Interdisciplinary network for science education Lower Austria
Joining efforts to sustainably raise scientific literacy
Austrian citizens have a lower interest in science and are less likely to belief in the benefits of science and technology than the average EU citizen. Limited trust and interest in science are closely linked to a lack of knowledge of the research process and scientifically generated data. Projects and networks at the interface of science and education provide an excellent opportunity to raise scientific literacy and influence the attitude towards scientific findings positively.
Thus,
(1) scientists from natural, pedagogical, and social disciplines: WasserCluster Lunz, Austrian Educational Competence Center Biology, University College of Teacher Education Lower Austria,
(2) partner schools: BORG Wr. Neustadt, VS and MS Lunz,
(3) the Haus der Wildnis Lunz (location for extracurricular education), and
(4) an administrative authority (Nö Bildungsregion 3)
teamed up to form the partnership “Interdisciplinary network for science education Lower Austria” , which is led by WasserCluster Lunz and funded by GFF NÖ.
The partnerships’s aims are
To raise understanding
Our first aim is to raise school student’s and the public’s understanding of science by demonstrating and involving them into the science process of different science disciplines
To increase interest
Our second aim is to increase the interest in science by using innovative forms of science communication
To strengthen the belief in science
Our third aim is to strengthen the belief in the benefits of science by highlighting the contributions of science to existing and emerging societal and ecological challenges
Innovative concepts for science education will be developed and tested in a pilot study, and the potential for the implementation of these approaches into school curricula will be discussed. Additionally, low-threshold offers for science education will be developed for the public. The pilot study will be evaluated by an accompanying socio-pedagogical study.
INSE will continue to grow by the involvement of other (inter)national partners, such as, e.g., scientists from other disciplines, partner schools, and existing networks for science communication, and by developing joint (inter)national projects based on the results of the pilot study.
INSE is funded by Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung NÖ (GFF NÖ)
Call: FTI Partner Networks 2021
Project Number: FTI21-P-001
Project Structure – Work Packages
WP1: Establishing and Developing Partner Network
WP2: Pilot Study „Science Teaching“ (plus accompanying evaluation study to assess the effectiveness of the teaching approach)
WP3: Two (inter-)national Joint Research Proposals
WP4: Public Relations, Dissemination, and Communication
WP5: Project Management
