Waking up scientific vocations

Abstract

Schools must promote scientific vocations designing teaching-learning strategies that involve teachers, pupils, scientists and the students’ families. Keen on this idea we have developed a didactic participative design to promote science learning in students of primary and secondary schools. With the collaboration of teachers from three primary schools in Nelson (New Zealand) and three high schools (secondary education) in Asturias (Spain), educational sessions were organized where scientists posed research challenges to 323 students. While they were learning key concepts about science they were instructed about basic scientific methodologies with the aim that they could carry out some research by themselves, both individually and in groups. The transfer of knowledge acquired during the sessions transcended the school environment because students shared their research with their families. Scientific vocation can be worked up in the educational environment by changing the teaching methodology and introducing current and relevant scientific topics. Teachers should count on the active participation of scientists for this. When the students of these educational levels are involved in real research their scientific vocation is stimulated, as is the transfer of scientific knowledge to the families. Keywords: Science education, project-based learning, cooperative learning, teaching methods