Meet the PERFORM innovators in Paris
14-15 June 2018: the PERFORM final conference
A two-day experience for teachers, students, early career researchers and professional science communicators to discover what happens when performing arts are combined with the paradigm of Responsible Research and Innovation to generate new methods for STEM education. On the 14th and 15th of June 2018 the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris will host the final conference of the PERFORM project, a unique opportunity to meet international communities of educators, scientists, communicators and artists exploring together the four topics around which the programme conference is organized.
INNOVATION in EDUCATION – Experiencing the dialogic approach to Science and Technology education developed during the lifetime of the PERFORM project through the use of exploratory workshops with teenagers and the use of performing arts. A method to collect students’ thoughts on research contents and processes, on STEM jobs, ethics, stereotypes and societal issues related to scientific research. Three years of experiences and observations in three countries, Spain, France and UK, meeting thousands of students aged between 12 and 16 have generated a relevant set of strategies and tools to transform the way we learn and teach science and technology topics. The conference is an opportunity to know how to go beyond the pure cognitive approach in science education broadening the spectrum of skills involved in the process. Workshops with performers, educators and communicators will bring participants step by step along the methods implemented by the project.
ARTS and SCIENCE – During the conference it will be possible to explore, through workshops and live performances, how stand-up comedy, science busking and clowning can be effectively used to reflect on science, technology and their relation with society. Meet professional performers, take part in their show to learn new styles and techniques to engage with young audiences with science and technology. A combination of theatrical skills, the art of science storytelling through science monologues or the ability of buskers exploring natural phenomena all together to make complex scientific contents accessible and fascinating and to trigger critical reflexions on science and society.
RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION and HIGHER EDUCATION – How to train early career researchers to critically reflect on their work in connection with societal challenges? How to involve them in two-ways activities with secondary school students and teachers? The PERFORM conference will present protocols and training tools to foster the collaboration between researchers, educators and student communities and experienced science communicators. Evolving the outreach approach to a collaborative and participatory process involving different stakeholders the researchers will allow to discover new mechanisms for science and technology engagement.
SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT – Professional science communicators and experts in science engagement joining the conference will have the opportunity to rethink the way they design and implement public engagement activities based on performing arts. The toolkits and protocols presented during the conference and developed in the PERFORM project will provide brand new resources to conceive new engagement formats useful in different contexts: from schools to events, from universities to research institutions.
The PERFORM final conference will open on the 14th with a morning session that is a combination of performances and short talks on the main achievements and results of the project and will continue with interactive sessions in the afternoon that will allow the participants to dive into the communication and learning methods developed during the three years of PERFORM project. The second day of the conference will provide the opportunity to see the project methods in practice through workshops conducted with secondary school students and teachers by the performers and researchers project members.
The conference is free for everyone, participants will only have to cover costs for travel and accommodation. All the updated information on the programme and the practical information will be available on the PERFORM website.