Science in School: Make it fun, make it matter

PISA 2022 shows declining STEM and literacy skills in Europe, especially among disadvantaged students. Science in School helps address this by offering free, engaging resources that connect science to real life and support teachers in boosting student curiosity.

In 2022, the latest iteration of the PISA survey (Programme for International Student Assessment), conducted every three years by the OECD to evaluate core competencies in mathematics, reading, and science among students across the world, revealed an increasingly concerning decline in teenagers’ basic abilities to apply scientific and literary knowledge to face real-world challenges.

Following a general trend, the level of underachievement in Europe has increased compared with the previous edition of the Assessment (2018), especially in mathematics and reading, and to a moderate extent in science. As the EU Commission reports, the results of the PISA in the European context are striking:

• “30% of EU students don’t reach a minimum proficiency level in mathematics and around 25% in reading and science;
• almost 50% of all students from a disadvantaged background are underachieving in mathematics;
• the share of top performers is steadily declining.”

The causes of this decline are complex and closely linked to socio-economic inequalities, which also affect access to quality education in different contexts. While the scale of the problem is too broad to be fully addressed through individual actions alone, bottom-up initiatives can help mitigate it.

One promising strategy to enrich the teaching-learning process is to provide teachers with new tools that can spark students’ curiosity and engagement, especially in STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The everyday relevance of STEM is not always obvious to young people, and making it more concrete is key to improving their attitudes towards science. Several initiatives have been launched to support teachers in communicating how science is deeply relevant for, and embedded in, daily life.

“Science in School”: A Model for Science Communication and Education

One such instrument is the journal “Science in School,” a project promoted and published by the EIROforum, an organisation that brings together eight major European Research International Organisations (EIROs). The EIROforum aims to “support European science in reaching its full potential,” and one of its central strategies is to invest in education, helping to make both the fascination and societal importance of science and scientific research more visible.

“Science in School” offers teachers and educators a wide range of resources, including “classroom experiments and teaching materials, up-to-date information on cutting-edge science and real-world applications, projects in science education, and other useful resources.” The journal is published digitally, and most materials are freely available under a Creative Commons license.

Contributions to the journal are open to both teachers and scientists and are reviewed based on guidelines that prioritise clear, accessible, and inclusive language. Articles are organised into three categories:

“Understand” articles: deep dives into scientific topics, providing an overview of scientific concepts and emphasising their practical or everyday relevance.

Example: Pea-based foams for a greener cappuccino

“Teach” articles: methodological contributions offering teachers practical ideas for creating innovative teaching materials or conducting participatory activities with students.

Example: Explore energy production with the escape game ‘Village of the Future’

“Inspire” articles: mainly intended for teachers, offering in-depth reflections on specific topics, profiles of outstanding scientists, and broader teaching perspectives.

Example: Girls Go Circular: your key to engaging STEM Education

From a science communication perspective, the project “Science in School” is an inspiring example of how diverse formats – textual, visual, and practical – and communication tools can be combined not only to disseminate scientific knowledge but also to spark interest in science among young generations. Most importantly, it encourages teachers to emphasise how profoundly science shapes our daily lives, often far more than we realise.