Innovative Networks for Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics Education (INSTEM)

1 December 2012 - 30 November 2015

About the research

 Global challenges, such as climate change, call for innovative solutions. To meet these challenges, European citizens must understand fundamental concepts of science. Enquiry-based teaching, methods to reduce the gender imbalance and better information on science careers can make science education more attractive. Implementation of these educational innovations requires collaboration with key-actors such as teachers, teacher educators and policy makers. But such actors need sustained long-term structures, and an excess of innovative teaching resources from diverse projects is overloading them with information. 

INSTEM will synthesise the extensive knowledge and experience of current and former (Comenius) projects and actively initiate sustainable national working groups to transform science teaching. INSTEM is unique as all full partners (except 2 schools) are representatives of European projects. It is a network of networks drawing upon materials from 20 projects and 300+ institutions and bringing together 11 Universities, 3 schools and 56 associated partners (12 from additional projects, 44 key-actors for the national working groups e.g. schools, policy makers). This will ensure the best possible valorisation of existing project results to about 45,000 teachers. 

 

The work of the project will be organised through 3 annual conferences alternating with the activities of national working groups (transnationally linked e.g. through conferences, fora). The 1st conference will bring together associated partners, structuring the project knowledge to make it operational for key-actors. After this, national working groups will develop strategies on using the knowledge within school systems, which in turn will be discussed at the 2nd conference. These strategies will be implemented by all these groups. A final conference will disseminate the project to a wider audience. Our dissemination strategy and rigorous quality assurance will ensure the success of the project.