Pri-Sci-Net is about promoting Inquiry-based learning in science at primary level of education through developing activities for teachers to use as well as setting up a Europe-wide network for professionals and academics in the area of Primary Science Education. The aim is to provide training and professional support to teachers to help them use Inquiry based learning in Science in schools. A virtual platform set up at European level will network professionals as well as support the organisation of training courses.The project will also recognise teachers’ and researchers’ achievements in implementing Inquiry-based learning in science at primary level, as well as provide an opportunity for teachers and academics across Europe to share their experiences and successes.

The Specific Project Aims and objectives are to:

• Create a network for primary science education researchers and teacher-trainers, as well as practising teachers;
• Utilise the network to promote professional development of teachers through training material, sharing of experiences, educational resources as well as recognising achievement of primary school teachers and researchers in the area of Primary Science;
• Identify successful examples of application of IBSE and build further educational resources in primary science education for use by primary teachers;
• Provide resources in primary science for free and in a range of languages online and distributed through the teachers’ network;
• Organise in-service training sessions on a national level in the partner countries, with financial support to selected numbers of network members;
• Organise three international professional development courses for primary science teacher-trainers and researchers;
• Organise two international primary science conferences aimed at researchers, teacher –trainers and practising teachers;
• Recognise the achievements of teachers, researchers and trainers through Recognition for Excellence in IBSE Certificate which will be presented at the International conferences each year. This recognition will not be monetary in nature but will involve certification by the project consortium (those receiving recognition will only be given travel and subsistence to attend conference to receive Certificate); and
• Evaluating all activities and initiatives through external and internal evaluation methods

PRI-SCI-NET is an EU funded FP7 Supporting and coordinating action (Call SiS-2010-2.2.1.1) on innovative methods in science education: teacher training on inquiry based teaching methods on a large scale in Europe. The project is coordinated by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) and has 17 partners from 14 countries.

The project promotes Inquiry-based learningapproach among primary teachers teaching science to young children in the age range of 3-11 years.  The inquiry approach involves the active engagement of children in the learning process with emphasis on observations and achieved through authentic and problem based learning activities where there is no need to get  the correct. Children draw conclusions on the evidence collected. It promotes  student autonomy, involves discursive argumentation and communication with peers (talking science), self regulated learning, social interaction and collaboration. 

This project is about setting up a Europe-wide network for professionals and academics in the area of Primary Science Education. The aim is to provide training and professional support to teachers to help them use Inquiry based learning in Science in schools. The platform at European level will network professionals as well as support the organisation of training courses. It also recognises teachers’ and researchers’ achievements in implementing Inquiry-based learning in science, as well as provide an opportunity for teachers and academics to share their experiences and successes. The project will concurrently also take small projects in primary science education, and promote them on a larger scale in order to provide examples of Inquiry Based teaching approaches to have an impact at European level. The project includes several previous projects, mainly: using an already developed theoretical pedagogical model for the teaching of science at primary level for developing teaching resources (developed as part of Comenius 1 and 2 projects); utilising the European network for primary school teachers to provide training and professional development to primary science teacher trainers; as well as providing in-service training opportunities based on experience of partners in implementing ERASMUS intensive courses for primary school teachers on a national and international level. Pri_Sci_Net aims to establish a European community of primary science educators working within the Inquiry Based approach. The project Pri-Sci-Net will produce the following activities:

• Development and publication of 45 science teaching activities using IBSE in 15 different  languages;
• Recognition of Excellence for teachers implementing IBSE at primary;
• Two International conferences to be held in Portugal and in Malta;
• Four 20-hour national training on IBSE at different levels for teachers and teacher-trainers in each of the 13partner countries;
• Three international teacher-training courses;
• The creation of a virtual European network platform for teachers and researchers in primary science;
• An online newsletter and a research journal on IBSE in primary science;

The project is relevant to primary teachers interested in science as it will offer, downloadable teaching material, training courses, online collaboration and networking, as well as opportunities to attend the international activities being organised by the project. For further information please visit