Designing the Science Laboratory for the School of Tomorrow: Advanced Technologies in Education KEFALONIA (GREECE). 6 July 2004 EVALUATING COMPLEXITY: EUDOXOS PROJECT. METHODS AND RESULTS Laboratory for the Analysis of the Educational Change (L.A.C.E.) Faculty of Education University of Cadiz, Spain

THE ROOTS OF COMPLEXITY IN THE EVALUATION OF EUDOXOS –It is a project, that put an idea in action/practice –A project for the development of Understanding in Science Learning –A project that happens in different countries, languages and cultures

To understand the teaching-learning processes that have happened in four different educational contexts involved in the implementation of the project THE OBJECTIVE OF THE EVALUATION

-To use ‘qualitative’ strategies, complementary to traditional tools such as questionnaires. -To reflect (and make public) the life of the project -To involve the users (to give teachers and students the possibility to participate actively in the evaluation) -To be useful to immediate and future users. The EUDOXOS´s Evaluation: no simple criteria

Information from the Schools Teacher as a source of information ‘Teachers diaries’ to collect the teachers´ thoughts and reflections An open questionnaire Evaluation workshop with teachers (in Cádiz) Students´ Portfolio Information about schools´ activities, related to the implementation of the project Open Questionnaire- At the beginning and at the end Pictures and Videos of the students in the process of working The EUDOXOS´s Evaluation: no simple strategies

Information about serendipity practices, developed under the project umbrella. Analysis of materials and documents used during and by the project. The EUDOXOS´s Evaluation: no simple strategies

Four countries: different cultures, different educational contexts GREECE Ellinogermaniki Agogi ITALY Instituto Tecnico Industriale Statale (IT IS) G. B. Pininfarina AUSTRIABundesgymnasium und Budesrealgymnasium Schwechat SPAINColegio Publico Rural Campiña de Tarifa EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS

EVALUATION GENERAL CONCLUSIONS An innovative project, an innovative methodology Traditional Teaching Methods Innovative teaching Methods Students’ role relevance Students’ Autonomy Students’ Responsibility (asking for images to Eudoxos Observatory) Students’ Motivation Being and feeling as a real Scientist Teaching and learning Science & e-learning initiative –Real scientific work –No boundaries Sciences laboratory Key elements to understand how the implementation proccess has happened

An innovative project, an innovative methodology “Images from Eudoxos are “images of students”, because they required them by themselves (...) It was very motivating for students to feel themselves as an important part of a EU Project (Teacher from Austria)

Two methodological key elements, common to all cases: DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS IN EACH CONTEXT The use of Technologies of Information and Communication (ICT) Students’ Teamwork Social Construction of knowledge Becoming Naturalized Daily Life ICT Use

Teaching mediation: teaching guiding Teachers’ role in the whole process: the bridge between different parts involved in the project Teachers as mediators between students and scientific knowledge Teachers offer appropriate conditions to encourage knowledge acquisition and a good project development

Flexibility to adapt the project to different school realities “This means adapting the knowledge and activities undertaking to our students, their age and the social-cultural environment they are in. This means that our material and activities respond to real educational needs and allows them to be readapted depending on the development of the process” (Teacher from Spain) Project Adaptability

two clear examples

What have they learnt? How a real astronomer works Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy contents (multidisciplinary) To take decisions (measures and coordinates for Eudoxos Observatory) To accept responsibilities of their own work To share knowledge and work in team More than academic learning: doing interviews, recording videos, presenting the project to a public English as scientist language

Difficulties Mathematical calculations (including Italian students) Depth and concrete mathematical calculations for lessons plans. A lot of time for the development of the lessons English Bad weather (winter time makes complex a quality picture)

Project Potentiality to generate new, innovative, creative ideas and activities Telescope Night Camping (Spain) Lego Telescope (Greece) Video conference (Italy-Greece / Austria-Greece) Tyrol exhibition and Eudoxos project presentation (Austria)

Telescope Night Camping (Spain)

Lego Telescope (Greece)

Video conference (Italy-Greece / Austria-Greece)

Tyrol exhibition and Eudoxos Project presentation (Austria)

Thank you

EVALUATING COMPLEXITY: EUDOXOS PROJECT. METHODS AND RESULTS Laboratory for the Analysis of the Educational Change (L.A.C.E.) Faculty of Education University of Cadiz, Spain Designing the Science Laboratory for the School of Tomorrow: Advanced Technologies in Education KEFALONIA (GREECE<). 6 July 2004