Scientific Investigation Program for secondary school students
Leading team
Dr. Zahava Scherz
Prof. Bat Sheva Eylon
Postdocs and students
Miri Oren (MSc.)
R&D team
Miri Oren (MSc.)
Summary
"Investigation into Science and Technology (IST)" program was designed to enhance inquiry skills and to bring school students into contact with science and technology "in action" as well as with scientists and technologists in their workplaces. Teams of students are engaged in laboratories and factories to observe, interview, and partially participate in scientific research of their interest. Subsequently, the information they gather is processed, analyzed, and finally presented to other students.
In the past 10 years the IST activity has been implemented by many secondary school classes in the Weizmann Institute laboratories and elsewhere, with the guidance of young researchers.
Research on students' images on science, scientists and the scientific workplace indicated students' preconceptions about science were significantly altered from superficial, stereotypic and vague images to correct, rational and open-minded images.
Related articles
- Scherz Z.* and Oren M. "How to Change Students' images of science and Technolog ". Science Education, Vol. 90, No.6, 965-985, 2006.
Related materials (in Hebrew)
- Scherz Z. and Oren M., "Investigation into Science and Technology", The Weizmann Institute of Science (Student book & Teacher guide), 121 pgs, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 2003 (in Hebrew).