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European Science Teachers Initiative (ESTI): Boosting Science Education and Careers

ESTI aims to address the lack of interest in science and technology through collaborative efforts among European Intergovernmental Research Organisations. The initiative includes national activities, an international festival, follow-up activities, and the development of new teaching materials. Key elements include networking, partnerships, and the involvement of young professionals.

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European Science Teachers Initiative (ESTI): Boosting Science Education and Careers

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  1. Background • Partners • National activities • International Festival • Follow-up activities • The future - ESTI

  2. Background • Wide-spread public lack of interest in science and technology, despite increasing dependence on high-tech devices/facilities • Dramatically increasing pace of scientific discovery • Worrying level of scientific literacy among European public • Falling teacher and student numbers, especially in “hard” scientific disciplines, like the ones represented by the EIROforum • Leads to fewer people qualified to pursue careers in scientific research and engineering : a direct and recognised threat to the future of Europe and, implicitly, of the EIROforum

  3. Background • EIROforum educational projects to date: • “Physics on Stage” (2000) • “Life in the Universe” (2001) • “Physics on Stage 2” (2002) • “Sci-Tech – Couldn’t be without it!” (2002) • “Physics on Stage 3” (2003)

  4. Partners A coordination and collaboration group of seven major European Intergovernmental Research Organisations

  5. National activities • Carried out by National Steering Committees in 22 countries • theme: ‘The Physics of Life’ - encompassing all the natural sciences in an interdisciplinary approach. •  national competitions • local and national events • activities attached to existing national science fairs

  6. Physics on Stage 3 festival 8-15 Nov 2003 ESTEC, Noordwijk, NL • 400 participants from ~30 countries • intensive exchange of information, materials and best practice • VIP visitors from European Commission, national ministries and research organisations • identification of problems in physics education and recommendations to improve the situation

  7. The fair • national stands from participating countries, displaying the best projects identified through the national activities • marketplace of ideas, materials, demonstrations and teaching methods • forum for informal discussion and collaboration • educational publishers interact with delegates

  8. Performances and presentations • given by representatives from participating countries • covering a wide range of topics inspired by the theme “Physics and Life”

  9. Workshops and other elements • 12-15 workshops on themes proposed by national steering committees • seminars on current topics of European research • European Science Teaching Awards presented to outstanding participants • impact evaluation study carried out in all participating countries

  10. Follow-up activities • publication of the proceedings and workshop recommendations, • video report • publication of online archive of the educational material identified through the project, • professional evaluation of project impact • follow-up meetings on a national level • continuation of key workshops

  11. The future - ESTI An EIROforum ‘European Science Teachers Initiative’ to: • Assist the European teaching community to improve science education, thereby raising interest in science and technology and improving science literacy. • Make available the unique, combined expertise of the European Intergovernmental Research Organisations in their respective scientific fields to the European scientific teaching community. • Identify and monitor trends related to the current crisis in the choice of scientific careers and scientific literacy observed in Europe.

  12. The future - ESTI Key elements: • Several partners (world leaders in their fields) collaborating and pooling their resources to help resolving a major socio-scientific problem. • Networking that expands beyond the institutional and scientific borders of the individual organisations and involve existing educational networks. •  Development and dissemination of new educational tools, possibly in collaboration with private-sector enterprises. • Young professionals placed at an important European-level interface between science and society, and also “integrating” related EIRO efforts • Assessments and relevant statistical information will provide decision-makers with valuable information about European science teaching

  13. The future - ESTI • Core Tasks • Funded national activities and events • Annual festivals, e.g., “Science on Stage” • Online resource archive • European Science Teaching Award • Parallel Projects • Teachers Exchange Programme • Teacher placements within EIROs • Teacher courses (summer schools) about EIRO research • Creation and dissemination of new teaching materials

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