Networking Primary Science Educators as a means to provide training and professional development in Inquiry Based Teaching

Final Report Summary - PRI-SCI-NET (Networking Primary Science Educators as a means to provide training and professional development in Inquiry Based Teaching)

Executive Summary:
Pri-Sci-Net promoted inquiry-based learning in science at primary level with children between the ages of 3 to 11 years. It worked to achieve this by developing 45 IBSE activities translated in 15 languages for teachers to use; setting up a Europe-wide virtual platform to network teachers, professionals and academics in the area of Primary Science Education; providing training and professional support to teachers to help them use Inquiry based learning in Science in schools; and recognising and celebrating successful practice and research on IBSE with young children.
The project considers inquiry-based learning in science at primary level as a teaching and learning framework with implications about learning science, learning to do science, and learning about science. In this framework Children
•engage actively in the learning process with emphasis on observations and experiences as sources of evidence;
•tackle authentic and problem-based learning activities where the correctness of an answer is evaluated only with respect to the available evidence and getting to a correct answer may not be the main priority;
•practice and develop the skills of systematic observation, questioning, planning and recording to obtain evidence;
•participate in collaborative group work, interact in a social context, construct discursive argumentation and communicate with others as the main process of learning;
•develop autonomy and self-regulation through experience.

The teacher scaffolds and guides learning by providing a role model of an inquiring learner. The teacher does not function, in the eyes of the children, as the sole bearer of expert knowledge. Instead, the main role of the teacher is to facilitate negotiation of ideas and to highlight criteria for formulating classroom knowledge. Assessment is mainly formative, providing feedback to the teaching and learning process for all classroom participants.
Outputs achieved included:
•45 science-teaching activities using IBSE for ages 3-11 years in 15 different languages: English, Italian, French, German, Slovak, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, Romanian, Maltese, Finnish, Turkish, and Czech. These activities are available on www.priscinetwork.wordpress.com ;
•Recognition of Excellence for teachers implementing IBSE successfully at primary: one Award for Teachers and one for young researchers;
•Two International conferences: the First International Conference was organised within ESERA Conference, 2-7 September 2013 in Nicosia, Cyprus, the second International Conference was organised 16-18th July 2013 in Valletta, Malta;
•A minimum of four 20-hour national training courses on IBSE for teachers in 13 countries. In total 1911 teachers have been trained in the national courses over a total of 1493.5 hours of training;
•Three international teacher-training courses: Czech Republic in Jan/Feb 2013, Crete in July 2013, and Austria in March 2014;
•Two virtual European network platforms for teachers and researchers in IBSE;
•An online newsletter – 10 newsletters have been sent out to about 1000 teachers; and
•a research journal on IBSE in primary science - Inquiry in Primary Science Education (IPSE) with the first two issues published

