Space for Science – Implementing Innovations in Science Education Erasmus Project

Project Title

Space for Science – Implementing Innovations in Science 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 addressing more than one field

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Natural sciences; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Space for Science- Implementing Innovation in Science Education (SfS) is a cross-sectoral project of two universities and three schools of Romania, Norway and Finland. The project aims to find innovative and interdisciplinary approach for science education which give inspiration and enthusiasm for students, teachers and researchers alike. Our goal is to promote practical yet scientific methods translated into innovative team challenges where students take the lead and reach new levels of learning. In this process, teachers will get much needed experience as mentors and facilitators of learning, particularly on high school and junior high school level. The basis for the project is a shared need of quality hands-on science courses where students have their say on the topic, and where they can practice team work and management skills as well. The presence of two universities guarantee sound scientific basis and appropriate research facilities in these learning processes.

Our project consisted of three one-year phases with central themes for each year. The first year was planned for starting and establishing the processes; the second for development and research; and the third closed the project with evaluation, intellectual outcomes, and dissemination of the final results.

The wide scope of private and public education with strong experience in science education was brought together in this project. Our unique team consisted of two universities, the University of Stavanger, focusing on educational research and teacher training; and the University of Helsinki, focusing on the biological research of the project. The three participating schools represent three European countries, namely Norway, Romania and Finland.

Our project’s consultant, the AMSE Institute (Applied Mathematics, Science and Engineering) of Valley Christian Schools of San Jose, CA, U.S.A., has a long experience and expertise in innovative space science courses. A junior high school team of Espoo Christian School successfully carried their ISS experiments during 2013-2016, an amazing learning adventure for both students and teachers which originally gave the inspiration for the Space for Science project in order to share the innovation and inspiration in science education with other schools.

Space for Science developed and matured as planned from the initial phase until the end of it. What at first seemed an ambitious project proved to be successful, even more than we first expected. The cross-sectoral cooperation with partner organizations has deepened during the time we worked together. The international activities were the core of it, together with all local activities and developments at schools and universities. Every organization made its own variation of SfS teams, with new forms and ideas which were shared with others to enrich us all. Learning is a privilege and it can become a shared passion was a motto of our work.

The activities held in our project were:
1. Kick-off Meeting, Espoo, Finland, October 8-10, 2014
2. First International Young Scientist Conference, Stavanger, Norway, May 10-14, 2015
3. Annual General Meeting (AGM), Espoo, Finland, November 8-11, 2015
4. Second International Young Scientist Conference, Suceava, Romania, April 11-15, 2016
5. Third International Young Scientist Conference, Stavanger, Norway, April 23-27, 2017
6. Teacher exchange week, Suceava, Romania, March 27-31, 2017, and Espoo May 28-June 1, 2017
Every activity was held according to the original Project Plan. Please see 5. Implementation for further details.

Among the results of Space for Science project are lasting impact on every partner school. For instance, at Espoo Christian, we have a new Space for Science team that started this autumn and continues the whole year. We apply the same methods and approaches learned during the SfS project. The Theoretical High School Filadelfia sums the objectives and results of our science adventure after the first project year, “The power of partnership relies on the power of “together”. Having a common purpose means fighting for the same principles and results. Thus, weapons like working together, creating together, discovering together and encouraging each other open a path towards victory for sure. In this fight, one can only win, there’s nothing to lose. Membership in Space for Science affords these opportunities which result in victories.” As we now have finished the project, we can observe that our main goals have been reached well as new methods and approaches have been tested, tried and implemented at every school. The final results are naturally seen in the life of the students and former students of our partner schools later on.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 143337 Eur

Project Coordinator

Espoon kristillinen koulu / Espoon kristillisen koulun kannatusyhdistys ry & Country: FI

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITETET I STAVANGER
• LICEUL TEORETIC FILADELFIA
• Tananger Ungdomsskole
• HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO