New views on science education, up for discussion in the Hands-on Science 2018 conference at the UB
Promoting a debate on the active learning of sciences from different perspectives and the exchange of experiences on educational policies, best practices and study syllabuses and other aspects related to science education are the framework of this international conference called Hands-on Science 2018, which will gather around 150 experts, from July 16 to 20, at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona.
Promoting a debate on the active learning of sciences from different perspectives and the exchange of experiences on educational policies, best practices and study syllabuses and other aspects related to science education are the framework of this international conference called Hands-on Science 2018, which will gather around 150 experts, from July 16 to 20, at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona.
Since the first edition of this conference, held in Ljubljana (Slovenia) in 2004, this forum has been held every year in several countries such as Portugal, India, Turkey, Greece, Brazil, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
This year, under the motto “Advancing Science. Improving Education”, the conference reaches its 15th edition aiming to create a space for debate and exchange of ideas on the new perspectives on science education that reinforce active learning through an experimental approach during the learning process.
The launching committee of HSCI 2018 -with Rector Joan Elias as honorary president- is led by Manuel Filipe Costa, president of the Hands-on Science Network and lecturer at the University of Minho (Portugal), and the lecturer Josep Maria Fernandez Novell, from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine of the UB. The opening ceremony will take place on Monday, July 16, at 6 p.m., in the Paranimph of the Historical Building of the UB, and will be presided by Francisco Esteban, rectorʼs delegate for the Student Observatory; Manuel Filipe Costa, president of the Hands-on Science Network; the dean of the Faculty of Biology, Gustavo Llorente, and the lecturer Josep Maria Fernandez Novell.
Youngsters and science, a bet on the future
HSCI 2018 includes a broad program with conferences, presentations, posters, workshops, debates, experiment demonstration practices, and science shows, “all of them with a special interest in the idea of giving visibility to young researchersʼ participation, since they are the stars of the science of the future”, notes the lecturer Josep Maria Fernandez Novell, president of the local organizing committee, which launched many training activities to promote the world of science among young students.
Learning science: from a vocation to a career
New challenges and innovative solutions in the science education and school, active learning, social perception of science, communication of scientific and technological research, women and science, art and technology… these are examples of the topics to be covered by the participants in the new edition of Hands-on Science. The conference will gather many representatives from different countries. Several UB experts will also take part in this conference: professors Joan Guinovart and Claudi Mans, and the student Èric Matamoros, from the Faculty of Biology and awardee of the first prize of the Connected Campus Idea Competition 2017 (CCIC), a competition on technological launched by the multinational corporation Huawei.
Science education is a determining factor for societyʼs sustainable development. The Hands-on Science Network is a non-profit international entity aiming to promote the development on scientific literacy and education among 21st century society. It is formed by lecturers and instructors from all training levels -from preschool education to adult education- within the framework of different educational scenarios around the world. With an open and multidisciplinary view, Hands-on Science aims to add the values of effort and experience in all sectors and professionals who want to promote a better education on sciences at everyoneʼs reach.