weSPOT: INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE EDUCATION APPROACH AND TECHNOLOGIES IN ACTION

Abstract

Math, science and technology (MST) education in Europe is significantly based on experiments and problem solving. The innovative project weSPOT aims at enhancing MST education by emphasizing scientific inquiry, individualization of learning and the role of social interaction. To achieve this goal, students are supported by a set of software tools, helping them to plan, implement, comment and document their personal scientific experiments. The students are encouraged to share and discuss their experience and to learn how to conduct scientific research. They share their achievements in class as well as in their own social community (friends, family, scientists, etc.). This paper describes in details the scientific approach which is the base for the pilot experiments of the weSPOT methodology. It presents the first pilot of Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) conducted in the First Private Mathematical School and analyses applicability of the used software products.