The EU-funded project, Ark of Inquiry: Inquiry Awards for Youth over Europe, is pleased to present its compliments to the policy-makers from the 12 participating countries in this ambitious European project at the 7th World Science Forum, held 4-7 November 2015 in Budapest, Hungary.
Policy-makers will get a first sneak peak of how the Ark of Inquiry project brings together the innovative concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and inquiry-based science education.
They will have the unique opportunity to be the first to learn about training opportunities Ark of Inquiry offers for teachers in their countries as it immerses itself into the pilot phase this fall and into full implementation next year in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, and Turkey.
Led by the University of Tartu, Estonia, the 13-member consortium of the Ark of Inquiry project seeks to create a "new science classroom" in Europe, responding to the emerging challenge to fulfil the need for increased responsible research and innovation in future generations.
"Traditional methods of teaching science in Europe are proving ineffective in motivating students to seek out careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, especially girls," notes Project Consortium leader, Margus Pedaste, professor at the University of Tartu and lead author of a series of academic papers that study the possibilities offered by inquiry-based science education. "We have found that applying inquiry-based learning methodologies in the classroom allows teachers to engage their students by creating a real-life learning experience, which stimulates their pupils' interest in science and encourages them to reflect more on the relationship between science and the world around them," Pedaste continues.
This idea of reflecting on the relationship between science and society is a key component of the European Union's goal to promote Responsible Research and Innovation, which seeks to align research and innovation processes and their outcomes with the values, needs and expectations of society, and to which this project was developed in response to. Ark of Inquiry believes that responsibility starts at a very early age and that questions like, "In which world do we want to live?", and "How do we want to use technology to create a sustainable future?" should already be dealt with, starting at primary schools.
In this sense the project addresses global challenges and the applications of this project need not stop at Europe's borders – the depository of inquiry-based science activities that is being assembled, along with innovative awards and evaluation systems to motivate pupils both inside and outside the classroom, will soon be available to teachers and other learning supporters (researchers, parents, science centres/museums) worldwide. Interested policy-makers and participants from the 12 participating countries of the Ark of Inquiry project will have a "special treat" waiting from them from the three project representatives at the World Science Forum, identifiable by wearing a large pin with the project logo on it.
For more information on this innovative project and to collect your "special treat", please look for the Ark of Inquiry representatives present at the World Science Forum
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