Youth’s science and technology-related experiences outside of school as a source of influence on their attitudes towards science [BLE_STEM]

 

The purpose of BLE_STEM project was to gather information about the science and technology-related experiences in which children and youth participate outside of the school context. Due to the spectacular development of mobile technologies and wireless networks in recent years, new activity contexts have appeared to offer children and youth opportunities and resources to learn. These learning experiences are becoming more frequent and meaningful and they enable young people to acquire knowledge and develop skills of diverse nature. The focus of the project on everyday activities related to science and technology links to the current concern to promote students’ motivation and interest in these subjects and to improve their teaching and learning within the school context.

The project Out-of-school young people experiences related to science and technology and their impact on attitudes towards science was funded by the Fundación La Caixa, research grant RecerCaixa 2013 – Reference: FBiG 307687

Start date: 2014

End date: 2017

BLE_STEM project had two objectives:

  • To study science and technology-related activities in which children and youth participate in their everyday life outside of school, and the learning experiences associated with these activities.
  • To study children’s and youth’s attitudes towards science and technology and the interest they show for it, as well as the relationship between their interest and attitudes and the activities in which they participate.

In order to achieve these objectives, the project was organized in three stages, so that the results of each one of them constituted the starting point of the next one.

Stage 1

  • Objective: to identify the activities in which children and youth regularly participate outside of school that offer them opportunities and resources to learn, and the settings and institutional contexts in which these activities take place (family, cultural, religious, sport clubs…) as well as the learning experiences associated to them.
  • Method:focus group interviews.
  • Participants: groups of children and teenagers enrolled in primary and secondary schools of three different age ranges (10, 13 and 16 years old) and groups of parents.

Stage 2

  • Objective:To explore the frequency and the scope of children’s and youth’s participation in activities and contexts identified in stage 1, as well as their attitudes towards science and technology and the interest they show in these fields of knowledge.
  • Method:
  • Participants:children and teenagers of three different age ranges (10, 13 and 16 years old) attending primary and secondary schools.

Stage 3

  • Objective:in-depth exploration of science and technology related activities and the learning experiences associated to them, and of the attitudes and the interest in science and technology in a limited number of students chosen based on their contrasting answers in the questionnaire.
  • Method:individual interviews.
  • Participants:children and teenagers of three different age ranges (10, 13 and 16 years old) attending primary and secondary schools, selected according to their responses to the questionnaires in step 2.

Escola Agustí Gifre, Plaça del poble, s/n  – 17150 Sant Gregori, Girona

NS d’Alcarràs, Plaça del l’Arquitecte Ignasi Miquel, 1, 25180 Alcarràs, Lleida.

Escola d’Almenar, C/ Escoles,1 – 25126 Almenar, Lleida

INS d’Almenar, C/Espados, 75 Almenar, Lleida.

Escola Antònia Simó i Arnó, Tossal de les Creus, s/n, 25100 Almacelles, Lleida

Escola Calderón de la Barca, C/ Nil, 27-29  – 080031 Barcelona

SES Caldes de Malavella, Av. Països Catalans, s/n – 17455 Caldes de Malavella, Girona

INS Canigó, C/ Canigó, s/n – 25100 Almacelles, Lleida

Escola Carme Auguet, Port Lligat, 11 – 17007 Girona

Escola Comtes de Torregrossa, C/ Escoles Noves, s/n, 25180 Alcarràs, Lleida

IE Costa i Llobera, C/ Capella de can Caralleu s/n , 08017 Barcelona

Escola El Rodonell, C/ Major, 10 – 17121 Corçà, Girona

Escola Els Secallets, Av. Parlament de Catalunya, 5-7 – 43880 Coma-ruga, Tarragona

INS Josep Brugulat, Ctra. Figueroles, 19 – 17820 Banyoles, Girona

Escola La Benaula, C/ Pau Casals, s/n – 17455 Caldes de Malavella, Girona

Escola La Farga de Salt, C/ Sant Dionís, 40 – 17190 Salt, Girona

Escola La Salle Cassà de la Selva, C/ Germà Agustí, 25,  17244 Cassà de la Selva, Girona

Escola La Salle, C/ La Salle, 12,  17002 Girona

Escola Llagut, St. Pere el Pescador, Girona

INS Salvador Espriu, Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 20, 08018 Barcelona

Escola Sant Esteve, C/ Vall·llobera, 62, 17455 Caldes de Malavella, Girona

Escola Taialà, Carretera Taialà, 75, 17007 Girona

INS Tossa de Mar, Avda. Catalunya, 19, 17320 Tossa de Mar

INS Vallvera, C/ Camí de les Guixeres, 2, 17190 Salt, Girona

Escola Verd, C/ Joan Maragall, 32, 17002 Girona

Coordinators:

César Coll Salvador (Universitat de Barcelona)

Ignasi Vila Mendiburu (Universitat de Girona)

Researches:

Engel Rocamora, Anna (Universitat de Barcelona)

Esteban Guitart , Moisés (Universitat de Girona)

Falsafi, Leili (Municipality of Botkyrka, Sweden)

de Gispert Pastor, Inés (Universitat de Barcelona)

Oller Badenas, Judith (Universitat de Girona)

Onrubia Goñi, Javier (Universitat de Barcelona)

Rochera Villach, María José (Universitat de Barcelona)

Siqués Jofre, Carina (Universitat de Girona)