Innovative Organizational Structures for Science Education: COSMOS HORIZON2020 SWAF

Creating Organizational Structures for Meaningful Science education through Open Schooling for all - COSMOS HORIZON2020 SWAF

Opening schools to the community via partnerships that cultivate science education that is relevant for all Major challenges this project responds to: Cultivating young people s interest and curiosity in science fields (now, further schooling, towards career in line with OECD goals) Developing global competencies including scientific literacy, environmental literacy, and responsible and involved citizens - in line with OECD Education 2030 insert picture of child doing science in your country

Opening schools to the community via partnerships that cultivate science education that is relevant for all Project aims 1. Open school to the community change organizational culture inward outward 2. Promote meaningful science education (relevant to learners lives): Focus on socio scientific issues (SSI) relevant to community Implement Socio-Scientific Inquiry-Based Learning (SSIBL) pedagogy to achieve effective science teaching

Essence of the project COSMOS centers on developing and implementing collaborative learning processes with the community and as a community, in the area of science education. insert picture exemplifying a locally relevant SSI This will be achieved by supporting teachers and school teams in creating a learning community that collectively develops educational units on SSIs that are relevant to the school community and align with the science curriculum.

Core concepts of the project CORPOS (Core Organizational Structure for Promoting Open Schooling) - School body/team whose role is to initiate and create school-community connections (open school up to the community). CoP )Community of Practice( - learning community The community that is created around the local SSI selected as focus of learning. SSI Socio-Scientific Issue SSIBL (Social Scientific Inquiry Based Learning)- The pedagogy employed in developing the learning units. insert picture of locally relevant SSI

Project benefits for the school PD and support of science teachers and other team partners in the project Participation in international community of schools Strengthening science studies (relevance to students lives) Strengthening school- community connections around authentic SSIs Strengthening students learning skills Strengthening students voice and participation in learning processes

Professional Development stages Three major phases SSIBL pedagogy Theoretical understanding and collaborative development of learning unit around chosen SSI Understand COSMOS Method Learning in/as a community Create a CoP Reflection on the process, insights SSIBL pedagogy theoretical and practice Develop in a CoP a learning unit around local SSI based on SSIBL pedagogy & aligned with science curriculum. Implement the unit Why learn in a community Cultivate professional identity as open school Support creation of professional learning community Principles for recruiting a CoP around a SSI Deep reflection on the process Extract insights (successes, challenges, areas for improvement) regarding community-based learning, employing SSIBL as a pedagogy that enables meaningful science education. Deepen understanding of the benefits of OS for SE.

Levels of participation The PD process may be conducted in 3 complementary arenas [scopes] of participation COSMOS school community Teams from the community of schools (locally or internationally) in the project School Team (and CORPOS) of an individual school Individual teacher

Early in the school year Late to end of school year Broad timeline Mid-year Reflective practice Constructed reflection during (1) the co-design of community-based SSIBl lessons, (2) their implementation to support teachers in adapting aligning these with the OS approach and objectives to inquiry-based SE. COSMOS Foundations Understanding the COSMOS approach to open schooling - TPD components focusing on COSMOS core concepts (importance of community-oriented SE, SSIBL, CoP). Consolidating impacts and thinking about ongoing work Structured reflection aimed at assessing achievements of the process and the ensuing considerations for refining in ongoing/future work. TPD focuses, components Teachers begin their school year with a fresh perspective of SE. Provides teachers time to internalize the new approach towards its integration within their teaching. Teachers are prepared to participate and contribute to the collaborative work with community stakeholders. Aligning COSMOS & TPD with the school s annual curricular program and other educational initiatives. Capitalize on teachers experience during the process for refining it Teachers are supported in assessing their progress in both designing and implementing CoP-SSIBL learning units, sharing challenges that emerge in the process and identifying aspects for adaptation and improvement. Deepening and refining teachers understanding of COSMOS Assess the impact of the process on the teachers PD - consolidate how the teachers have developed Share best practices and celebrate accomplishments Establish needs for ongoing deepening and refining OS in SE in the upcoming year. Through these, revisit the COSMOS principles and strengthen the teachers professional identities regarding OS in SE. Rationale Coincide TPD with critical instances of COSMOS community engagement TPD actions will be most effective when they are planned to align with other community interaction points of the COSMOS process (e.g., stakeholder or CoP meetings). Timing TPD actions with other community engagements in the COSMOS process ensures that teachers are prepared to contribute to these, benefit from them and sustain relationships with community members involved in the open schooling approach .