Scientific literacy at the school: improving strategies and building new practices of science teaching in early years education Erasmus Project

Project Title

Scientific literacy at the school: improving strategies and building new practices of science teaching in early years education

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 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Natural sciences; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The unprecedented development of science and technology forces to train future citizens to be able of afford new professions that we still do not know. This is why it is becoming increasingly necessary to establish new curricular policies that contemplate a core of scientific and humanistic contents adequate and adapted to the cognitive moment of the students. In this context, this project has presented a new methodology that integrates scientific and humanistic knowledge as a language of inclusion in the new challenge of the cultural paradigm of the 21st century. The main objective, in line with the original proposal, has been to create and consolidate a cooperation network between European scientists and teachers for the implementation of innovative practices on the teaching of science from nursery to primary school. To establish this network, two lines of action have been considered: face-to-face scientific training for teachers and the monitoring and preparation of materials for the partners to transfer the received training to their classrooms, with constant communication between all the partners and the assessment of the coordinator. The final result has been the development of three intellectual products as important tools for the European educational community.
During the development of the project reflections have been undertaken about the need for scientific and humanistic updating of the teaching staff of these initial stages. Discovering how science is built has meant an important change for the partners, carrying out activities in the nursery and primary classrooms in contexts of scientific thought. A greater sensitivity to the importance of mental representations of the world has been achieved, representations that coincide with the way in which science and knowledge is built, delving into the conceptual processes that require a very precise knowledge of the cognitive stages of students.
The project involved eight partner organizations with different complementary profiles. The CSIC at School, specialized in research into new methodologies for teaching science in the early stages of education, training nursery and primary school teachers and fostering close collaboration between scientists and teachers; the centers of teachers CPR Gijón-Oriente and KPCEN, who have contributed with their experience and capacity to extend the project to their educational centers; the educational centers P34, Tallina Asunduse Lasteaed, Kedainiai Zilvitis and San Francisco, which have provided the necessary work with students for the realization of the project and their research experiences in the classrooms; and finally, CESIE, which has contributed with its experience in European projects and its international character.
The main activities that have been carried out have been: face-to-face training of the partners, by the CSIC at School; transnational meetings; development of pedagogical proposals; monitoring of applications in the classrooms; realization of multiplier events; development and publication of three intellectual products, which are the final result of the project.
Regarding the results and impact achieved, as indicated in the initial application, they are, on the one hand, tangible, with the publication of the three intellectual products in English and in all the languages of the participating partners, as well as publications on the web of the project and on the webs and social networks of all the partners, which reflect new methodologies in the teaching of science at the early stages of education (http://www.csicenlaescuela.csic.es/scilit/scilit.html). Regarding intangible results, partners are now aware of the importance of not only disseminating their work, but also of being in contact with educational and scientific actors to develop better communication, teacher training and science information in the early stages of education. They have become aware of the relevance of the introduction of science from the early stages of education and, consequently, on the models of change in education that are to be produced in the EU. Finally, they have managed to involve families and their educational communities in the different events they have carried out.
In terms of long-term benefits, the association between scientists and teaching professionals that is already present at higher levels of education is much more necessary from the childhood stage, including the gender perspesctive.. Thanks to the project, a network of scientists and teachers has been created with the aim that can stand the test of time. The life of the students will develop in a world that can only be understood by scientific models, a world that is not seen without the instruments, so it is essential to manage and understand scientific models and concepts, all impregnated with a humanistic culture as part of the European Cultural Heritage.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 219932 Eur

Project Coordinator

AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS & Country: ES

Project Partners

• COLEGIO PÚBLICO SAN FRANCISCO
• CESIE
• CPR Gijón-Oriente
• Województwo Kujawsko-Pomorskie – Kujawsko-Pomorskie Centrum Edukacji Nauczycieli w Bydgoszczy
• Tallinna Asunduse Lasteaed
• Przedszkole nr 34 “Mali Odkrywcy”
• Kedainiu lopselis-darzelis,,Zilvitis”