MASS Project was represented by Karl Schneider from the University of Cologne during the 11th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association which took place on August 31 - September 4, 2015, at Helsinki, Finland. He gave an oral presentation on the first results of the project during the session "Student Motivation and Attitudes" as well as presented a poster.

The theme of the conference was "Science Education Research: Engaging learners for a sustainable future". There was the time to share own research with an international research community and to engage in discussion about the pressing issues in science, technology and environmental education research.

Check out the ESERA 2015 Conference website for more detailed information.

Partners from Latvia on 21st of August participated in biggest country teacher conference “Science and Math in School – effective and creative!”. The conference was held in the University of Latvia. More than 600 teachers, politicians, professors, experts, scientists and businessmen met to share their experience and discuss how to improve pedagogical process in school to captivate pupils by science related subjects.

Project partners participated in the interactive exhibition and informed participants of conference about project outcomes and 2nd Education Conference ‘Motivate and Attract Students to Science’, organized in the frame of the MASS project in Warsaw on 25-27th November 2015. Participants were interested in hands-on materials.

More about conference

Main goal of the meeting is to share experience on development of educational materials and planning the piloting stage. There will be time to suggest reframing of the working groups products and go on with shaping it towards the pilot version. Partners will also discuss experience coming from the project so far as well as next steps of its implementation.

MASS Workshop took place on 17th-18th April. More than 30 teachers met in Warsaw (Poland) to find out more about MASS project and discuss ways of making science lessons more attractive for students.

During workshop teachers had a chance to share their experience in three main MASS domains. They presented examples of science lessons conducted with a use of digital tools. Special attention was put on inquiry method applications in teaching science. Polish teacher could also get to know how to support low achievers in raising their motivation to learn STEM.

All teachers taking part in workshop were invited to take part in piloting of educational materials developed in MASS. The piloting phase of the project will start in September.

See more (page available in Polish)

2nd Education Conference "Motivate and Attract Students to Science" will take place in Warsaw (Poland) on 25-27th November 2015. It will gather experts in the field of education, teaching, training, and applied science from different European countries.

Main goal of the Education Conference is to build a network of teachers, educators, trainers and scientists involved in science education by sharing best practices of science education with a use of modern and the most effective tools and methodologies. Event will base on dissemination of classroom materials developed in the project, i.e. tutorials, hands-on lessons and teacher training materials.

By taking part in this event you will get the opportunity to improve your science teaching practice by collecting a range of training and classroom materials, tools, methodologies and testing them under supervision of qualified teacher trainers. Moreover you will get a chance to meet colleagues and other professionals from the field of science education and sustainability.

General agenda of the event includes workshops mainly, instead of typical plenary sessions. It makes the Second International Education Conference not a typical conference but rather practical training. Thus, your school can request an Erasmus+ grant from your national agency which will cover the costs of your participation in this event.

Attention: the deadline for submitting applications is 4 March 2015.

More info can be found:
• via your national agency (see the list);
• in our special Erasmus+ guidebook developed by the MASS project team;

More information about conference .pdf

The International conference ‘Motivate and Attract Students to Science’ took place in Science Centre NEMO in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on November 25-27th 2014. It brought together about 100 experts in the field of education, teaching, training, and applied science from 8 European partner countries.

Aim of the conference was to share best practices of science education with the focus on sustainable development; examine preconditions to motivate and attract students to science and explore (new) tools and methodologies and build a network of teachers, educators, trainers and scientists. 

Invitation

Flyer about MASS Open Conference

Conference agenda

Conference materials

DAY 1 – Tuesday November 25th

Registration participants & welcome reception (including content related activity) 

DAY 2 – Wednesday November 26th 

Introduction into MASS Project
By Bára Semeráková, coordinator MASS project, TEREZA (.pdf) 

Plenary presentation
Edutainment versus Playful Learning: New ways to promote interest in science.

By Alexandra Hroncova, Head of External and Marketing Communication & PR, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague. (.pdf) 

Parallel sessions: assessing best practices per working group: 

1) Digital Learning

Introduction by Bregje van den Brand, SME Advies (.pdf) 

• EduGIS by Elżbieta Wołoszyńska-Wiśniewska, UNEP/GRID-Warsaw Centre (.pdf)
• EnvKids by Thaleia Mavrakou, University of Athens (.pdf)
• Ippodamus by Thaleia Mavrakou, University of Athens (.pdf)
• iSPEX by Frans Snik, University of Leiden (YouTube video)

 2) Early Inquiry

Introduction (.pdf) and notes (.pdf) by Lenka Kleger, TEREZA 

• weSPOT by Ellen Rusman/Fleur Prinsen, weSPOT (.pdf)
• Badatele by Lenka Kleger, TEREZA (.pdf)
• The White by Daiga Kalnina, Children's Environmental School (.pdf)
• Nature Calender by Hanna Tijbosch, SME Advies (.pdf)
• Ecological Pyramids by Eleni Ioannidou, CYCERE (.pdf)

3) Low achievers in science

Introduction (.pdf) and notes (.pdf) by Inese Liepina, Children's Environmental School 

• Flora – decision on the new road by Chrisis Kleovoulou, CYCERE
  Studying the food relations of living organism by Chrisis Kleovoulou, CYCERE
  Gigantic Seaweed along the Coast by Chrisis Kleovoulou, CYCERE (.pdf)
• CO2nnect by Thaleia Mavrakou, University of Athens (.pdf)

Conclusions of the day
By Constantinos Cartalis, University of Athens (.pdf)

DAY 3 – Thursday November 27th   

Plenary introduction development phase MASS Project
By Bára Semeráková, coordinator MASS project, TEREZA (.pdf)   

Parallel sessions (brainstorm development and pilot phase)

1) Digital Learning
Notes by Bregje van den Brand (.pdf)

2) Early Inquiry
Introduction by Lenka Kleger and Bára Semeráková (.pdf)

3) Low achievers in science
Notes by Inese Liepina (.pdf)

Plenary presentation
Science education in NEMO, Expand your world!
By Marjolein van Breemen, Manager Science Learning Centre NEMO/ Head of Education (.pdf) 

Parallel sessions (discussion about pilot development phase and implementation from perspective of different target groups)

1) Teachers
Notes by Inese Liepina, Children's Environmental School (.pdf)

2) Trainers and Applied scientists
Introduction (.pdf) and notes (.pdf) by Elżbieta Wołoszyńska-Wiśniewska, UNEP/GRID-Warsaw Centre

On November 25th the International conference 'Motivate and Attract Students to Science', 1st MASS Open Conference, began its work at the Science Center NEMO Amsterdam. The conference was officially opened by Mrs. Bára Semeráková, the coordinator of MASS project, and Mr. Amito Haarhuis, Deputy Director Science Center NEMO. They wished all participants a fruitful and successful work.

The event brings together experts in the field of education, teaching, training and applied science from 8 partner countries as well as other European locations. Main goal of the event is to present the idea of the MASS project, share the project's experience and discuss on attractive and effective methods of science teaching.

The Open Conference will be organized three times as the main international dissemination event of the project.

The first MASS Open Conference will take place on 25th – 27th November in Amsterdam (Netherlands) at Science Centre NEMO.

The Open Conference will be organized three times as the main international dissemination event. The aim of the conference is to share the projects results and it is open for audience of teachers, educator, experts and other actors in education.

The first Open Conference will present the idea of the project and the products of working groups in the pilot version.

Follow program of our conference.

Dowload the flyer about MASS conference.