5th International Conference on


Hands-on Science

 

Conference Details

 

The 5th International Conference on Hands-on Science, HSCI2008, will be held in the science center of Pernambuco, Espaço Ciência, at the UNESCO World Heritage town of Olinda, Recife, in northeast Brazil from October 13 to 17, 2008.

In the footsteps of our successful previous conferences HSCI’2004 in Ljubljana and HSCI’2005 in CreteHSCI’2006 at the University of Minho in Braga, and HSCI'2007 at the University of Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal, attended by over 800 participants from 45 countries on 5 continents, with nearly five hundred different interesting and meaningful presentations, the 2008 Conference will again provide an ideal opportunity for presentation and open friendly discussion of all kinds of ideas experiences and works related to Science Education.

For the first time the annual conference of the International Association Hands-on Science Network will take place outside the European Union. In Brazil very interesting pedagogical experiences were developed along the years. The open friendly spirit and enthusiasm of Brazilian teachers and educators, and the welcome environment of Brazil' "nordeste", guarantee the ideal conditions for an excellent profitable an enjoyable time for all participants.

Open to  contributions in all relevant subjects we will focus this year "Formal and Informal Science Education".

 

The general aim of the Conference is to promote an open broad open and friendly exchange of experiences on good practices, syllabus and policy matters, social factors and the learning of science, and all other issues related to Science Education and its development…

 

through an enlarged use of hands-on experiments in the classroom

 

…towards a better Science Education….

 

Proposals are invited for oral or poster presentations, workshops and group discussions, international cooperation project proposals, hands-on experiments demonstration sessions and Science Fair booths and exhibitions (all accepted contributions will be published in electronic format and in printed form).

 

Topics

 

The Conference will cover the largest variety of topics relevant to Science Education.

 

All fields of Science and Technology are covered: Physics, Chemistry, Geography, Biology, Life Science, Geology, Zoology, Botanic, Ecology, Archeology, Astrophysics, Mathematics, Robotics, Computer Science, Sociology, Psychology, Health Sciences

 

A few reference topics (other to be added on participants’ suggestion):

 

§         Science education. New challenges, new perspectives, innovative solutions.

§         The role of Science in School’ education.

§         International cooperation in Science Education.

§         Science and development. Constraints and perspectives.

§         Life-long learning of science.

§         Interculturality in Science Education

§         Informal and non formal learning of Science.

§         Science Museums and Centers

§         Scientific literacy.

§         The access of women to science.

§         Science, citizenship, ethics and social responsibility.

§         Life-long learning, science education and intergenerational dialogue

§         Hands-on Science. Teaching and learning.

§         The school and hands-on learning of Science.

§         Higher education and hands-on active learning of Science.

§         Integrated and interdisciplinary approaches in Science Education.

§         Hands-on active learning of Science.

§         Constructivism.

§         Conceptual Learning of Science.

§         Developing basic investigative skills and the scientific method.

§         Teaching and training language and communication skills, maths and reasoning based on S&T issues.

§         Science and Society.

§         Perceptions of Science: students, school, society.

§         Linking students’ life to Science or “where S&T meets our every day life”.

§         Communicating S&T research.

§         Science education for students with special needs.

§         World' globalization and international cooperation in Science Education.

§         EU’ diversity in Science education.

§         The need for and effective learning of Science and Technology

§         Science education in primary schools.

§         How is Science learned in secondary schools?

§         Science education and technical/vocational studies.

§         Science education at the University. Needs and requests. The Bologna' constraints.

§         Science fairs and festivals. For motivation and much more…

§         Science Museums and in-school science education. Bridging formal and informal learning of science.

§         The Information Society and Science education

§         School’ Science education and scientific research

§         Environment and sustainable development

§         School’s architecture today

§         Hands-on experiments

§         Reports on in-classroom hands-on experiences

§         Support material for in-school hands-on experiments

§         Computer simulations as complement and inducer of hands-on experiments

§         Multimedia ICT and virtual tools for school’s science education

§         Technologies and Science

§         Science and art.

§         Life and Health Sciences

§         Ethics

§         Collaboration projects and positive cooperation experiences in school’s science education.