Project Context and Objectives:
Project Context

There have been for some time, various problems with the pedagogy in primary science being used across Europe (Rocard et al., 2007). Research in the United Kingdom shows how conceptual level of understanding has decreased since the 1970’s (Tymmes et al., 2008). One of the major obstacles identified is the number of primary school teachers who find themselves having to teach a subject which they are not that confident in. Primary teachers tend to be class teachers, teaching a range of subjects. In addition to the basic language and numeracy skills, they are also required to teach, along other areas also science, a subject in which they lack sufficient self-confidence and knowledge. Faced with limited knowledge and understanding, primary teachers often choose a traditional ‘chalk and talk’ approach with which they feel more comfortable and consequently avoid inquiry-based methods that require them to have deeper integrated science understanding. The pedagogy adopted is, unfortunately, often that of memorizing scientific knowledge rather than promoting understanding. Furthermore, teachers are also faced with heavy workloads which leave little time for meaningful experiments to be carried out in classrooms. In addition, research shows that children reflect on their own everyday direct experiences of the world around them when using scientific knowledge (Gatt et al, 2007; 2008). They rarely fall back on knowledge that they have come across in traditional ways as part of their schooling. This problematic situation highlights the great need for young children to experience and live science rather than reading about it. It is thus of great importance to help primary teachers to develop the skills in using Inquiry based learning and approaches which promote the engagement of children in science.
At primary level, inquiry based learning is perfectly adapted to young children and their interest in the world around them. It is the appropriate age for introducing science education as it allows making the best use of the children’s innate tendency to want to learn and know more – to feed them when they are still in their ‘curiosity golden age’ (Rocard, 2007).
Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) has also proved its efficacy at both primary and secondary levels in increasing children’s and students’ interest and attainments levels and at the same time stimulate teacher motivation (European Commission, 2007). IBSE is also found to be effective with all kinds of students from the weakest to the most able and is fully compatible with the ambition of excellence. This is mainly the case as it allows children to engage with science phenomena at different levels. Moreover IBSE is beneficial in promoting science with girls as they enjoy participating in science activities and can pursue aspects of science more to their interest. It thus works in favour of promoting better attitudes towards science, particularly with girls who tend to be less enthusiastic.
Inquiry-based Science education has for long been advocated also in the U.S. In December 1995 the National Research Council (NRC) released the National Science Education Standards based on a vision of science education that would make scientific literacy for all a reality in the 21st century. A prominent feature of the Standards was a focus on inquiry. The term "inquiry" was used in two different ways in the Standards. First, referring to the abilities students should develop to be able to design and conduct scientific investigations and to the understandings they should gain about the nature of scientific inquiry. Second, it referred also to the teaching and learning strategies that enable scientific concepts to be mastered through investigations. In this way, the Standards drew connections between learning science, learning to do science, and learning about science. In understanding what types of practices can be included under IBSE, the practical guidelines (NRC, 2000) developed in the US offer an understanding of what can be expected within the primary level (up to K4 – age 10-11). Inquiry science thus should achieve the following skills and competences in science:
o Children asking question about objects, organisms, and events in the environment: Children learn to ask questions that can be answered with scientific knowledge, combined with their own observations. Students should answer their questions by seeking information from reliable sources of scientific information and from their own observations and investigations;
o Planning and conducting simple investigations: In the earliest stages, investigations are largely based on systematic observations. As students develop, they may design and conduct simple experiments to answer questions. The idea of a fair test is possible for many students to consider by the end of primary education;
o Employing simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses: In early years, students develop simple skills, such as how to observe measure, cut, connect, switch, turn on and off, pour, hold, tie, and hook. Beginning with simple instruments, students can use rulers to measure the length, height, and depth of objects and materials; thermometers to measure temperature; watches to measure time; beam balances and spring scales to measure weight and force; magnifiers to observe objects and organisms; and microscopes to observe the finer details of plants, animals, rocks, and other materials. Children also develop skills in the use of computers and calculators for conducting investigations towards the end of primary education;
o Using data to construct a reasonable explanation: This aspect of the standard emphasizes the students' thinking as they use data to formulate explanations. Even at the earliest grade levels, students should learn what constitutes evidence and judge the merits or strength of the data and information that will be used to make explanations. After students propose an explanation, they will appeal to the knowledge and evidence they obtained to support their explanations. Students should check their explanations against scientific knowledge, experiences, and observations of others.
o Communicating investigations and explanations: Students should begin developing the abilities to communicate, critique, and analyze their work and the work of other students. This communication might be spoken or drawn as well as written (National Research Foundation, 2000).
These aspects of inquiry show that they can be achieved through different approaches and pedagogies. However, whatever approaches are adopted, it is important to promote active learning. Children are actively engaged in investigations and involved in working out meanings and explanations in groups – through the social construction of knowledge (Gatt & Vella, 2003). These are approaches engage children physically, mentally and socially to different degrees but with the result that children understand not only scientific knowledge, but also what it means to do science.

