DidacBiol

Didactics of sciences in Switzerland

Until recently, I followed a doctoral study path conducting me in different regions of Switzerland to get insights into the misconceptions in biology held by Swiss students (Champagne Queloz et al. submitted manuscript; Champagne Queloz et al. 2016). In parallel, I have discovered many organizations involved in educational research contributing to promote sciences teaching and learning.  I have compiled some groups of research or associations promoting STEM education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in Switzerland. Don’t hesitate to suggest others that are missing in this list.

1. Académie suisse des sciences naturelles. This academy is financing some projects related to scientific education. The Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net) is one of them. http://www.sciencesnaturelles.ch/topics/co-producing_knowledge
2. Académies suisses des sciences. The Swiss scientific academies are committed in promoting dialogue between scientific researchers and citizens and offering advice services to politicians in all scientific issues affecting society. http://www.academies-suisses.ch/fr/index/Aktuell/News.html
3. Center for Active Learning. ETH Zürich. Prof. Ernst Hafen and his group are developing many online tools and different learning approaches for ETH biology lectures. http://www.cal.biol.ethz.ch.
4. Department Geistes-, Sozial-, und Staatswissenschaften. Professur für Lehr- and Lernforschung. ETH. Zürich. Professor Elsbeth Stern and her colleagues are working on different project related to MINT at different level of education. http://www.ifvll.ethz.ch
5. Educa MINT. Plateform offering different tools for people involved in teaching sciences. http://mint.educa.ch/fr/sommes-4
6. Edu ETH. ETH Zürich. This group, supervised by Peter Greutmann and Prof. Elsbeth Stern, aims to optimize scientific research knowledge on education and practical contexts of teaching and learning. http://www.ifvll.ethz.ch/weitere-projekte/educ-eth.html
7. Institut Universitaire de Formation des Enseignants. Didactique de la Biologie. Université de Genève. This group is directed by Prof. Bruno J. Strasser. The team is active in many different research projects, for example, how manage the production of knowledge in life sciences and their consequences in teaching, how history of science can influence understanding of students or by publishing the blog, Bio-Tremplins. https://www.unige.ch/iufe/recherches/groupes/didactiquebiologie/
8. Lab2Rue. Université de Fribourg. This group of research is offering experimental protocols to initiate students (secondary 1 and 2) to different scientific projects. http://www.unifr.ch/biology/research/mullerwicky/outreach
9. Laboratoire de Didactique et d’Epistemologie des Sciences. Université de Genève. The members of the LDES mainly focus their work on the development of educational tools. Interestingly, they suggest conferences adapted to specific public. http://www.unige.ch/fapse/ldes/unites-du-laboratoire-de-didactique-et-depistemologie-des-sciences-ldes/
10. Lehrstuhl für Didaktik der Naturwissenschaften und der Nachhaltigkeit. Universität Zürich. The main subject of research of this group encompasses embodied cognition (influence of language in learning processes) and didactic reconstruction (a methodological framework for curriculum planning and for didactic teaching-learning). http://www.ife.uzh.ch/de/research/lehrstuhlniebert.html
11. MINT Lernzentrum. ETH Zürich. Directed by the Dr. Ralph Schumacher and Prof. Andreas Vaterlaus, the MINT Lernzentrum group is working with the collaboration of high school teachers. They aim to develop teaching tools, which have been proved by cognitive psychology researches to be efficient. http://www.educ.ethz.ch/lernzentren/mint-lernzentrum.html
12. Museo cantonale di storia naturale. Didattica. Canton of Tessino. The mission is to spread the current knowledge on life science and Earth. They are offering training for teachers in the awareness of science in a wider cultural context. http://www4.ti.ch/dt/da/mcsn/temi/mcsn/didattica/didattica-e-animazioni/
13. Olympiade Suisse de Biologie/Schweizer Biologie Olympiade. This contest is for students at the Gymnasium (Maturité/Lycée) level. The SBO winners can participate to the International Biology Olympiad (here is more info about it). http://www.ibosuisse.ch/OSB/
14. Schweizer Jugen Forscht/La Science appelle les jeunes. This foundation coordinates different events related to sciences. They organize a national contest in which students can develop a research project and exhibit their results to a jury. http://sjf.ch
15. Société Suisse des Professeurs de Sciences Naturelles/Verein Schweizerischer Naturwissenschaftslehrerinnen und –lehrer (VSN). Cette société organise des formations de perfectionnement auprès des enseignants en sciences. Elle publie aussi des modules didactiques des disciplines. http://www.vsn.ch/index_fr.html
16. SWiSE. Swiss Science Education. This association focus on the further development of science and technology in obligatory school and kindergarten level. http://swise.ch
17. Swiss Science Education Association. This association aims to promote natural science teaching in Switzerland. The website is really complete, offering many useful links and an interesting newsletter. http://dinat.ch
18. Swiss Universities. This institution is responsible to create common politics between the “hautes écoles” (“hautes écoles universitaires, spécialisées et pédagogiques).This institution is responsible to create common politics between the “hautes écoles” (“hautes écoles universitaires, spécialisées et pédagogiques). https://www.swissuniversities.ch/fr/
19. Unité d’enseignement et de recherche Didactiques des mathématiques et des sciences de la nature. HEP Vaud. This group contributes to the formation of future teachers and conducts also to develop projects researches. It also offers some counsellor services. https://www.hepl.ch/cms/accueil/formation/unites-enseignement-et-recherche/did-mathematiques-sciences-nat.html
20. Zentrum Naturwissenschafts und Technikdidaktik. Fachhohschule Nordwestschweiz. The center networks with teachers, students, parents, educators and researchers. They are promoting playing and experimenting learning activities from the kindergarten to gymnasium level. http://www.fhnw.ch/ph/zntd

References

Champagne Queloz, A. et al., 2016. Debunking Key and Lock Biology: Exploring the prevalence and persistence of students’ misconceptions on the nature and flexibility of molecular interactions. Matters Select, pp.1–7.

Champagne Queloz, A. et al., 2016. Diagnostic of students’ misconceptions using the Biological Concepts Instrument: A method for conducting an educational needs assessment. Submitted manuscript in PLoS ONE, pp.1–38.