PRIMAS stands for ‘Promoting inquiry-based learning (IBL) in mathematics and science across Europe’. IBL has the potential to raise students’ intrinsic interest in mathematics and science and it supports the attainment of important competencies like problem-solving skills or self-directed learning and exploring new knowledge areas.
Teachers are the key players in implementing IBL pedagogies in mathematics and science classrooms and in transforming the potential benefits of IBL into real effects. This is why PRIMAS predominately aims to supports the teachers. We do so by combining three elements: providing teaching materials along with professional development courses and a continuous support system within ‘communities of IBL-practice’. Each singular element provides benefits for the teachers but it is the combination that probably adds the biggest benefit.
A very close cooperation with the national school authorities, teacher training providers, curriculum designers, etc. ensures that the best possible conditions are provided in every country. Cooperation with parents and students is another dimension in the project´s support structures for teachers.
PRIMAS is funded under the EU´s 7th Framework Programme for Research, within the ‘Science in Society’ strand. The project runs for 4 years (2010-2013) in 12 European countries: Cyprus, Denmark, Germany (coordinating institution: University of Education Freiburg), Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and UK.
For further information about the project, please visit the PRIMAS project website
About PRIMAS
