PRIMAS (FP7 / University of Education Freiburg / 2010-2013)
PRIMAS (Promoting inquiry in mathematics and science education across Europe) aimed to change the teaching and learning of maths and science in Europe by supporting teachers to develop inquiry-based learning (IBL) pedagogies, and thus to give students first-hand experiences of scientific inquiry. Besides overall support and dissemination of the idea of IBL, PRIMAS provided teachers with a collection of teaching materials and training.
During the project, 14 partners from 12 European countries worked together to disseminate the IBL strategies. The members of the consortium are highly experienced in IBL, in training teachers in IBL pedagogies as well as in research related to the topic. With this diverse background PRIMAS aimed at bridging the gap between the researchers, teachers and local actors.
Research has shown that IBL can foster what the PRIMAS consortium considered to be characteristics of good maths and science education:
- Stimulates motivation and generates interest for learning science and mathematics.
- Gives the basic knowledge.
- Develops a “task culture”.
- Enables students to learn from their mistakes.
- Develops cumulative learning.
- Develops autonomous learning.
- Allows pupils to cross subject boundaries and experience interdisciplinary approaches.
- Promotes student cooperation.
- Reduces gender stereotypes.
However, the new approaches can be demanding for teachers as they need to combine the new approach with the school curriculum and to use new materials, teaching styles and pedagogies. PRIMAS supported teachers in this by providing teaching materials and training.
PRIMAS believes that an increase in inquiry-based teaching strategies can be achieved by providing adequate support to the relevant groups: to teachers but also to other stakeholders and supporting networks. This is why PRIMAS also organised guidance, information meetings and events for parents, students, politicians and other target groups.
Within the National Consultancy Panels (NCP), specific education authorities, political authorities, disseminators and teacher training institutions were integrated in the project. The NCP met regularly to exchange experiences and continuously develop the implementation of PRIMAS activities.
PRIMAS is the interaction between the international and regional level: the project was coordinated and the results were shown at the European level, but it was locally based, locally adapted and locally implemented.
Link: www.primas-project.eu