 

 Types of communications


Oral presentations
Poster presentations
Remote videoconference

Case study informal presentations
Demonstrations (including experiments, plays, computer simulations, virtual experiments or multimedia material)
Experiments’ presentation at the Science Fair

Workshop communication

 

Oral and poster presentations

Oral presentations may be between 10 and 40 minutes in duration. Presentations using video conference links are possible. We expect that poster presentations will be available for the full duration of the meeting. An abstract of up to 300 words describing the main points and conclusions of the presentation should be provided as soon as possible and no later than September 5, 2008. Electronic submission is available.

Discussion workshops and hands-on experiments demonstrations

Sessions will be scheduled for the discussion of particular topics (such as scientific literacy, women and science, migrants and minorities, science and society, ethics, R&D, life-long learning, science museums and informal learning) presentation and demonstration of experiments (hopefully, also presented in the Science Fair). Proposals for other workshops’ topics are encouraged. A short abstract of no more than 500 words (with affiliation and figures) describing the activity must be submitted by September 5, 2008. Electronic submission is available.

Science fair

Schools, research institutions, commercial companies, science clubs, teams and or groups of students or teachers, and individuals may prepare a booth to present their work at the Conference’ Science Fair. A short abstract of no more than 500 words (two pages including affiliation and figures) describing the activity must be submitted by September 25, 2008. Electronic submission is available.

 

 

Informal discussions are considered of utmost importance.

 

An extensive and diversified social and cultural program will be provided.

 

 

Parallel events

 

    Several major events will run in parallel and will partially overlap:

 

·      Regular  HSCI’2008 conference

·      Workshops:

  Joint NYEX/HSCI 3rd Special Session on "School' Science Education and Scientific Research"

  Workshop on "Art and Science"

  Joint HSCI/AMONET, 3rd International Workshop on “The Access of Women to Science”

  3rd International Workshop on “Science literacy and life-long learning”

·      International Science Fair

·      Tutorials and hands-on training courses for school’ teachers

·      Seminar on "Formal and Informal Science Education of Students with Special Needs"

 

 

Conference Fee

 

Regular fee ………….................................................................................................... 150€ (300€ for registrations after September 5)

Reduced fee for school’ teachers and students....................................................................80€

Taxa de inscrição reduzida para professores de escolas brasileiras ou ibero-americanas     40Reais

Reduced fee for school’ teachers and students presenting a communication ...........................50€

(These fees may be fully waived, upon early request)

Accompanying person fee …………………………………………………………………..…............50€

 

Further conference fee reduction and other financial support (travel, lodging…) may be awarded upon request for works of exceptional quality and significance. All requests should be made as soon as possible before June 27, 2008.

 

Regular registration includes: lunch and coffee breaks, welcome reception, conference dinner; CDROM and or DVD and paper copy of the conference proceedings; Access to all sessions, workshops and tutorials (subjected to previous registration -email mailto:mfcosta@fisica.uminho.pt after electronic registration-. Limited places available. First come basis).

Reduced fee registration may not include meals, dinner or paper copy of the conference proceedings.

 

A taxa de inscrição será integralmente anulada para professores locais (dos ensinos pre-primário, básico e secundário) que  prescindam de participação no programa social, das refeições e do livro de proceedings (o CDrom será distribuido a todos). A inscrição é, em qualquer caso, necessária.

 

 .

Deadlines

 

Abstract’ submission deadline:……………………….…....……...……JULY 25, 2008

Until September 15 late submissions will be accepted depending on space availability and on the quality of the work submitted (no fee reduction will be awarded after July 1st).

Notification of acceptance: …..  up to 2 week from submission or in 48 hours for submissions after July 25

 

Deadline (final) for submission of manuscripts: . ………………...…..September 15, 2008

 

 

Language

 

English is the official language of the Conference. Partial support will be given in other languages (French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese) in some workshops and discussion groups.

Abstracts received before the 15th June will also be translated into English, as it will happen with a selection of the best manuscripts submitted.

 

 

Travel and accommodation

 

Contacts

 

Inquiries should be addressed to the Conference Chair, Professor Manuel Filipe Costa, Universidade do Minho, Departmento de Física, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal,

Phone: +351253604334/20, Fax: +351253678981, Email: mfcosta@fisica.uminho.pt or mfcosta.hsci@gmail.com,

or,

directly to the local organization (A. C. Pavão (Vice-chair): pavao@ufpe.br, fdupuis@terra.com.br; Espaço Ciência, HSCI2008, Complexo de Salgadinho s/n - Parque 2, CEP: 53111-970 - Olinda, PE, Brasil)