PRIMAS · Promoting inquiry in mathematics and science education across Europe

This project aims to effect a change across Europe in the teaching and learning of mathematics and science with teachers supported to develop inquiry-based learning (IBL) pedagogies so that students gain experience of IBL approaches. Ultimately, our objective is a greater number of students with more positive dispositions towards further study of these subjects and the desire to be employed in related fields. The proposal brings together 13 teams of experts in IBL in mathematics and science education from 12 nations and will be led and managed by a researcher who has recent successful experience of European work of this type. The nine working packages will be led by appropriate experts from the wider team, who will ensure the successful completion of each stage of the project. Overall, our design of the project throughout has been focused so as to provide a multi-level dissemination plan addressed to teachers and important stakeholders to ensure maximum impact. This plan includes the provision of high quality support for, and training of, teachers and teacher trainers; selection of high quality materials and methods with which to work with teachers, supporting actions addressed to teachers to advertise IBL, methods of working with out-of-school parties such as local authorities and parents and summaries of analyses that will inform a wide range of policy makers about how they can support the required changes. Throughout the project’s timeline national consultancy panels and two international panels will provide on-going advice and orientation at key stages. To maximise the project’s “reach” to teachers either established networks for professional development of teachers will be expanded, or new networks will be built using models which have proven efficacy. Rigorous evaluation both by an internal team and an outside agency will provide formative and summative feedback about the validity of the project and its effectiveness.