Helping pupils build strong science foundations

🔬In May, the European School Education Platform explored how science education shapes the next generation to tackle real-world challenges🌍

🔍 Catch up on all the articles, practical resources & inspiring examples shared throughout the month🔗bit.ly/4l06gVw

Authors:

Editorial team

Vanessa Loring / Pexels

Success in science lessons isn’t about memorising facts or formulas – it is about equipping learners with the tools they need to analyse, question and discover. These tools are basic science skills, and they are at the heart of meaningful science learning.

Strong science skills help pupils analyse evidence, make informed choices and approach real-life challenges with curiosity and confidence. These skills are the stepping stones to deeper scientific understanding and open the door to future study and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Science is for everyone  

Due to stereotypes or cultural expectations, science lessons or STEM careers can seem exclusive to some pupils. It is important to ensure everyone has the chance to develop their scientific thinking and find their own points of interest. In our articles, we discuss the importance of promoting curiosity, local community collaboration and professional networks to support the professional development of teachers.

• Science starts with why: sparking curiosity in the classroom
• The power of networks and collaboration in science education
• How can we ensure equity in science education?
• Science performance in primary schools: a tale of stability
• Scientix – empowering European science teachers

A thousand and one ways to teach STEM

Critical thinking, problem-solving, observations and experiments, analysing data and communicating findings are all part of the scientific thinking process. Teachers have to use different options to keep pupils engaged. Find out ideas and strategies in our expert, practice and tutorial articles.

• Unlocking a better future with curiosity and experimentation, by Joana Moscoso (Native Scientists and Chaperone) and Jessica Droguetti (the Gulbenkian Foundation and Teach For All)
• Learners connect ideas when they connect with each other
• Exploring the natural world through eTwinning projects
• Every classroom can be a science classroom
• Science is Wonderful! in the classroom every day

Further reading and inspiration

Explore further and take a look at our recent publication items, offering insights into the theory and practice of teaching science in today’s schools.

• Science in School – a European journal for science teachers
• Addressing the gender gap in STEM education at every level
• STEM competencies, challenges and measurements: a literature review
• STEM and STEAM education, and disciplinary integration: a guide to informed policy action

Professional development materials on STEM

Learn new ideas for your teaching practice via our webinars and course materials (available for self-paced learning):

• Webinar recording: Robotics at school: building skills and values for the future
• Online tutorial: Addressing maths anxiety and building students’ confidence in maths
• Online course: Develop STEM skills using cross-curricular teaching pathways
• Online course: Beyond numbers: how mathematics shapes the world
• Online course: Let’s code with eTwinning
• Online course: Enhance numeracy skills with eTwinning projects