About About the Project
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Science education plays an important role in motivating and encouraging young people to pursue science careers.
We all want more young people to aspire to a career in science, and to be able to think scientifically in their everyday life.
Yet the traditional curriculum results in too many students thinking that ‘science is not for me’.
What can we do?
According to recent research, these students lack ‘science capital’, especially those from disadvantaged groups. They may not see themselves as future scientists due to:
- Low cultural familiarity with science
- Lack of role models
- Limited opportunities to participate in science outside formal education
The solution is to add more opportunities into the curriculum for these students to see what scientists do, to talk science with their families, and to appreciate the impact of science on the world.
This is where CONNECT comes in:
CONNECT supports secondary schools to adopt open schooling, integrating science-action in the core-curriculum and using participatory-science with the community: families, universities, and enterprises.
Real-world challenges
Future-oriented support from a scientist
Engaging family activities
Fun tasks to apply science ideas
Inclusive strategies for teaching skills
Competence-based assessment
CONNECT's main pillars:
OPEN SCHOOLING enables schools to create a flexible and inclusive learning environment inspiring the students to explore the world through science.
SCIENCE-ACTION encourages students to learn and use scientific knowledge, skills, and attitudes to benefit their lives, their community, and society.
PARTICIPATORY SCIENCE increases students’ interest in science through engaging families, universities, and enterprises to be part of school-life activities.
CONNECT targets secondary schools and teachers offering an inclusive and sustainable model to increase students’ confidence towards using science, bringing them together with science professionals and engaging family members to improve their attitudes towards science careers. In other words, installing the conviction that “science is for me”.