The following workshops summarize some observations that the PERFORM project team developed during its activities in schools to collect students’ perceptions on specific topics related to STEM. The documents contain practical instructions and reflections on the more suitable ways of learn to listen to students ideas, expectations and visions in order to structure didactic activities. The information collected through these workshops are the base to develop participatory forms of Performances that are PERSEIAs as they are called in the PERFORM project.
Download PERFORM Toolkit 1Topic 1
Understanding students’ perception of STEM careers
How to understand if students associate studying STEM and entering a career in STEM with the idea of good jobs for their future. This participatory workshop model helps teeachers to structure an activity to listen to students expectations
Workshop on STEM careers guidelines
Topic 2
Discovering the stereotypes about science and scientists
Setting a scenario and inviting students to develop a role-play can help to understand their thoughts and perceptions about science and scientists. Avoiding direct questions on stereotypes and using roleplaying can help to thoroughly explore students’ point of views.
Workshop on stereotypes – guidelines
Topic 3
How to explore research ethical issues?
The engaging approach of a scenario to be discussed by the students helps to trigger discussion on ethics. Provoking reflections by talking about recreating life is always an effective tool to start discussing ethical issues. A mix of science fiction and real ethical situation sets the scene for a practical workshops.
Workshop on Ethics – guidelines
Topic 4
Societal challenges
What does it mean societal challenge to young students? A scenario workshop in a collective reflection on future societal challenges and their relation with STEM.
Workshop on Societal Challenges – guidelines
Topic 5
Which words would you associate to specific STEM specialization? The workshop turns this question into that triggers discussions and reflections among students and with their teachers.
Workshop on Gender – guidelines
From the experience of Professional Science Communicators participating in the generation of this protocol (Big Van (TBVT) in Spain, TRACES in France, and Science Made Simple (SMS) in the UK), some general and useful recommendations emerged that are summarized here.
The videos and the related guidelines and protocol are a key tool to develop Scientific Drama-Based Activity that humanise science and values embedded in Responsible Research and Innovation. The process can be organized in the following steps.
- Deliver the Workshops and analyze the collected data
- Extract your own guidelines, decide what you want to address
- Adapt your performance-based activity into a PERSEIA, a performance developed through a participatory process involving students
And if you need more inspiration, you can consult the full scripts of the PERFORM project.