Concept

What does a child typically do in a science class? She listens to what someone found out 100 or 200 years ago - about something she has never seen as an issue before. Then she calculates with numbers and greek letters that are supposed to have a meaning to her. A good part of the lesson she exercises copying texts and drawings from the blackboard. From time to time she watches her teacher performing some show, which can hardly compete with what is presented in "science shows" on TV or in video clips on the internet.

Of course, this is a bit exaggerated. However, in history children learn about what had happened in the past. In math lessons they learn to calculate. In art they learn to make drawings. But where do they learn to do science? Imagine you would have to learn a language without being allowed to construct and even say your own sentence. Obviously it would be difficult to keep up your motivation, what in turn would hinder your progress in that language. Unfortunately, that is the situation in many science classes. Children are seldom given the opportunity to work themselves scientifically.

Ideally, students would be challenged with research tasks that spark their interest. They would be helped to diagnose the problem and formulate it in away that it can be scientifically analyzed. They would learn how to find and evaluate information and how to apply them to the specific case. They would build their own hypothesis, plan their own investigation, and conduct experiments themselves. Measurements and results would be discussed with their peers and coherent arguments formed. Models would be created and the limitation of their application clearly defined. The impact of the findings would be analyzed in a wider context and students would see how the results relate to their personal life and the society in general.

Practically, this is impossible at almost all schools in Europe. First of all, there is simply no time - neither to prepare such lessons, nor to teach this way everything demanded by the curricula within the given amount of science lessons. It is extremely difficult to coordinate this approach in classes with about 30 students, where each one has her own learning speed and level of motivation. And often, schools cannot afford to provide experimental material for all students to conduct experiments with their own hands.

The Photonics Explorer will not miraculously solve these problems. But it will help teachers to go a great step in this direction. Each Photonics Explorer contains a class-set of generic and versatile components for hands-on experiments. The class can thus experiment in small groups of up to three students and physical effects become 'tangible'. However, these hands-on experiments are more than just haptic exercises. Worksheets will guide the students step by step from the motivation to the inquiry, the observation, the measurement and the critical interpretation of the results. The teacher can thus concentrate on giving individual support to the groups instead of explaining each step from at the blackboard. To show the students how the observed physical effect relates to their personal life, the experiments are set into an interesting context. A suggested lesson outline - worked out and tested by experienced teachers - develops a rational that encourages students to actively participate and drive the lesson instead of being dragged along by the teacher. Multimedia material supports the teacher in visualizing the physical effects and demonstrating their application in today's technology.

Science teachers will receive this material along with an in-service training course from a local institution. Support for technical questions and spare parts will be available directly from the Photonics Explorer team in Brussels.

Fast Answers

What is it all about?

The Photonics Explorer program will equip Europe’s secondary schools with up-to-date educational material on topics related to light and its technical use. The Photonics Explorer provides teachers with a class-set of components for hands-on experiments together with an inquiry-based didactic framework. It will be distributed free-of-charge and support teachers to engage, excite and educate students about the fascination of working with light.

What is photonics?

Photonics is the art of making light work for you. Just as electronics has changed the world by turning electrons into our every-day workhorses, photonics has changed our way of living by harnessing photons, small energy-units of light. We use them to carry information around the globe (e.g. for the internet), to generate electric energy, to detect diseases and heal, to cut and weld metal, to measure without touching or simply to read when it's dark outside. From the generation and shaping of light, to the transportation to its destination and its exactly controlled impact, photonics encompasses all aspects of handling electromagnetic radiation.

Why is it needed?

As more as teenagers like to possess and use the latest technological gadgets, as less they seem to be interested in what actually happens behind the user interface. At the same time, our society and everyone individually becomes increasingly dependent on science and technological progress. This raises the questions: Who is going to work on the scientific answers to the challenges we face as a society? How can we motivate young people to engage in the informed discussion about steering the efforts of scientists and the responsible use of technology?

The best place to raise young people’s interest in sciences is at school. Teachers play a key role in encouraging the next generation of scientists and engineers. The Photonics Explorer program therefore aims to support teachers in their efforts to make science an exciting and fun subject, while giving students a clear understanding of physical concepts and showing their relevance to the student’s every-day life.

For whom?

The work in this program is done for school kids. To make them experience the fascination of working with light first-hand, the Photonics Explorer will equip teachers for more engaging and exciting science lessons.

Who are we?

The Photonics Explorer program is teaming up teachers, scientists in pedagogy and experts in photonics to design an intra-curricula educational kit for secondary schools. More than 30 educators from 10 countries volunteer their time and expertise to ensure a high educational value and an easy integration of the material into the regular teaching.

This educational program is actively supported by sponsoring companies from several European countries.

The program is coordinated at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) and scientifically evaluated by the Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education in Kiel (Germany).

How can I get involved?

The Photonics Explorer program builds on the enthusiasm of many volunteers that donate their time and expertise to improve science education in Europe. There are several ways you too can get involved, and each support is appreciated: