Current challenges of science: from research centres to the classroom

by Virginia Greco

The ICN2 took part in a science education activity organised by CESIRE and oriented to high school teachers. Its aim was to introduce relevant research centres active in Catalonia to the teachers and provide them with new ideas and material to design learning experiences for their students.

The CESIRE, which is Centre for Specific Pedagogical Resources for the Support of Educational Innovation and Research of the Department of Education of the Generalitat de Catalunya, is providing a training course to secondary school teachers dedicated to "Current challenges of science".

The third session of this training programme, titled "From research centres to the classroom", took place on Friday 10th March, with the collaboration of communication representatives from six research centres from Catalonia –the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB), the Institute for High Energy Physics (IFAE), and the ALBA Synchrotron. They introduced the institutes, explained their current lines of research and their educational programmes. Each of them also launched a challenge to inspire teachers in the design of novel learning experiences. Àlex Argemí, Head of the Marketing and Communication Department, took part in the event for the ICN2.

Here you can find the presentations from the various centres with videos, virtual laboratories and other educational proposals.

The ICN2 recognises the important role of education and contributes to various didactic initiatives at different levels. In addition, the ICN2 whose one of the driving forces behind the development of the NanoEduca programme, which includes a collection of interactive and hands-on experiences designed to introduce nanoscience and nanotechnology to secondary and high school students and teachers. The other centres that made this initiative possible are the University of Barcelona (UB), the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and CESIRE.