Hosted by OSOS , contributed by wouters on 29 April 2019
How can we get the best out of schoolyards to explore science?
This project promotes the use of schoolyards from Elementary Schools as core spots for teaching science. Students develop a research project with the schoolyard as the focal point and that goes through the various stages of the scientific process: questioning, raising hypotheses, experimenting, collecting evidences, consulting books and websites, talking to scientists, reviewing evidences, getting results, discussing with colleagues and communicating their findings to others. The research project that students develop follows the IBSE (Inquiry‐Based Science Education) methodology. During the project, students and their teacher are supported by a scientist from the scientific field they choose to explore: Geology, Botany, Zoology or Mathematics.
This project promotes a strong connection between children and science, scientists and the scientific process.
Learning objectives
Schoolyards have an important role in the democratization of the access to scientific knowledge, as teachers and students are not limited by geographic, financial or socioeconomic constraints that prevent them to frequently visit other places outside school. Schoolyards are great places for learning outside the classroom: students can explore geobiodiversity, biotic and abiotic relationships, physical and chemical phenomena, as well as to study patterns, collect and analyze all sorts of data, in a real‐life, practical context. Moreover, learning science outside of the classroom stimulate students’ motivation, critical thinking, team work ability and creativity.
RRI principles
One of the key aspects of OSOS is the inclusion of RRI — Responsible Research and Innovation — principles (more information at RRI-Tools.eu). This is how this Accelerator fits into the RRI model:
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Governance |
The local councils play an important role in this project, as well as the local stakeholders. Both entities can work together with students and teachers by promoting the idea of the importance of schoolyards to science and environment education, as well as showing to students that, by working together, these spaces can be transformed in more pleasant areas to be used to the entire school community. Science centres and museums are also engaged, as can work as mediators between schools and research institutions. |
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Public Engagement |
This project can also engage students’ families, as well as the local community, helping students exploring the science in the schoolyards. Families and local community can share with the school their own knowledge that can help improve the schoolyards. For example, elderly people have a greater empirical knowledge on plant and agricultural topics that can be shared with the school community. |
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Gender equality |
Students work side-by-side in gender-balanced teams to explore the schoolyards and answer to questions raised by themselves. Not only this project promotes gender equality, but also promotes a democratic access to science by students, irrespectively of their socioeconomic background. |
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Science Education |
Students use science to answer to questions raised by themselves, when exploring the schoolyards. In this way, students are empowered and their critical thinking, autonomy and creativity is also fostered. The close connection with researchers will have a strong positive effect on both students and teachers on the way they perceive science and the scientific process. |
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Ethics |
By focusing on the schoolyards, this project promotes students’ environmental awareness, citizenship and sense of belonging. |
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Open Access |
Students use online platforms, open and free, to disseminate their findings during the project. In this way, students’ work can be re-used by other schools or serve as an inspiration for the development of similar projects. |
Available partnership opportunities
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Families |
Families can help students to search information related with their research in computers or books, and be sources of knowledge about past events occurred in the community/region (e.g. when studying environmental changes). |
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Research Centres |
It is very important to involve research centres from the region, not only to get in touch with researchers that will help students but also to welcome students in their premises, allowing them to better understand how research is developed in their region/country. |
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Universities |
As it happens with research centres, Universities will also be a very good contact point to get students in contact with researchers. |
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Local Stores |
The contact with neighbors is very important to make students and teachers understand that the school is part of a larger community that faces common problems and challenges. Local stores can be helpful for suppling any materials students could need to develop their research, having the schoolyard as a focal point (e.g. if students are exploring plant growth, a local greenhouse can supply seeds and seedlings). |
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City Hall |
The contact with the local government can facilitate students’ access to community’s facilities, for example cheaper transportation to the Universities and Research Centres. Moreover, students can understand how the process of decision‐making is carried out, and become more aware of their role as active citizens, already from a young age. |
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Resources needed
Science in the Schoolyards is a project that can be developed with a very short budget. The majority of the work is performed by students and teacher within the school walls, exploring the scientific richness of the schoolyards. The visit to the scientist’s workplace (University, greenhouse, etc.) can be financed by the local government through a bus loan, for example. The major financial needs are related with some resources and equipment that not every school can access: microscopes, computers, magnifying glasses, scientific books, etc.
The connection between teachers and students and the research centres is of great importance to the project, therefore the project manager should be very careful when contacting scientists to work side‐by‐side with small children, as researchers should be able to deal with a large group of students and to explain scientific issues through a very simple language (adapted to students’ age). Moreover, the financial limitations related with materials and equipment could be overcome through the partnership with a research centre or University. Other partnerships should be developed, if relevant, namely with local stores, greenhouses, local associations and companies, etc.
Watch the video to learn more about the project.
Organization in charge of this accelerator
Ciência Viva
Largo José Mariano Gago
Parque das Nações
1990-223 Lisboa, Portugal