Teacher ownership is crucial for the sustainability of science education reform efforts. This paper discusses participatory design as a bottom-up approach for promoting teachers' sense of ownership of inquiry-based learning and teaching approach as put forward by the PROFILES project. According to the prevalent argument in favor of participatory…

The goal of this study was to understand which factors, related to school science, can interfere with engagement of students-at-risk-of-dropping-out with school science and to know what kind of activities and teaching strategies are adequate to these students. This case-study involved a chemistry-teacher and ten male students. Data was based on…

This paper shows how PARSEL modules help to realize the German standards in practice. After analyzing the disappointing results of the TIMSS- and PISA-studies, which caused a kind of "PISA-shock" in Germany, and looking at school systems of winning nations, several changes have been initiated in the German educational system. The most…

The PARSEL project was initiated to disseminate teaching modules, based on a philosophical model, which was in line with a need to promote scientific literacy, in a manner considered to be both popular and relevant for students. The project was based on the belief that this approach would allow students to better realize that science was for all,…

The study describes the process of adopting new curriculum materials, which had been developed in the PARSEL project in several European countries, into the local educational science classroom of another country. The goal of the PARSEL project was to raise the popularity and relevance of science teaching by enhancing students scientific and…