COSMOS: making science education socially relevant

COSMOS is the acronym for 'Creating Organisational Structures for Meaningful science education through Open Schooling for all'. The aim is to use socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) as a didactic method to open schools to their environment.

In Belgium, the participating primary and secondary schools receive support from the Karel de Grote Hogeschool and Djapo. Together, we look for interesting angles, such as the relationship between photosynthesis and deforestation or the increasing respiratory problems in the West. In doing so, we also involve professionals from outside the school walls who add strength to the teacher's lessons.

COSMOS aims to make an impact in three ways:

1. In the short term. Students participating in our SSIBL learning activities will gain insights into how science works, what jobs in science can entail and how science is relevant in everyday life.
2. Medium-term. By involving external stakeholders from the school environment in science education, schools will gradually shift on the continuum from more inward to more outward orientation. This makes science education more relevant and connected to real societal challenges.
3. In the long term. New school organisational structures will ensure the anchoring of open schooling in the school DNA and in the core of science education. This contributes to more interest in science careers and more socially engaged citizens in Europe.