COMPASS (LLP / University of Education Freiburg / 2009-2011)
The goal of COMPASS was to provide teachers with interdisciplinary teaching materials which link mathematics and science. With the materials students could analyse and discuss problems relevant to society and their everyday lives.
Throughout Europe there is an alarming decline in young people’s interest in scientific disciplines. Considering the importance of science, technology and innovation (and their founding subjects) in our dynamic and interdependent knowledge society of the 21st century, Europe may in the future be seriously disadvantaged without people’s interest in learning about the concepts and developments in these fields. European citizens need to be prepared and educated to actively contribute to the knowledge society and need to have a critical understanding of the important issues (und underlying scientific concepts) that affect the world in which they live.
Therefore, COMPASS developed teaching materials that connect science and mathematics with each other and, most crucially, with the lives of individual students and their communities. The materials have the potential to foster young people’s desire to learn and their interest in science, its concepts and new developments throughout their lives.
The interdisciplinary and real-life focus together with the working methods applied can also foster the development of transversal key competences and equity for students across the partnership nations.
Classroom materials were developed in iterative cycles of research-based pedagogical design, trial implementation and evaluation by teachers, and subsequent revision as well as local adaptation. This process ensured quality classroom materials combining high applicability to all countries across Europe with easy adaptation to local needs.
A variety of methods ensured impact and exploitation of the project results that go beyond the scope and scale of the COMPASS project.
Link: www.compass-project.eu