Description

Science education plays a key role in the transformation of education and is crucial for a more informed society willing to be part of decision-making. Promoting the critical spirit of citizenship is essential to cope with the challenges of the future that we face as society, and professionalizing non-formal science education will no doubt contribute to this goal.

In recent decades, research centres, science museums and cultural institutions, among others, have developed a line of action linked to education, consolidating non-formal spaces for scientific dissemination –meaning out-of-school. This has led to the emergence of a new professional figure responsible for coordinating science education projects.

This postgraduate course aims to provide training and support the development of a career in this field. The course stimulates the exchange of knowledge between professionals in the scientific and educational fields with a special interest in leading innovation and the implementation of scientific projects in non-formal settings.

Immersion in projects

During the training, the students will participate in the development and implementation of real science education projects within a leading institution. This immersion will enable students to consolidate the theoretical knowledge acquired during the course, so they can apply their learnings in a practical context, providing them with professional experience.

Institutions involved

The postgraduate studies are accredited by the BIST Dolors Aleu Graduate Center. The course is promoted in collaboration with the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, a leading institution in Catalonia in the promotion of scientific vocations through the implementation of innovative programs. Students will obtain their degree issued by Universitat Pompeu Fabra.

Basic information

Modality: Semipresential (60% on-site and 40% online)

Language: Catalan (70%), Spanish (20%) and English (10%)

Place: On site in Barcelona (17 sessions), Tarragona (2 sessions) and online (16 sessions)

Start date: September 30th, 2022

End date: June 16th, 2023

Programme

1. Foundations of Innovation in Scientific Education

The purpose of the course content is to provide the students with an overview of scientific education, the valorization of an idea and its implementation in a science education project. It also aims to equip the student with relevant professional skills, such as teamwork, leadership, communication and the use of digital tools.

The course content is divided into the following subjects:

1. Introduction to science education

The subject is aimed at providing the students with an overview of scientific education projects that have been developed as of today in non-formal, non-curricular settings, i.e. outside schools, and how they have been conveyed.

2. Valuation of an idea and implementation of scientific education project

The subject is aimed at providing the students with the basic knowledge, methodologies and basic tools for innovation and the ideation of new proposals in the field of scientific education, enabling appropriate implementation and evaluation.

3. Professional transversal and communication skills

The subject is aimed at providing the students with the fundamental knowledge and tools needed to carry out education projects, such as personal, leadership and team management skills as well as basic skills in graphic, audiovisual, and digital design for web and social media development and management.

2. Training in Scientific Education Innovation Projects

The purpose of the course content is to offer profound and practical knowledge on the actual development and implementation of scientific education projects.

The content is divided into the following subjects:

1. Innovation Practices in Science Education (Immersion Project)

The subject consists of group immersion in the daily learning activities of a leading scientific education institution, as well as the development and implementation in a real context of an innovation project in the field.

2. Final Postgraduate Thesis

The subject entails the global integration of the knowledge acquired by the students during this experience in a written and oral presentation at the end of the period of training, which will be evaluated by a committee of expert professionals.

Both subjects aim to put in practice the knowledge and skills acquired during the postgraduate studies such as: framing the project undertaken from the perspective of educational relevance, social integration and the promotion of girls –and other minority groups– in STEAM areas, the analysis of the best approaches to respond to the project objectives, project design, planning and implementation in accordance with standards of creativity, effectiveness and sustainability, and the evaluation of the results to be collected as learning outcomes in later similar projects.

Projects

Let’s investigate for you!

Catalan Institute for Chemical Research (ICIQ)

This proposal seeks to create and implement a workshop for children and adolescents with a scientific theme related to research in chemistry.

The design of the workshop must take into account the particularities of the hospital where it will be developed, the children, as well as the specific needs that require it to be carried out outside the scientific environment.

Students will generate the idea, define processes, logistics and timing, budget planning, project implementation, and evaluate and propose proposals for improvement.

Campus Natura

Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation

This proposal seeks to immerse postgraduate students in the Campus Natura program of the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation, intended for high school students with a special interest in the field of biodiversity and nature conservation.

The Campus Natura program aims to familiarize high school students with fieldwork, techniques for the study and conservation of terrestrial fauna and flora, with the help of professionals who are experts in this field. The program takes place in different natural areas of the territory of Catalonia for several weekends.

The postgraduate students will participate in the development of the program: from the leadership of the team of trainers, the coordination and organization of the sessions, the budget monitoring, and the evaluation, as well as the approach of improvements.

Multilevel scientific workshop to implement in Catalan rural schools

Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)

This proposal seeks to create and implement a multilevel workshop aimed at rural schools, with a scientific theme related to research in bioengineering.

The design of the workshop must take into account the particularities of the rural school as well as the specific needs required to carry it out outside the scientific environment.

Students will generate the idea, define processes, logistics and timing, budget planning, project implementation and evaluation as well as propose proposals for improvement.

The rest of the projects for the 2022-2023 academic year will be announced soon.

Calendar

The postgraduate course has a duration of 8 months, from September 30th, 2022 to June 16th, 2023.

The course will be taught on Fridays from 3pm to 8pm and Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. The majority of sessions will be held on-site with others online. The course also includes some special online sessions on Tuesday afternoons from 6 to 7 p.m.

During the periods of project immersion, timetables and specific calendar scheduling will be agreed with the institution where the project is undertaken. Similarly, schedules for tutorials and follow-up meetings will also be agreed with the course coordinators.

Place

The postgraduate course will be semipresential. On-site sessions will be held in various locations, mainly in Barcelona (17 sessions) with other sessions held in Tarragona (2 sessions). The course also includes 16 online sessions. You can consult the locations and the details of the sessions in the downloadable document of the program.

Price

The enrolment fee of the postgraduate course is € 3,900.

Members of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera communities are entitled to a 15% discount.

Preregistration for the program costs € 30.

Admission and registration

Candidate profile

• People interested in orienting themselves professionally in the field of leadership of scientific-technological educational innovation projects.
• Researchers with multidisciplinary profiles and with skills for dissemination and leadership of scientific-technological projects, highly-motivated to participate in a learning system based on practice and implementation.
• Primary and/or secondary school teachers with interest and motivation to acquire specialization in scientific education in the area STEAM.
• Graduates in any of the above disciplines working in leisure education or in non-formal education, with an interest in orienting their activity towards science and technology.

Documentation required

• Registration forms (SlideRoom)
• Curriculum vitae or resumé
• Letter of motivation

Registration period from June 3 to July 21, 2022, 2022

Career opportunities

The main career opportunities of this postgraduate course are:

• Science research centers, in the area of education, dissemination and/or communication
• Schools, leading specialized teams in scientific training
• Science museums or cultural centers dedicated to the socialization of science
• Foundations and associations specialized in science education and outreach projects
• Foundations and leisure associations promoting science activities
• Companies and consultancies specialized in science education and outreach projects
• Projects funded by the Union European, in leadership roles of project on science education and the socialization of science
• Entrepreneurship in the field of science education