A Europe-wide network for teachers and professionals involved in primary science education is being set up in a €2.8 million project aimed at providing them with training and support to use inquiry-based learning in schools.

Inquiry-based learning is considered the most effective approach to learn science in view of the prevailing teaching pedagogy in Europe, which is the reason why fewer students choose the subject and why a need is being felt to increase the number of science and technology graduates.

The programme, which will run for three years, was launched by the Malta Council for Science and Technology and involves 17 European partners. It is coordinated by the Seventh Framework Programme. Its objective is to promote the use of inquiry-based learning in science at primary school level. It should be achieved through, for example, the development of the Europe-wide network for primary school teachers and professionals and their training in inquiry-based learning.

Among the project’s milestones would be the creation of a virtual network platform for European educators and researchers in primary science and training courses.