Main Objectives of the Pri-Sci-Net project

Pri-Sci-Net was conceived in view of the problem with primary science teaching in Europe as just described. It aimed to promote the greater uptake of the inquiry-based approach in science at primary level with children across all ages between the ages of 3 to 11 years. The project aimed to achieve this by developing 45 IBSE activities which are then translated in 15 languages for teachers to use; setting up a Europe-wide virtual platform to network teachers, professionals and academics in the area of Primary Science Education; providing training and professional support to teachers to help them use Inquiry based learning in Science in schools; and recognising and celebrating successful practice and research on IBSE with young children.
More specifically, the project aimed to:
• Identify successful examples of application of IBSE and build further educational resources in primary science education for use by primary teachers;
• Provide resources in primary science for free and in a range of languages online and distributed through the teachers’ network;
• Organise in-service training sessions on a national level in the partner countries, with financial support to selected numbers of network members; and
• Organise three international professional development courses for primary science teacher-trainers and researchers;
• Organise two international primary science conferences aimed at researchers, teacher-trainers and practising teachers;
• Recognising the achievements of schools: teachers, researchers and trainers through Recognition for Excellence in IBSE Certificate which will be presented at the International conferences each year. This recognition will not be monetary in nature but will involve certification by the project consortium (those receiving recognition will only be given travel and subsistence to attend conference to receive Certificate);
• Evaluating all activities and initiatives through external and internal evaluation methods;
• Create a network for primary science education researchers and teacher-trainers, as well as practising teachers;
• Utilise the network to promote professional development of teachers through training material, sharing of experiences, educational resources as well as recognising achievement of primary school teachers and researchers in the area of Primary Science.

The project activities were built on the existing experience of networking teachers in the Hands on Science Network and other work already achieved in a number of projects that the partners in the project had previously been engaged in. The main projects identified were STIPPS -The implementation of Scientific Thinking in (pre) Primary Schools settings (STIPPS) project (www.stipps.info) and which was evaluated as excellent by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture European Agency of the European Commission; and the Comenius 3 network Hands on Science HiSci (http://www.hsci.info/index.html also evaluated as excellent in outcomes). In this Comenius 3 project funded within the Socrates programme, twenty-eight institutions from ten European countries (BE, CY, DE, ES, GR, MT, PT, RO, SL, UK) and a transnational consortium (CoLoS) established the “Hands-on Science” network to work together to network teachers across Europe.

Project Results:
The project has involved the development of a number of publications. These were mainly the 45 Inquiry-based activities for ages 3-5 years, 6-8 years and for 9 -11 years and the open-access online Journal – Inquiry in Primary Science Journal (IPSE).
1. The 45 IBSE activities
The project partnership has worked together to identify, test and publish 45 IBSE activities which primary teachers can download and apply in the classroom. This is one of the project outputs which will remain after the project cycle. These activities have been translated in 15 different languages and will continue to be available. These activities were developed in various areas of science and provides teachers opportunities for teachers to explore different aspects of the natural world.
The activities for children 3-5 years old: The list of topics for children aged 3 – 5 years ranged from exploring plants, sky, soil, water. Other activities give children the opportunity of exploring physical phenomena such as making bubbles, producing different colours, oscillations and floating.
No. 1 Planting seeds
No.2 Do plants grow in the dark ?
No.3 Playing with shadows
No.4 Soil
No.5 Sky
No.6 Snails
No.7 Magnets
No.8 Flying Balloon
No.9 What is a plant
No.10 Soapbubbles
No.11 What is colour?
No.12 Strong Walls
No.13 Water
No.14 Swing game
No.15 let's float

Many of these activities start with simple stories aiming at attracting the children’s attention and providing a context which helps the children understand what the scientific inquiry refers to. It also follows an early years pedagogical approach of informal learning.

The activities for children 6-8 years old: The actvities for students aged 6 – 8 years are a little more structured. The inquiry activities a more structured as they are designed for older children. Activities include scientific aspects from a biological, chemical and physical perspective.

