On 14-15 June 2018, Scientix participated in the final conference of the PERFORM project, a project on integrating science and performing arts, in Paris.

PERFORM is a project funded under the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Union, aiming to bring innovation into science education through performing arts. The project explored the use of innovative pedagogical methods in selected secondary schools in France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Methods trialled relied on the participation of students, self-reflection on the role of the learner in science as a member of society and on values of Responsible Research and Innovation.

The project resulted in four main outcomes: protocols of tested methods, toolkits and guidelines, RRI values and transversal skills indicators and policy briefs on-line and off-line. To learn more about the result of each Work Package of the project, check out this page. Toolkits for students, teachers, researchers and museums will be accessible here by November 2018.

The results of the project were shared during this final conference in Paris in various presentations, performances and workshops. For instance, Teacher training interactive workshop. Perform: bringing philosophy and performance into your science classroom was an interactive seminar introducing the toolkit for teachers produced by the project. This preview of the toolkit gave us an insight into how PERFORM has managed to create methods that engage students in science by reflecting on the philosophy and the connection to society behind it. The proposed activities facilitated great discussions about whether it is the scientist’s concern how his/her discovery affects society; how the possibility of moving to Mars would affect different segments of society; whether human discovery is worth exploiting our planet and many more. Each activity encouraged us to reflect upon the relationship between scientific discovery and society and our future in-depth.

At the conference, Scientix was represented by two colleagues of the European Schoolnet. Àgueda Gras-Velázquez introduced the Scientix project and its goal to animate the science education community. Adrienn Pap presented the STEM Discovery Week 2018 in a live poster session. This session required presenters and the audience to co-create a poster about a specific topic. The poster on the STEM Discovery Week 2018 presented the campaign, its results and aimed to think along with the audience on how to make the campaign last all year long.

Many thanks to the hosts for having us at the final PERFORM conference and we look forward to the final results of the project!

Tags: PERFORM, Scientix, SDW2018, STEMDiscoveryWeek