Creativity is the ability of individuals to use their minds to generate new ideas, new possibilities and new inventions based on originality in its production and is considered one of humanity’s most important traits. Introducing creativity and the development of critical thinking in every day school practices is of primary importance, considering that the world, as we know it, is the result of the creative thinking of certain individuals, and that the progress in all human aspects and scientific fields is based on the development of new ideas and new ways of seeing reality. Science is one of the disciplines where creativity has a primary role. Developing students’ scientific creativity can be crucial for them in order to handle the challenges and uncertainties of their future lives. Given that imagination and creativity are considered central to the nature of science, a good science education cannot help but foster students’ imaginative skills and creativity.
The concept of deeper learning has been used both to describe a set of competencies or educational objectives and to characterize a way of learning (or a process) that promotes these competencies. As a process, deeper learning is in alignment with concepts such us Critical thinking and problem solving, Creative thinking and innovation, Collaboration, and Communication. At the same time, training in the arts has been shown to improve creativity and innovation as well as students’ Deeper Learning. Students learn to approach issues with a critical mind and a positive attitude towards problem solving. Exposure to the arts enhances communication skills, which are essential tools for collaboration. It develops flexibility and adaptability. In such an approach the artificial barriers developed over years among subject areas could be eliminated and students will be given a broader context for solving real‐life problems, which demands the development of analytical, interpretive and evaluative skills used in many subject‐matter areas. This kind of learning of greater value to students and is increasingly considered as a high stake global educational priority. Therefore the combination of those two disciplines appears to be significant interesting, in regard with the present and future of science education.
An Open School culture imports external ideas that challenge internal views and beliefs and, in turn, exports its students – and their assets – to the community it serves. Such an engaging environment makes a vital contribution to its community: student projects meet real needs in the community outside of school, they are presented publicly, and draw upon local expertise and experience. The school environment fosters learner independence – and interdependence – through collaboration, mentoring, and through providing opportunities for learners to understand and interrogate their place in the world.
Responsible Research and Innovation is involving society in science and innovation ‘very upstream’ in the processes of Research & Innovation to align its outcomes with the values of society. RRI is a wide umbrella connecting different aspects of the relationship between Research & Innovation and society: public engagement, open access, gender equality, science education, ethics, and governance
Good projects grow from inquiries in order to solve problems, great projects are those that are able to combine different stimuli to both teachers and the students. These projects include a sound educational methodology like Project based Learning and a combination of science and arts. Students found them highly engaging because they are conducting work that is meaningful, to them and their families or communities. Learning begins with a problem to be solved, and the problem is posed in such a way that children need to gain new knowledge before they can solve the problem. Rather than seeking a single correct answer, children interpret the problem, gather needed information, identify possible solutions, evaluate options and present conclusions. Connected to improved problem solving, the integration of liberal arts and language into science resulted in enhanced achievement in science and mathematics.
- Building online teacher/learner communities
- School collaborative activities using digital resources
- Using other advanced technologies & scientific simulations in education