Isabel Borges: Collaboration Between Non-formal Learning and Science Curricula Teaching

Collaboration between non-formal learning
and science curricula teaching
Astronomy Education Alliance Meeting 2014
Cascais, 8 September 2014
Isabel Borges – Planetário Calouste Gulbenkian / Ciência Viva

Summary
2
• Context
• Problem / questions
• Looking for anwsers / Methodology
• Results
• More examples
• Conclusions
Isabel Borges - Planetário Calouste Gulbenkian / Ciência Viva

3Isabel Borges - Planetário Calouste Gulbenkian / Ciência Viva
• Context
• New century: new goals for science education
• Massive education: science for all
• Future generations: critical and active citizens
• Developed societies: need more science and technology
More responsability for teachers and educators
“The curriculum should focus on thematic content, highlighting the
essential knowledge and understanding of reality that allow
students to take their place as educated members of society.”
(Portugal, Desp. 17169/2011)

Isabel Borges - Planetário C.Gulbenkian /
Ciência Viva
4
Research has been showing us that:
• The idea many people have about “what is science?” and “how does
science work?” is generaly given by science school teaching and is
generaly distorced
• Formal science education is limited

Formal Education system in Portugal

• Teaching the nature of science should be an essential idea
in school curricula that aim to develop scientific literacy
(AAAS, 2009).
• "The true scientific literacy" is when someone knows the
conceptual schemes that constitute the foundations of
science, the way they were achieved, the reason why they
are widely accepted, how science affects the order and
the role of experimentation in science “
(Bunge, 1989 by Castellan and Lawless, 2002).
6
• Context: the nature of science

7
One of the trends and challenges of the next decade
is the introduction of new forms of learning in an
innovative school environment and the achievement
of lifelong learning through formal education, non-
formal and informal
• Challenge
Europe 2020, EU Council, 2011:

• Problem / questions:
What is the contribution of non-formal
learning environments for the science
curriculum?
After non-formal teaching sessions
1 – Do students show greater enthusiasm and interest in science?
2 – Do students have greater understanding about the important ideas
and explanatory frameworks of science?
3 – Did students learn concepts on the subject focused (waves, sound and
light)?

S&T Education at Science Centres:
The Ciência Viva national network
Improving science and technology education
Inspiring public engagement with science and technology
Creating a national network of science centers
20 science centres open to the public
More than 4 million visitors, since 1997
Looking for anwsers
•Where?

10
• The Science Centre or the Science Museum takes the role of
a science teaching resource
• Visits 3 phases: pre-visit, visit, post-visit
• The teacher is the one who decides how and when to use
the experience of the museum in the teaching / learning
process
• Subjects: waves: light and sound
Looking for anwsers
• Methodology

• Results:
The study results showed clearly that in comparative terms before
and after the visits:
• Students show greater enthusiasm and interest in science;
• Students show greater understanding of the important ideas and
explanatory frameworks of science;
• 85% of students improve their performance;
• There was evolution of student learning about the scientific
concepts involved, their relationships, implications and applications.

• More examples
Teaching Astronomy:
The real sizes and scales of our solar
system

• More examples
Teaching Particle Physics

• More examples
Teaching Astronomy to blind and visually
impaired students: tactile astronomy!

. IYA2009 -
International Year of
Astronomy;
. Developed by
Astronomical
Observatory -
University of Valencia
(Spain, Amelia Ortiz-
Gil).
The goal was to create
an image of the
Universe for visually
impaired audiences.

Now this open source project
goes inside the classroom
using simple and inexpensive
materials to teach astronomy
and inspire teachers.

• Conclusions
Learning science has become more accessible and
attractive when communicated as a living and social
experience, framed in contexts that are relevant to
students.
The sessions of non-formal education are undoubtedly:
• a complement of work in school
• contribute to the development of the science curriculum
• contribute to the quality of learning and the success of
our students.

• Conclusions
Yes, (...) people learn in non-formal
learning environments.
(National Research Council, EUA, 2009)
AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science);
Board National Science;
Council of Europe;
European Commission;
Euroscience;
UNESCO;
…

21
Part of the learning process of science for those who are not
scientists consists of familiarization with scientific culture, trying
to fit it in their own cultural perspectives.
(Fenichel and Schweingruber, 2010)
For teaching science one has to be careful in the presentation
and seize opportunities to insight and communicate clearly and
faithfully scientific discoveries regardless of technical details.
Indeed, such perceptions and discoveries are precisely what
might drive a young student to want to learn the details.
(Greene, 2008)
• Don´t forget:

Thank you 
Isabel Borges ialmeidaborges@gmail.com
Science Centers are unique
science education resources!

Isabel Borges: Collaboration Between Non-formal Learning and Science Curricula Teaching

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