No. 1 Air as matter
No.2 Plants’ response to changes in orientation
No.3 Animal responses to light and humidity
No.4 Sounds
No.5 Seed Spinners: exploring air resistance
No.6 Magnetic Power
No.7 Exercises for health
No.8 Senses and their interaction
No.9 Body covering and insulation powers
No.10 Materials / Change of state
No.11 Biodiverity / discorvering what animals life in
No.12 The world around us: shadows, day/night
No.13 Botany: swelling pressure of seeds
No.14 Ants
No.15 Seeds germination

The activities for children 9-11 years old: The activities for the older students target chemical aspects such as acids and bases found in everyday things around us. There are also two activities which include the use of robotics and sensors, a new and emergent area in science.
No. 1 Winter comes to campus = Chromatography
No.2 Practical exercise from statistics for young scientists
No.3 Pigment research
No.4 Acidic, Neutral or basic?
No.5 Measurements
No.6 Acidic-Neutral-basic: find your indicator from nature
No.7 How much weight can paper hold
No.8 Underwater vulcano
No.9 the snail that prefers cabbage or lettuce
No.10 Water, icebergs and boats
No.11 the secret of the human body
No.12 Air, more than nothing - characteristics of air
No.13 Who is able to build the best boat?
No.14 Human Body and Robot Body
No.15 Animal and animat

The activities are available in the different languages (English, Italian, Romanian, Russian, German, Finnish, Dutch, Turkish, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Maltese, Greek, Czech and French) and can be accessed on the following website: http://priscinetwork.wordpress.com/
The ownership of the booklets is the shared ownership of all partners. The copyright of the individual authors has been respected.

2. The Inquiry in Primary Science (IPSE) Journal

The online journal “Inquiry in primary science education (IPSE)“ is an open access, peer-reviewed multidisciplinary journal published by the European PriSciNet Consortium (www.prisci.net).

The objective of IPSE is to provide a forum for the publication of scientific articles in the field of inquiry-based science education with young children (ages 3-11). In pursuit of this objective, the journal not only publishes high quality research papers but also ensures that the published papers achieve broad international distribution.

The journal publishes research papers as well as review articles and book reviews. Furthermore, it has a special ‘inquiry notes’ section where practising primary teachers can share their experiences with the application of IBSE in their classrooms.

Research papers and review articles will be subjected to double-blinded peer review.

The Editors in Chief of the Journal are:

Dr. Annette Scheersoi from the Univerity of Bonn (UBO) and
Prof. Suzanne Gatt (MCST).

The editorial Board consists of the following members of the project partnership:

Jenny Byrne (University of Southampton, England)
Marianna Kalaitsidaki (University of Crete, Greece)
Sue Dale Tunnicliffe (Institute of Education London, England)
Tamjid Mujtaba (Institute of Education London, England)
Tuula Asunta (University of Jyväskylä, Finland)
The following is the list of academics who have accepted to be listed as paper reviewers for the IPSE Journal.

Paper Reviewers
Andri Christodoulou (University of Southampton, England)
Ayse Oguz-Unver (Mugla Sıtkı Kocman University, Turkey)
Catherine Bruguiere (Université Lyon 1, France)
Christian Bertsch (University of Education Vienna, Austria)
Chrystalla Papademetri-Kachrimani (European University of Cyprus, Cyprus)
Costas Constantinou (University of Cyprus, Cyprus)
Elisabetta Zibetti (Université de Paris 8, France)
Estelle Blanquet (Nice Sophia Antipolis University, France)
Halil Aydın (Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey)
Ilaria Gaudiello (Université de Paris 8, France)
Janna Pahnke (Little Scientists' House, Germany)
Karine Becu-Robinault (École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France)
Katarina Kotulakova (Trnava University, Slovakia)
Kemal Yurumezoglu (Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey)
Kristina Zoldosova (Trnava University, Slovakia)
Kristof Van De Keere (University College Vives, Belgium)
Manuel Filipe Costa (University of Minho, Portugal)
Michael Allen (Kingston University, England)
Monika Moises (Federal Ministry of Education, Austria)
Nele Mestdagh (University College Vives, Belgium)
Nikos Papadouris (University of Cyprus, Cyprus)
Osman Nafiz Kaya (Firat University, Turkey)
Paulo Idalino Balça Varela (University of Minho, Portugal)
Peter Dejonckheere (University College Vives, Belgium)
Sari Havu-Nuutinen (University of Esatern Finland, Finland)
Suzanne Kapelaric (University of Innsbruck, Austria)
Vladislava Hermanová (UJEP Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic)
Willeke Rietdijk (University of Southampton, England)
Wynne Harlen (Educational consultant, Scotland)
Zuzana Procházková (UJEP Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic)

