GRID (Growing Interest in the Development of Teaching Science) – international co-operation in the development of science education

Review of the project

[Itt olvasható az oldal magyar nyelvű megfelelője.]

Having recognized the significance of knowledge-based economy the countries of the European Union make joint efforts to improve the efficiency of mathematics and science education. An important tool for this is the international GRID project. Science education is a key issue for Hungary, a member of the European Union as well. The experiences of recent years, student performances lower than in previous have strengthened innovating efforts.

In the framework of SOCRATES 6 action programme this 2-year project, launched in the autumn of 2004, is co-ordinated by Pôle Universitaire Européen de Lorraine, Nancy, France. Hungary is represented by Országos Közoktatási Intézet (National Institute for Public Education), the other participants are: University of Bradford, Great Britain; Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland; LUMA-KESKUS (Faculty of Science) of Helsinki University, Finland; EDUCONSULT, Belgium and Amitié, Italy. A cluster of experts, schools and teachers of other member-states completes this &ldsquo;active core&rdsquo;.

1. What is the objective of the GRID project? To collect, analyse and make the outcomes and innovative efforts of the local development of science education accessible to a wide audience. This objective is directly linked to the 'Lisbon Strategy' of the European Union. In this strategy aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the Union, a more efficient science education contributing to making science more attractive for students, developing students' competences in this field and improving their academic performance has a prominent role. To achieve this aim, national and local educational policies should be developed accordingly, and local/school developments and methodological innovations are necessary. In the European Union it is of special importance that educational policy-makers, developers and practising school teachers as well as experts outside education interested in these issues learn about each other's experiences, get engaged in professional communication, get acquainted with and develop further the best principles and practices of science education. This thinking underlies the GRID project as well.
2. What is meant by ‘science education’ in the GRID project? A wide range of subjects and content: mathematics and all natural science subjects (physics, biology, chemistry) and their content as well as inter-science and cross-science approaches. These include cross-curricular and integrated contents, environmental, agricultural, forestry and sustainability studies, and health education. Technology also belongs here: especially the areas that can be linked to science education, e.g. information and communication technologies supporting learning and teaching.
3. What is meant by ‘education’ in the GRID project? All educational policy ideas and practical innovations within institutional education or where learning activities are carried out by the age group concerned in lower and upper secondary education are important for the project. In this way GRID covers the teaching of sciences in subject classes in an integrated or linear way, in blocks or any other way, other school or outside school activities (e.g. study circles, open-air schools, museum and zoo programmes) and in extracurricular, free-time activities concerning the content and methodological innovations in this subject. Development activities like preparing students for competitions, Olympiads in various subjects or for higher education entrance exams, whose scene and framework is the school but do not only concern students of a given age group or one or another group of students. Efforts of the GRID project enhancing research and development also include activities going beyond the direct management of public education or its institutions, aimed at the school generation (e.g. health education of the youth, education for sustainable development) or the ones organised by other institutions (e.g. companies, employers, R&D institutions) outside the public education system but working in close co-operation with it.
4. How does the GRID project approach the content included in this acronym? In two ways. First, the existing policy documents and other initiatives significant from the aspect of the theme are explored and collected, thus constituting the basis for comparative analyses and proposals. The second way is to explore and disseminate the innovative local, school practices of science education. The aim is to explore the "best practices" of effective or promising subject-based developments (innovations) and to make them accessible for a wider audience. The main medium for both types of project activities is the regularly updated GRID website, which includes abundant information on national educational policies and existing educational practice. It allows getting information, engaging in professional communication, learning about and developing further good practice. In addition to the website all this is facilitated by publications, conferences, network contacts and so on.
5. What are the concrete tasks of the project? The first task is of exploration and survey character, the outcome of which will be a standard framework for interpretation and analysis, which can serve as a basis for comparative analysis in the 'GRID countries'. In this way new education policy initiatives in the field of science education in some EU countries and their regions of various geographical, social and economic situation can be explored. On the basis of comparative analysis comprehensive EU-level proposals, action plans for the policy aspects of the development of science education can be prepared. In order to reform practice the GRID project will look at and present developments that may be either top-down (ministry-initiated experiments, research projects) or bottom-up (e.g. alternative schools, curricular innovations, methodology developments) that can contribute to making the innovations in science education known widely. Through the communication of professional networks new possibilities will open up for continuing these developments or for broadening the scope of their use. This purpose is served by the GRID website making the documents widely accessible for professional forums and networks and by organising conferences, workshops with personal participation or using various form of info-communication. The analyses and information will reveal the common and diverse elements of the outcomes of national development and the factors of successful operation, thus providing opportunity for evaluation as well. The aim is to present the efficient and effective models of science education in the members states so that they can be used by a wider circle of schools. The outcomes and the developmental effects can be analysed on various levels: those of the institution, the teacher or the student. Qualitative reviews, case studies or documenting the practical work on video help deeper understanding of development factors and further development of good practice. An important task of the project is to make these outcomes accessible on the GRID website. At the conclusion of the GRID project the results of the above activities as well as the open and continuous professional dialogue and the experiences of the professional forums of co-operative development will make part of a EU-memorandum summarizing the obstacles to and the possibilities and perspectives of the reform of science education.