Good practices
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Working Group:Low Achievers in ScienceCountry:PolandLanguages:PolishAge of students (target group/s):6-12Links, resources:http://www.akademia.mazovia.pl/ The main goal of this project is to equalize educational opportunities for primary school students by extending the educational offer of schools with additional extra-curricular activities aimed at key competencies development. This project is also intending to counteract violence and aggression phenomena, providing the necessary pedagogical and psychological support to children with difficulties in learning, developing their skills and disseminate the idea of education by sport. The project was carried out in a form of extra free-of-charge activities, attended by students enrolled in the project.Strong points and opportunities:• Each school could decide on its own about thematic scope of lessons (i.e. using innovative ICT tools or science education content);• Lessons’ programmess were created by teachers (each of them could implement such a lesson content which seemed to be the most important for their students); • Project showed students, how they can spend their free time in interesting way; • Increase of students' interest in science education; • Growth of research skills among students (students recognize world by their own experience) • Students learned the principles of cooperation in the group;Limitations:• Too much hours to be spent in the project (20 hours per month) – lessons were conducted above the normal school program so it was additional burden for students; • Too little time to carry out all activities when teaching;Added value with regards to the 3 topics of the MASS project:• Development of an innovative technology among students (computer, camera, websites); • Ability of doing various science experience, experiments, using research methodology and learning by exploring; • Practical use of knowledge from science education;Any prerequisites needed:• Measurement equipment (depends on the chosen thematic scope); • Computer with access to the Internet; • Microscope; | ||
Teaching materials
MASS project intends to identify, analyze, evaluate and disseminate practical tools and methods in teaching science which will effectively lead to arise students' motivation and acquire higher level of basic skills in science. We will explore what happens in science lessons at schools and increase the knowledge of good practice in teaching science in three research areas: Science for Digital Learners, Early Inquiry and Low achievers in Science (See more: Main topics).
Main project activities include:
1. Identification of the national examples of good practices
The initial phase of the project is to analyze the strengths, weaknesses and potential in the particular area of science education method in each partner country. It will include identification of good practices on raising students motivation for science on the national level. Examples identified will be collected in the online database.
See more: Good practices repository
2. Development of pilot teaching materials and testing phase
Findings from the research phase of the project will form the ground for development of the pilot version of educational materials in each Working Group.
Piloting stage of the project, with the involvement of target group, will raise the quality and exploitability of the products.
3. Development of the final version of teaching materials
Final version of educational products will be developed after summing up the piloting phase. They will be available in each partner language. The final project results will bring a change at the classroom level. Teachers will be aware of the key factor for motivation of their students to learn science. They will use a wide range of methods effectively and appropriately to the learning needs and preferences of their students. More teachers will be confident and successful in use such of methods. They will make teaching science more relevant and accessible to students.
Final products will be widely presented and disseminated during the Open Conference III in the middle of 2016.
Pilot materials
To help teachers to become empowered, skillful and self-confident, we work on:
- Study (recommendations)
- Examples of good practices
- Module of teacher training
- Hands-on lessons / tutorials
for Digital Learners, Early Inquiry and Low Achievers in Science.
If you want to help us to improve these materials by taking part in piloting, please contact leader of each Working Group:
Leonie de Vries (Digital Learners), e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lenka Pachmanova (Early Inquiry), e mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Daiga Kalnina (Low Achievers), e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or the MASS project partner in your country:
Czech Republic, TEREZA Educational Center
Lenka Pachmanova e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cyprus, Cyprus Center for Environmental Research and Education (CY.C.E.R.E.)
Chrisis Kleovoulou, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Estonia, Estonian Physical Society
Kaido Reivelt, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Germany, University of Cologne Geographical Institute
Astrid Hensel, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Greece, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Thalia Mavrakou, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Latvia, Children's Environmental School
Inese Liepina, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Netherlands, SME Advies
Bregje van den Brand, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Poland, UNEP/GRID-Warsaw Centre
Elżbieta Wołoszyńska-Wiśniewska, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.