Different types of contributions that can be made to the Journal.
RESEARCH PAPERS - These are original articles reporting cutting-edge research of international relevance; standard research papers should be between 4500 and 7000 words. These papers will be blind peer reviewed and published only once the chief editors are satisfied with the changes made.;

REVIEWS - Reviews provide timely synthesis of topical themes in major areas of research in the field of inquiry-based science education with young children. They should also offer new insights or perspectives to guide future research efforts. Reviews should not exceed 8000 words inclusive of all parts of the paper, as above;

INQUIRY NOTES - These articles aim to bridge the gap between research and actual school practice. Contributions should occupy a maximum of four pages of the Journal (<4000 words), and will be subject to rapid peer review.

It was decided to try and have an invited article for each journal edition. The first volume has a contribution by Wynne Harlen who is one of the pioneers in primary science.

The first Issue: IPSE: Volume 1 No.1
Table of Contents
p 1

Editorial Note
Annette Scheersoi, Suzanne Gatt
p 2-4

Helping children’s development of inquiry skills,
Wynne Harlen, OBE
p 5-19

From cookbook experiments to inquiry based primary science: influence of inquiry based lessons on interest and conceptual understanding
Christian Bertsch, Suzanne Kapelari, Ulrike Unterbruner
p 20-31

Design and Technology Fairs as mechanisms for familiarizing student teachers with problem-solving practices
Alexandros C. Mettas and Constantinos P. Constantinou
p 32 - 44

Book Review
Talking and Doing Science in the Early Years: A practical guide for ages 2-7 By Sue Dale Tunnicliffe
Jenny Byrne
p 35

IPSE: Volume 1 No.2
Table of Contents
P 1

Editorial Note
Suzanne Gatt, Annette Scheersoi
p 2 - 3

An ICT simulation program to be used as a support and/or evaluation tool for scientific thinking in primary education
Kristof Van de Keere, Nele Mestdagh, Peter Dejonckheere, Stephanie Vervaet, Isabel Tallir
p 4 - 12

Developing and implementing a Year 5 science curriculum reflecting an inquiry-based approach.
Isabel Zerafa, Suzanne Gatt
p 13 - 26

Inquiry Notes

Science is Fun – A New Approach
Rachel Grech
p 27 - 29

How to bring a volcano into a class
Antonakopoulou Styliani and Fanourgiaki Anna
P 30 - 31

Vision disabilities: a proposal for using inquiry science to deal with a sensitive topic at primary school level
Claas Wegner, Stephanie Ohlberger
P 32 - 41

Book Review
Teaching Primary Science: promoting enjoyment and developing understanding
Suzanne Gatt
p 42

The Journal can be currently accessed through www.prisci.net/IPSE. There are plans for the future to more the website of the Journal (due to financial issues arising with partner creating the website). The link to the new website will be available on www.priscinetwork.wordpress.com
It is the intention to keep publishing two issues of the Journal each year. The Journal is the joint ownership of the partnership

Potential Impact:
Socio-economic impact of the project

The main impact of the project can be considered to have taken place at different levels: student level; classroom level; school level; education system level; and academic level.

