Science research at school: a reflection on scientific research at the Sant Gervasi School

Abstract

Despite the educational innovation movements that are currently being activated in Catalonia, we still show a strong tendency to look at the learning of science, above all in secondary school, as a sequence of conceptual contents that should be distinguished and conveyed to students, while offering, if possible, some tightly controlled laboratory sessions to make such contents clear. We only become aware of the need to innovate, to modify classroom methodologies and to make far-reaching changes when we do a reality check and realize how little our students have learned from our teaching. This paper presents two projects for the development of scientific research: SGLAB in primary and compulsory secondary school, and Science Research in upper secondary school. Both respond to a comprehensive project of the Sant Gervasi School to promote scientific research among its students. We describe here the objectives of both projects along with specific examples of the methodological deployment, emphasizing the need to convey an understanding of the scientific method and of the means of communicating its results, as well as to procure the involvement of the educational community and to promote the skills developed in students. Likewise, the debate on the ethics of science is encouraged as well.

Keywords: Research, inquiry, experimentation, reasoning, comprehensive project, scientific skills.