New Perspectives in Science Education

Modern and historical elements of international researches about Brain Science were integrated to realize innovative high school - work alternative activities (PCTO) into interdisciplinary educational itinerary with students that have good knowledge about basic elements of neuroscience.
Perspectives in future brain science researches were realized also with different seminaries of biology-didactic researcher and one coplanning innovative seminary with neuroscientist about historical and modern aspects of octopus studies for brain science applications; collaborative and creative activities with IBSE methodology learning in contamination between different disciplines. Students have participated to individual and cooperative working, modern laboratories activities for elaboration and interpretation in critical thinking of neuroscience original international articles, also about history and evolution of an neuroelectrophysiology technique. Classes were divided in little groups to realize,with specific role for each student, thematic works about different historical topics: neuroscientists' biographies and discoveries. One particularity of this project was the remodeling of second phase during Covid19 pandemic, realizing some activities in smart working: students with students into different team work and students with biology researcher-teacher, also publishing in innovative digital platform created by biologist-teacher, also writing report in international 2020 brain science digital context. Neuroscientific literacy work and brain science reading activities were realized to create into each group innovative “digital brain posters’', simulating role of scientist in realizing professional poster for international congress with guide and instructions of biologist – teacher.  At the end of project was organized and realized a Virtual Neuroscience Conference as in real scientific congress with remote digital activities in which all students have presented different parts of realized brain posters. In the project monitoring phase students have expressed your idea about all realized activities important for world of work. Students have compiled terminal report of project in which have declared that digital activities were very useful to develop soft skills in cooperative team work realizing researches and final product of poster with specific role for each member of group. Were important for students oral and written communication skills, also in realizing virtual modern conference as “little scientists”; comparative cognitive competencies in analyzing some international neuroscience articles - reports and in relating elements of biographies of neuroscientists also with debate method.

Keywords: IBSE methodology, soft digital skills, brain science, interdisciplinary didactics, history of neuroscience, virtual brain conference.

References: 

• Marina Minoli, “Modern Brain science to educate in critical thinking and to activate contamination between disciplines” in press - New Secondary School, Studium Editor, Rome 11/2020
• E.J. Dommet et al,” From scientific theory to classroom practise”, The Neuroscientist, 8/2011, 17 (4): 382-8
• P. Godfrey Smith, “The mind of octopus”, Scientific american 1/2017
• M.Ferrari, “What can Neuroscience bring to education”, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 1/2011,43 (1):31