SiS-2009-2.2.3.2 International dimension of research on science education

A number of findings from research in science education are well known and broadly accepted. They refer e.g. to inquiry based, learning by doing, social dimension of learning, active learning, diversity of learning styles, based on individual, cultural, ethnic, gender-related factors. For researchers working side by side with school teachers, it is everyday experience to see how difficult it is to receive indications coming from research and transform them into teaching practice: there are cultural barriers, preparation barriers, time and resource constraints. TRACES will promote transformative research activities and investigate the factors that contribute to the research-practice gap and identify innovative policies in science education that can contribute to fill that gap. It will do so through both desk and field research, in a cyclic process of analysis, action, reflection. In particular, we are interested in looking at the effectiveness of research based science teaching in taking account of learners diversities in terms on individual, cultural, ethnic, linguistic, gender-related factors.