CONNECT

is a project about Inclusive Open Schooling through Engaging and Future-oriented Science. It is a sustainable model for enabling more secondary schools to adopt open schooling by embedding science-action in the core curriculum through fun participatory approaches.

A science-action makes science more relevant to students by showing them how scientific research and innovation can affect their lives, and how they can use science to make a positive impact.  Partnerships between schools, families, universities and enterprises will be established to increase students’ interest and confidence with science in life.

Context

Our age is profoundly shaped by science and technology innovations.  Societies must become more scientifically literate to be able to make evidence-based decisions and sustain themselves in our highly competitive world. One solution that has been proposed for increasing students’ aspirations in science is to open up school through partnerships and family involvement.

Science education needs to make students more scientifically literate and encourage larger numbers to take up science careers. Open schooling approaches can make science more authentic but tend to be adopted only as extra-curricular activities, in a minority of schools or are limited to gifted and talented students.

Research Questions

To make open schooling inclusive and widespread in science education, we believe 3 research questions need to be addressed: Q1. How can open schooling increase the value and priority of partnership activities and reduce the barriers to entry so more schools are willing and able to adopt them ? Q2. How can open schooling facilitate the interaction between all partners (science professionals, teachers, students and their families) to result in effective learning experiences linked to Research and Innovation? Q3. How can open schooling make science careers more inclusive by giving disadvantaged students more experience and insight into professional STEM jobs, supported by professionals and their families?

Methodology

CONNECT targets learners who lack science capital, making them more confident with using science, giving them contact with science professionals and engaging family members to improve their attitudes towards science careers.

CONNECT outcomes are to facilitate partnership interactions for productive learning linked to R&I, maximise the value of partnerships and reduce barriers to entry, and make science careers more inclusive for disadvantaged learners.

To achieve these, there are 5 outputs:

1. a structured partnership system to give partners a step-by-step process to follow, with induction and coaching

2. a partners-projects database to provide participants with information and best practice guidance about partnership options

3. a Care-Know-Do framework for embedding a science-action within a science topics

4. Customizable project resources about future orientated scenarios

5. Partnership policies for schools, universities and enterprises.

CONNECT is coordinated by Dr  Okada (PI and Scientific Leader); Prof.  Oates (coordinator of WP8 Ethics), Prof. Whitelock and Edwards ( coordinators of WP7  Evaluation with Implementation in the UK).

CONNECT will create partnerships in Europe , Africa and South America  including 1,000 teachers and 500 science professionals. It will spread to new organisations by establishing a persuasive evidence base and disseminate science-actions globally.

Previous projects

weSPOT – Working Environment with Social Personal and Open technologies (2013 – 2015)

ENGAGE – Engaging the next generation for active engagement in Science (2014 – 2020)

Funder

European Commission. Grant Agreement ID: 872814

Partners

• Greece EXUS SOFTWARE MONOPROSOPI ETAIRIA PERIORISMENIS EVTHINIS PERIFERIAKI DIEFTHINSI PROTOVATHMIAS KAI DEFTEROVATHMIAS EKPAIDEFSIS KRITIS

• UK THE OPEN UNIVERSITY MASTERY SCIENCE LTD

• Spain FUNDACIO PRIVADA INSTITUT DE RECERCA DE LA SIDA-CAIXA

• Romania UNIVERSITATEA VALAHIA TARGOVISTE

• Brazil UNIVERSIDADE DO ESTADO DA BAHIA ASSOCIACAO PARANAENSE DE CULTURA APC

• Denmark FONDEN TEKNOLOGIRADET

• Portugal GLOBAZ, S.A.