what can make your students forget the spice girls ......what can make your students forget the...

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ILLESRFESOESAEMBLEFDACERN

EIROforumserving European scienceTowards a Rejuvenated Science Teaching for Europe’s Youth

What can make your students forget the Spice Girls, Cyberman and Godzilla*?

[or Tokyo Hotel, World of Warcraft, MSN Messenger, Harry Potter…..]

Claus Madsen, ESO/EIROforum

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Concern over the evolution of the recruitment baseWe can make a unique contribution to stimulate public interest in scienceHas PUS failed?

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Science Education – 3 ParadoxesStrong interest by young people in science, but strong disaffection with formal science teachingScience is a universal human activity, science teaching could be a major ‘unifier’ in a diverse education landscape, but ‘management’ is devolvedThose who bear the consequences have little influence

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EIROforumserving European science

Why does science teaching fail?

Towards a Rejuvenated Science Teaching for Europe’s Youth

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Mission unclear – or Informed citizens or budding scientists?

Critics of contemporary science education talk about science literacyThe ‘scientific establishment’ talks about scientific competence

Is this a contradiction?Is this a contradiction?

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Elements of public science communication‘Good story’Easy to participateAssume little previous knowledgeVisible/visualSupport‘Feeling of success’

‘‘Never call it Never call it ‘‘educationeducation’’

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Elements of a rejuvenated science teachingInterdisciplinary activities (relevance)Hands-on experience (demonstration/experiment)Bringing real science into mainstream science educationHistory of science?Philosophy of science?

‘‘From Teaching to LearningFrom Teaching to Learning’’

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Plenty of ideasTeachers work in isolationNo critical mass

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The ESTI contributionImproving science teaching is impossible without involving the teaching bodyBridging the gap between contemporary science and science teachingCross-border (European) activitiesIntroducing ExcellenceEIROforum EIROforum is multidisciplinary, yet research leaderis multidisciplinary, yet research leaderEIROforum EIROforum has a panhas a pan--European orientationEuropean orientation

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EIROforum’s science education activities1993 – The European Week for Scientific Culture1994 – ESO Conference for science teachers1995 – Teachers’ network (EAAE)1993-2000 – Various activities for students2000-2003– 3 Physics on Stage FestivalsSince 2003 – European Learning Lab for the Life Sciences(ELLS)2004-2008 – Science on Stage/Science in School

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ESTI ObjectivesAssist the European teaching community to improve science education, thereby raising interest in science and technology and improving science literacyMake available the unique, combined expertise of the European Intergovernmental Research Organisations in their respective scientific fields to the European scientific teaching community

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Science on Stage – National Activities

Carried out by National Steering Committees in 29 countriesnational competitionslocal and national eventsactivities attached to existing national science fairsMore than 33,000 participants in 29 countries since 2004

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Science on Stage – The FestivalWeek-long festival350 teachers from 30 countries70 ExhibitsWorkshopsLecturesDemonstrationsAwards

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Is a European journal to promote inspiring science teachingAddresses science teaching across EuropeCovers not only biology, physics and chemistry, but also maths, earth sciences ...Is published by EIROforum and supported by the European Commission

Science in School

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Science in School - ContentsCutting-edge scienceScience reviewsTeaching materialsScience education projectsInterviews with teachers and scientistsReviews of books, films, websites

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Science in School - DistributionFreely available online (articles in many European languages)30,000 Print copies distributed (English)

www.scienceinschool.orgEmail: [email protected]

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Where do we go from now?ESTI developmentEducation is a long-term activityThere is a clear role for pan-European initiativesBut there is no silver bullet!A policy initiative is neededA Pan-European Partnership for Science Education

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What can make your students forget the Spice Girls, Cyberman and Godzilla*?

[or Tokyo Hotel, World of Warcraft, MSN Messenger, Harry Potter…..]

Real Nature

what can make your students forget the spice girls ......what can make your students forget the...

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