PHYSICSKIT 4STEM
Promoting gender equality in science.
Project period: December 2020 – November 2022
Target group:
– Students 10-15 years of age, with a special focus on female students
– Teachers of physics in primary and secondary education
Coordinator: ECAM-EPMI (France)
Partners of the project: Pistes Solidaires (France), ECAM-EPMI (France), Emphasys (Cyprus), AKNOW (Greece), Atermon (Netherlands), Schole (Portugal)
Website: see the website
The context:
When considering the rate of female graduates from higher education in science during the period of 2015-2017, Europe is not visible in the top 10, with the exception of the Netherlands and the over-sea territory of Saint-Martin. According to the UN Economic and Social Council, the first contact with science is a determining factor in these statistics. This project aims to foster the interest of young people aged 11 to 15 in science, especially among young girls, whose numbers are small in this field of study. Thanks to the development of tools and training kits, the long-term objective is to increase the number of girls who will become scientists.
The objectives:
– To strengthen the teaching skills of STEM educators by offering a hands-on approach to teach physics through DIY electronic kits
– To advocate gender-balanced STEM classrooms and encourage young girls to follow STEM subjects in future education and careers
The results:
PhysicsKIT4STEM has had two main intellectual outputs designed to engage young learners from the start: PhysicsKIT Educational Backpack and PhysicsKIT Club.
The PhysicsKIT Educational Backpack includes a Physics Curriculum and a PhysicsKIT. The curriculum covers aspects such as motion and forces, conservation of energy and momentum, electricity and magnetism, waves, and gravity, and is complimented by a glossary of key words and expression that is presented in a simple, easy to understand manner. The PhysicsKIT is a wooden, do-it-yourself console including a variety of sensors and electronic components that can be used by children to learn simple programming, experiment with sensors, and simulate phenomena.
The PhysicsKIT Club includes an Educator’s Handbook and several PhysicsKIT lesson plans, all designed to engage the users in the learning process and to offer an enhanced learning experience through motivational workflows and gamification mechanisms. Each lesson plan includes several DIY kits that use material provided in the classroom to transform concepts of physics into responsive experiments.
Find these materials here.