessments measured changes in these dimensions and further explored participants' perceptions of the experience. The results indicate that students reported experimenting with a different creative approach than their usual one. Additionally, their involvement in a co-design activity targeting the local community and a real world problem significantly influenced the way they approached tasks. Creative style “contamination” was particularly observed in engineering students, who shifted from evaluative to ideative and thinking styles. While mindsets, due to their nature, exhibited limited and non-significant shifts, participants expressed a stronger belief in their ability to con-tribute to meaningful, real-world projects in terms of a growth mindset. Self-efficacy showed significant improvement, but only in terms of increased confidence in performing diverse tasks. The findings emphasize the importance of co-design ‘for people’ and real-world design projects to promote creative adaptability, improve teamwork between disciplines, and encourage students to step outside their comfort zones. In the long term, this approach offers a promising model for STEAM education, preparing students for an increasingly complex and interdisciplinary professional world.

This paper presents an exploratory sociological research study focusing on the perceptions and awareness of coding among youth aged 16 to 24 in Trento, Italy, with an emphasis on gender inclusivity. It combines theoretical and practical perspectives to understand the role of coding in today's knowledge society, focusing on gender dynamics in coding education. Using qualitative methods such as interviews and focus groups, the study involved a gender-balanced mix of students and educators from various backgrounds. It centers on four themes: coding knowledge among youth, the benefits of coding, the effectiveness of coding education, and the role of gamification in enhancing coding awareness. The findings highlight significant gender differences in interest and participation in coding, stressing the need for inclusive teaching methods like gamification to promote coding literacy across genders. The paper underscores the importance of gender inclusivity in computer science education to enhance future digital competencies and employability.11Acknowledgments: We would like to extend our gratitude to the students from the Qualitative Research courses in the Sociology Department at the University of Trento, under the guidance of Prof. Chiara Bassetti and Prof. Vincenzo D'Andrea, for their contribution to this research: Alice Conati, Giulia Fasoli, Irene Negri, Alessio Roat, Nadia Scatola, and Filippo Tomezzoli. Their engagement in conducting the interviews and coding the results was instrumental to the success of this study.

Recently developed at the University of Trento in Italy, ApeLab is a Fablab on wheels that encompasses the concept, design, and tools necessary to provide a mobile laboratory experience. The Piaggio Ape Car has been converted into a Fablab, making ApeLab a portable space equipped with digital manufacturing machines and other features. The project aims to promote STEAM education and digital manufacturing through hands-on learning activities, encourage scientific communication in an easy and creative way, and generate curiosity and creativity among people of all ages by raising awareness of important scientific topics that are often overlooked.

Contribution: This study aimed to develop, test, and evaluate an educational kit for high schools that fosters a multidisciplinary bond between physics and computer science. Grounded in constructionism, the kit encourages students to take a more practical approach towards STEM subjects by using simple Arduino-based boards and sensors to measure physical quantities during simple experiments. The project was a collaborative effort between the University of Trento and Level Up, a local company that produces innovative educational materials related to physics and science for schools. The study involved 16 high schools with over 300 students and about 20 physics and informatics teachers. The kits were validated through questionnaires and interviews, with an emphasis on assessing changes in student motivation, interest in STEM subjects, and practical experience. Background: The learning-by-doing approach is central to constructionism, which emphasizes the importance of hands-on, experiential learning in education. This approach is often neglected in the Italian school system, which tends to prioritize theoretical studies that are distant from real-world problems and applications. Part of the problem is the lack of experimental sets available to each student. Intended outcomes: First, to create an educational kit that high school teachers could use to provide their students with practical experience in their physics curricula and enable them to apply their knowledge of computer science to arrive at better results. Second, to measure a change in students' interest in STEM subjects once they experience a more practical approach using the educational instrumentation created in the project. Another goal was to increase their motivation and engagement in the learning-by-doing process and to help them understand the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. Findings: The students who participated in the project were asked to complete two questionnaires regarding their approach and motivation towards STEM subjects, both before and after using the educational kit. The answers were divided by gender to determine if there were any differences in approach. The study recorded a very positive response from the students and a growing motivation towards this type of hands-on method used during classes.