Science Fiction in Education: case studies from classroom implementations

• Published in: Educational media international Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 201 - 215
• Main Authors: Vrasidas, Charalambos, Avraamidou, Lucy, Theodoridou, Katerina, Themistokleous, Sotiris, Panaou, Petros
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Routledge 03-07-2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Case Studies; case study; Cyprus; Educational Innovation; Educational Research; Focus Groups; Foreign Countries; Guidelines; Instructional Design; Interdisciplinary Approach; Interviews; Learning; narrative; Observation; Professional development; Program Implementation; Qualitative Research; Science Education; Science Fiction; Science fiction & fantasy; Science Instruction; Teaching methods; Cyprus
• ISSN: 0952-3987; 1469-5790
• DOI: 10.1080/09523987.2015.1075102

This manuscript reports on findings from the implementation of the EU project "Science Fiction in Education" (Sci-Fi-Ed). The project provides teachers with tools, training, and guidance that will assist them in enhancing their teaching, making science more attractive to students, connecting it with real-life issues such as the environment, and providing girls and other marginalised groups with access to science resources, material, and learning opportunities. The central project idea is to achieve this by incorporating science fiction (Sci-Fi) in science teaching. The aim of this paper is to present the framework and the lessons learned from designing and implementing the project. We focus on the following topics: (1) theoretical and empirical underpinnings of Sci-Fi narratives in education: the importance of narratives in education, their benefits, and challenges; (2) interdisciplinary teaching and learning: the interdisciplinary approach, its benefits, and challenges; (3) practical guidelines and innovative teaching ideas: introducing Sci-Fi-Ed; and (4) briefly discuss the lesson learned from the implementation of the project in classrooms in five countries.