Improving the attractiveness of research careers and other careers related to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to young people is an important contribution to generate a more skilled workforce capable of facing new technological changes that will challenge Europe. Teenager students are particularly open to the “CSI” thematic and iconography. This may be the Leitmotiv for an innovative strategy of education aimed at mitigating early school dropout and promoting interdisciplinarity and cultural exchanges while favouring social inclusion.
EURO4SCIENCE aims at providing European schools with innovative practices, tools and methodologies, engaging teachers and pupils of different ages and countries in exciting activities connected to the “CSI Theme”. Teachers from different areas collaborated in an inter-disciplinary based project that explores the educational potential of the “CSI Effect”, i.e. the influence of TV series such as Bones, CSI, etc. on popularization of forensic sciences and its use of modern technologies.
The project developed, tested and implemented a Forensic Science Education Toolbox and organised three CSI weeks with a range of exciting activities engaging the whole learning community:
Forensic Science Education Toolbox
This consists of a main box with materials and several support documents: students Guide; teachers’ Guide; CSI Cases.
CSI weeks
These include a programme of activities such as presentation of “CSI cases”; bioethical debates; conferences with teachers, students, and other stakeholders/organisations; Science fair, etc.
Besides, several other initiatives were implemented in the 4 participating countries (Portugal, Bulgaria, Poland, UK) including: workshops for teachers, short-term exchanges of groups of pupils; “CSI@school” conferences; communication and dissemination actions.
Through these activities, EURO4SCIENCE contributes to enhancing the quality of the learning offer and attractiveness of science-related subjects and careers, to decreasing early school dropout and to integrating pupils and teachers in a more motivating school environment.
EURO4SCIENCE is a project supported by the ERASMUS+ programme of the European Commission to develop Strategic Partnerships for school education. The partnership is coordinated by the University of Aveiro (Portugal) and includes partners from Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal and the UK.
