Science Centers and Formal Schools Transforming Science Education Globally through Co-design

Ronen Mir, Schwartz/Reisman Science Education Centers, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Liat Ben David, Davidson Institute of Science Education, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Jennifer Martin, Telus SPARK, Calgary, Canada

John Falk, Institute for Learning Innovation, USA

Amy Boulding, Queensland Museum Network, Australia

Moshe Rishpon, Clore Garden of Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel,

• How can SC and schools develop learning environments and teaching for school students?

• Can SC contribute by mutual understanding to science education policy?

• Challenges and advantages for Integrated Informal and Formal Science Learning.

• Communication strategies, innovative practices and ways to evaluate and measure success can enhance the outcomes of these collaborations.

• Speakers will describe the challenges, implementation, assessment and outcomes of free choice learning institutions integrating with formal learning environments.

• Participants will share projects and ideas that combine formal and free choice learning and will be encouraged to forge collaborations for launching your own projects.

• Presentations• Discussion in Groups• Report from the group discussions

Science Centers and Formal Schools Transforming Science Education Globally through Co-design

Ronen Mir - Schwartz/Reisman Science Education Centers The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

• Students come twice/wk to SC to study Science, as part of their school day.

• Centers teaching Physics & Chemistry for all High School students.

• Based on the expertise of the Weizmann

Institute of Science.

• Combine innovative Formal with Informal

Science Education methods

• Student use of modern laboratories

and equipment.

Equipment Service Centers

18 Class-LabsNew building, 18 Learning Class-Labs, 3 floors

Main asset and benefit - Schwartz/Reisman Teaching team works together fulltime to develop lessons, share ideas, mentor students.

Continuous Support to teachers – like Explainers in ISE.

Collaboration between Informal (Weizmann Institute) and Formal (schools)

• High level science and education research

• Content from the forefront of science

• Financial support for this project

• PhD or MSc Teachers w Research Expertise

• Continuous professional development of teachers

finance

teachers

content

content

reputation

Students in Weizmann’s Schwartz/Reisman Science Education Center

11th Grade346

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

year 2017year 2016 year2015 year2014

Number of Students

Encouraging girls to keep studying Science

Lessons in the Clore Garden of Science – an Outdoor Laboratory!

• Communications and Class Scheduling with many (12-17) High Schools simultaneously.

• Transportation from/to Schools.• Recruiting Lab Technicians.• Receiving funds from the municipalities, in a timely fashion.• Construction challenges.

Some of the challenges faced:

Independent Assessmentformative and summative

STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF PHYSICS (324 responses)COMPARISON BETWEEN 10TH AND 11TH GRADES

Externalmotivation

Self motivationDifficultyDisappointmentInterest in othertopic

3435.2

15

5.89.9

27.5

55.5

11

3.32.2

10 grade 11 grade

“I like Physics”

Comprehension &Motivation

Positive learningexpiriance

No Contribution EmotionalEmpowermant

70.1

17.613.310.5

SRC Contribution to your studiespercentage of (324)

2.8

3.2

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.4

3.6

3.7

3.7

3.7

4.0

4.2

0.01.02.03.04.05.0

ArrivalSelf tasksExperiment's quantityExperiment's varietyNew subjects quantityPurchase learning varietyDscussionCollaborat tasksLearning levelUsing ComputerTeacher student relationsLearning conditions

Students’ satisfaction of SRC Aspects In 1-5 Likert scale

Average satisfaction 3.6 Transportation to/from SRC

1.0

The links between SRC and the (12) Schoolsbased on evaluator interviews w 20 SRC teachers and 10 stakeholders.

TeachersLevel

Links for Reporting

Smart School etc.

Links withHome class

teachers

Low involvement in

School Activities

LeadershipLevel

Collaborative

OpenTransparent

EncouragesProblemSolving

Joint mission

Physics Teaching to Maximum

Students

Joint mission

not defined.All staff aim

for the success of the

students.

• The model is working very successfully in Tel Aviv (27 years) and Rehovot (4 years)

• Construction of additional S/R Science Education Centers is underway.

• National Program envisioned for Israel.

The National Program – S/R Science Education Centers

Thank you!

Science Centers and Formal Schools Transforming Science Education Globally through Co-design

Ronen Mir, Schwartz/Reisman Science Education Centers, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Liat Ben David, Davidson Institute of Science Education, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Jennifer Martin, Telus SPARK, Calgary, Canada

John Falk, Institute for Learning Innovation, USA

Amy Boulding, Queensland Museum Network, Australia

Moshe Rishpon, Clore Garden of Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel,

• How can SC and schools develop learning environments and teaching for school students?

• Can SC contribute by mutual understanding to science education policy?

• Challenges and advantages for Integrated Informal and Formal Science Learning.

• Communication strategies, innovative practices and ways to evaluate and measure success can enhance the outcomes of these collaborations.

• Speakers will describe the challenges, implementation, assessment and outcomes of free choice learning institutions integrating with formal learning environments.

• Participants will share projects and ideas that combine formal and free choice learning and will be encouraged to forge collaborations for launching your own projects.

• Presentations• Discussion in Groups• Report from the group discussions

Science Centers and Formal Schools Transforming Science Education Globally through Co-design