SCIENCE FOR FUN Erasmus Project

Project Title

SCIENCE FOR FUN

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 school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Open and distance learning; Gender equality / equal opportunities; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The rationale of the project is: increasing the interest on an attractive, effective and simple way of teaching science (in particular physics, biology and chemistry) for youngsters in primary schools (6-16), and specially focus in getting more interest from girls, as the percentage of women finally studying science careers at University is extremely low.
The objectives of the project was;
– Increase interest for science subjects in schools (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astrology, Environmental changes and Geology)
– Create Open science resources
– Create a repository of those resources and experiment them
– Promote methodology change in teacher to increase general motivation
– Develop a bit data system to assess science learning
– Asses the evolution of science learning all through the process and experiment big data possibilities to focus science curricula
The subject of the project is an attractive and effective way of teaching science. The project created an innovative model of training science which gave opportunities for teaching science (physics, biology, and chemistry) in an attractive and effective way. The model of training was adapted especially to learners to draw their attention to science in a simple way with the purpose to discover/ stimulate and develop their talents. The model was tested and evaluated in each partner country.
The project enabled young people to realize that learning science can be an interesting and practical experience, and that it should acquire knowledge and skills in this area, because it contributes to professional development. The project aimed at primary school children and the first years of secondary school, and this promoted equally the way out to Science studies via VET and University. The project aim was to undertake many activities with the elaboration of attractive and effective ways of teaching science. We’ve conducted research among teachers and students, development of model of training SCIENCE4FUN implementation of model workshops which were reported and elaborated in a handbook and guidelines, showing attractive and effective ways of teaching science.
The big-data system developed also increased the knowledge of teachers about the evolution of their students, but also the comparison with their city, regional and national levels, and of course, also EU levels of evolution, which also motivated teachers to use the project model.
The project had different workshops and other activities per country to work out the concept with teachers. And also, a final event to promote the main results of the project took place. Last but not least we can summarize the following activities to be achieved in the S4F project:
1. A creation of a Big Data system to follow evolution of students and compare countries science education, which can be installed in schools’ Moodle systems
2. Created questionnaires models used in the big data system
3. Created 12 resources to be used in schools, 1 per level
4. Adapted an existing repository to be used for schools and populate with science resources
5. Piloting all the above in schools in all the countries in the project
6. Create a technical handbook for implementing the SCIENCE4FUN project environment
7. Create a use guideline for teachers to understand how to use SCIENCE4FUN environment
What we achieved in the test pilots is;
– 34 Organizations form 8 different countries
– 74 Teachers total, per 8 countries
– 124 Groups, across the partnership
– 2120 Students total
(BE) 324
(BG) 116
(CZ) 345
(ES) 500
(NL) 252
(PL) 171
(PT)106
(SL) 306
– 1373 answers in total.

Project Website

http://science4fun.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 385685 Eur

Project Coordinator

Stichting Kenniscentrum Pro Work & Country: NL

Project Partners

• Fundación Siglo22
• JKVG vzw
• National Training Center
• UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE MADRID
• Andragoski zavod Ljudska univerza Velenje
• SOCIEDADE PORTUGUESA DE INOVACAO CONSULTADORIA EMPRESARIAL E FOMENTO DA INOVACAO SA
• Euroface Consulting s.r.o.