• Student Level: The main beneficiaries of all the project activities were ultimately primary students who have and possibly will also in the future benefit from the inquiry activities designed by the Pri-Sci-Net project as well as by having teachers using more and more the inquiry approach when teaching science. The project will thus leave legacy, the impact of which will continue to be present in diverse primary classrooms across Europe;

• Classroom level: The main impact of the project was mainly on a pedagogical level. This refers to a number of primary school teachers gaining experience in doing science through inquiry and to implement this practice in their classrooms. A community of primary teachers wanting to change the way that they do science with young children at school. The teachers enjoyed particularly sharing of experiences as they were inspired by the IBSE activities developed by the partnership as well as the teachers associated to the project. The 45 IBSE activities developed will remain on the internet for download and they are also available in 15 different languages. These activities will continue to be downloaded and used by teachers well beyond the end of the project;

• School level: During the duration of the project there have been transformations at school level where whole primary schools subscribed to inquiry-based learning in science. These schools reviewed their curricula and changed the way that science was done at school level, often making their commitment official. One particular school also obtained the Certificate of Excellence for the implementation of inquiry-based learning in science at primary level;

• Education system level; The work done by Prs-Sci-Net has left an impact in the partner countries. This is reflected in the number of requests for training received by the partners and the amount of national training delivered. While one will not find a direct link between the Pri-Sci-Net and policy in primary science, there have been a good degree of interest in the project at national level;

• Academic level: the project had a significant impact at the academic level as well, in different ways: among young researchers; in placing inquiry at primary level as an academic area in its own right. It has also opened a channel between EU funded projects and the academic society in science education:

o Promoting young researchers: The project has given space to young researchers in different ways. It has through its call for the Certificate of Excellence in Research related to IBSE at Primary level, it provided a form of recognition for young researchers. Not only were young researchers provided with the Certificate, but they were also provided with an opportunity to present their research in the Pri-Sci-Net conferences organised for teachers. These young researchers were also invited to submit a paper to the IPSE Journal and in fact a number have already published in the first two issues of the IPSE Journal created. The support provided to young researchers ensure that there is a sustained interest in the area of primary science and more so of how best children learn to do inquiry at primary level;

o Creating a space for Inquiry in Primary Science at International Level: The creation ot the IPSE – Inquiry in Primary Science Journal has placed primary science within the knowledge area of science education. It is the intention of the partnership to maintain the Journal beyond the existence of the project and to keep it going – having two issues each year. The Journal will make primary science a knowledge area in its own right and separate from science education in general;

o Promoting EU funded projects among Science Education Academics: Pri-Sci-Net was the first project to organise its conference within the ESERA conference. While this provided the project with great exposure, it also present to academics and researchers in science education with insight into the work done by EU funded projects in trying to improve the way that science is taught in primary schools.

Wider Societal impact

The project also has wide societal impact. If more and more children learn science through inquiry, there will be the potential of more scientists in the future. Inquiry-based learning in science is known to promote positive attitudes towards science as well as is effective in the development of science process skills. If more children grow to become scientists, then Europe will have a greater potential to be competitive.

Inquiry-based learning in science also promotes independent learning. Inquiry makes students ask questions, gather data and evidence, and then use this information to draw conclusions and put forward arguments to back them. Such approach to learning provides the best ingredients for children to grow up to become good active citizens with a good basis of scientific literacy. Future generations will thus be more scientifically literate than adults are today.

Main Dissemination Activities

The project made use of different forms of dissemination channels and activities in order to try and make the work of the project public and reach as many of the target groups identified as possible.

