Make the chemistry sexy Erasmus Project

Project Title

Make the chemistry sexy

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Natural sciences

Project Summary

“Chemistry” is an endangered subject: it’s not very popular with most students and if possible, students drop this subject. This is true for all Europe. The reasons can only partly be found in each individual country. All schools taking part in the project “Ma.t.che.s. – Make the chemistry sexy” have in common that the high-level expectations of the subject in combination with its “nerdy” image make students shy away from it. However, chemistry as a subject is very important for the development of basic and advanced skills: Objective and long observation and documentation, revealing contradictions, focused analytical thinking, working with models, simulations (e.g. IT) and finding solutions are all skills needed for every day science classes. On top of that the high number of experiments in chemistry lessons demand good team spirit. Students with these skills will have more chances later and will learn more and more easily in other subjects and will have better career opportunities. Five schools took part in this project to still students’ fears of chemistry. By developing specific materials from students for students and with unconventional approaches students’ attitudes are meant to change in a way that will make the subject lose its nerdy and “for experts only-image”. The subject should seem manageable so that the students won’t close their minds to the subject. Students were the main actors of the project. First they were supposed to find out with the help of a questionnaire they had created themselves where other students see the main problems of the subject. At the same time they asked for other students’ expectations and suggestions for improvement. The results of the questionnaire were used to develop ideas for unconventional actions that are supposed to change students attitudes. The partners carried out the actions, evaluated them and summarized them in a reader. In the course of the project students were involved in the design of attractive worksheets for other students dealing with the central problems of chemistry lessons. As a completion of the project all partner schools developed games for the chemistry lessons. All activities took place exchanging ideas and results on an international level; students were always guided and supervised by the chemistry teachers of the schools taking part in the project. The results of the questionnaire as well as the hand-outs for all actions, the worksheets and the games were integrated into the chemistry lessons of all schools and were published on the 0ER platforms. During all meetings teachers got an insight into chemistry lessons of the individual countries. This way, teachers could exchange best practice ideas. To increase the value of all materials there was an exchange with local universities which supported both participating students and teachers. Hopefully the mentoring by university experts will lead to more acceptance of the high-quality results by people that were not involved in the project which would result in an increase of the range and the sustainability of the project.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 113370 Eur

Project Coordinator

Hellweg-Schule & Country: DE

Project Partners

• BIGA MEHMET AKIF ERSOY ANADOLU LISESI
• Zespol Szkol Handlowych im. Marii Dabrowskiej
• CEPA S.C.A.
• 1st Primary School of Pefka