Hosted by OSOS , contributed by 2lyk_kalam on 28 February 2020
The specific project adresses the challenge of the study of a physical phenomenon with great societal impact and proposes pedagogical practices based on inquiry‐based methods that are more effective in science education. The objective of this combination is on one hand to increase children’s and student’s interest in science, on how science is made and how it affects everyday life, and on the other to stimulate teacher motivation on up‐taking innovative teaching methods, subjects and practices to enrich and renew the science curriculum.
The key is to provide increased opportunities for cooperation and collaboration between schools across European countries (mainly countries of the European South that experiencing seismic activity) and encourage relationships between stakeholders of both formal and informal education by establishing a network of schools that will study real data, do real analysis of real seismic activity in real time and will present their results to their communities.
The specific project engages students in employing real‐problem solving skills, handling and studying situations, and participating in meaningful and motivating science inquiry activities. The RRI component of the project lies in the fact that students deal with real seismic data that they have acquired themselves while they have to communicate their findings to the local communities. In countries like Greece, Italy and Bulgaria the phenomenon is rather common. Surveys in the field demonstrate that the general public is not well informed on the necessary measures that have to be applied to minimize the impact of the natural phenomenon. A complicated geophysical phenomenon like the earthquake is possible to be studied in the classroom with the use of a simple instrument and results can be obtained with the combination of data from the collaborating schools. The aim of the activity is to create a network of OSOS schools (Hubs and connected schools) that will be active in citizen seismology. More information is provided here: http://sse‐project.eu/.
RRI Principles
One of the key aspects of OSOS is the inclusion of RRI - Responsible Research and Innovation principles in innovative pedagogical practices. RRI principles are addressed in the "Schools Study Earthquakes" accelerator:
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Governance |
Students have the support and feedback of a wide range of stakeholders, with whom they share the responsibility of the activity, its evolution and the conclusions drawn in relation to the study of earthquakes. Students for example are in continuous contact with some stakeholders, such as experts, with whom they meet with the objective of sharing the responsibility of designing their actions but also their findings. |
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Public engagement |
Different stakeholders participate throughout the project in order to enrich the results obtained in their development. In addition, students are in contact with other OSOS Schools Participants, creating a network to exchange content around seismology. Students contact families and members of the societies (to know and understand their stance towards the different issues of earthquakes) but also experts (to understand the more scientific details of these natural phenomena). |
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Gender equality |
Girls and boys equally participate and share their ideas. Students work on the issues related to earthquakes that correspond to both men and women, providing an equal vision of the problems. |
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Science Education |
The "Schools Study Earthquakes" accelerator engages students in employing real‐problem solving skills, handling and studying situations, and participating in meaningful and motivating science inquiry activities |
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Ethics |
Students understand how to manage real data and are able to know the importance of working and experimenting with this type of information, reflecting on the need to provide full mechanisms for scientific research. While working with real earthquake data, students value the integrity of these data and the importance of being responsible for its use, as well as for the conclusions and results extracted. |
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Open Access |
Society is not aware of the reality of earthquakes in their environment, so this Accelerator plays a very important role in disseminating intermediate results and conclusions to the public. Students are able to elaborate these materials and share them openly, and completely free of charge, to all those sectors that may be interested (such as neighbors and families). |
2nd High School of Kalamaria
website:
e-mail: mail@2lyk-kalam.thess.sch.gr