• Organisation of training and workshops for primary teachers: One of the main channels for effective dissemination by the partners was through the delivery of training sessions for primary teachers. This allowed the partners to be in direct contact with primary teachers and to help them develop the skills required to implement the inquiry-based approach to teach science at primary level;

• Meeting with key people at policy level: The partners were also involved in meeting key people in education in their own country who were at policy level and could influence national decisions taken with respect to the teaching of science at national level;

• Presenting the project at different conferences: The partners also participated in different conferences in science education organised at national and international level in order to present the project to diverse scientific communities. The conferences targeted were both for science education researchers as well as conferences for teachers and practitioners;

• Promotion of the website with the 45 IBSE activities: The website which contains the 45 IBSE activities available for download will continue to be maintained and the partners will continue to promote it among primary teachers at national and international level. They will also use the materials provide the website link as part of their work which mainly involves the training of teachers as pre- as well as in-service level;

• Publication of Papers about the project: The partners have invested in publishing a number of papers during the duration of the project. They will continue to invest in publications even more after the project cycle as they can now focus on writing, having implemented all the organisational activities which Pri-Sci-Net required;

• Keeping online links to the activities: The partners will continue to keep the link to the project and the activities from their own personal website to the IBSE activities, even after the end of the project;

• Publishing in the normal press to promote the project: During the project cycle, the partners have also engaged with the normal media and have promoted the project through media channels directed at the general public.

The project report shows how the partners engaged in many dissemination activities. They have a strong belief in the quality of the materials developed and will continue to strive to get teachers to use the project materials for as long as possible.

Exploitation of Results
The project results will be exploited in various ways, but always to promote further the uptake of the inquiry approach to science at primary level. The partners will thus exploit the result mainly in non-monetary ways, and will mainly include the following:

• Continuing promoting the 45 IBSE activities in their own training as well as work with teachers: All the partners will continue to promote the 45 IBSE activities. They can do this in different ways: by including them in their training courses which will be partly based on the Pri-Sci-Net activities; by promoting the activities in training courses delivered to teachers as part of CPD; by promoting the activities through the different dissemination channels such as their own national websites as the project website www.priscinetwork.wordpress.com where all the activities in the different activities are available for download;

• Maintaining the IPSE Journal: The partners have the intention of maintaining the IPSE Journal beyond the project cycle. The partners will issue a call for the next edition in January 2015. They will also contact those young researchers who had received the reward to invite them to submit a paper to the Journal. In addition, the different presenters in ESERA 2013 will be also invited to submit a paper to the Journal. An announcement will also be made on the ESERA website for science education researchers to read. In addition, in line with the previous two issues, one article will be from an invited science education researcher of a certain calibre in the area of primary science. All these initiatives will be used to attract researchers to publish in the Journal. The Journal will be registered to have an ISSN number as well as register the Journal in a number of Journal databases;

• Publications in academic Journals: Now that the project is over and the partners have fulfilled all the activities that were indicated in Annex 1, the partners can dedicate their own time to publications from data gathered during the project activities. The partners will surely be involved in writing publications for peer reviewed journals which will further disseminate the project and the knowledge generated during the project;

• Potential for the publication of a book: There is the possibility among the partnership to use the knowledge and experience of working to implement changes in the classroom to put together a book for publication. Although no specific plans have so far been made, the project coordinator has the intentional to try and make this project possible.

• The project Social Platform: There is potential for the project social platform to be maintained and used to further promote its use among primary teachers. There is a problem with respect to the exploitation of this platform following the end of the project. The data of the platform is currently in the hands of EXOR who has claimed IPR rights to access and there has been a legal argument within the project partners as to the payments that needs to be made to EXOR for this access cost. The quotations provided have been exorbitant and since the partnership are not obliged to maintain the platform, it is currently still online due to EXOR. EXOR may try and find sponsorship or an organisati

List of Websites:
Main project Website - www.prisci.net
Website with IBSE Activities - www.priscinetwork.wordpress.com
Inquiry in Primary Science Journal - www.prisci.net/IPSE (the site of the Journal may be moved but link will be available on www.priscinetwork.wordpress.com)

Contact Details of the Project coordinator
Prof. Suzanne Gatt
email: suzanne.gatt@um.edu.mt
tel: 00356 99820767

Final Report Summary - PRI-SCI-NET (Networking Primary Science Educators as a means to provide training and professional development in Inquiry Based Teaching)

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