School, Museum, University: A community for science education

For almost twenty years, the Physics History Group, the University History Museum and the Physics Museum of Pavia University have been elaborating, with schools of all levels, a year-long shared project, leading to the development of strong, long-lasting relationships between the participants and of a community of practice. Within it, new pathways are sought, to allow all participants to live meaningful experiences, to bring school closer to cultural heritage and the local community, and to foster the development of a scientific identity in learners. A methodology including historical-scientific workshops and a focus on Nature of Science was developed. Students are led through educational paths customized according to teachers’ requests and produce science stories, which are shared with the community. Because of the pandemic, only upper secondary schools were involved in the last project, Show & Tell. New activities were introduced: a team of students were tasked with online and offline communication, old instruments in schools’ collections were put back into use and several final events were organized. Open interviews with teachers highlighted several positive outcomes. Everyone worked alongside, sharing stories, experiences, competencies, intellectual pleasure, codified knowledge and tacit knowledge, in a non-judging environment

Cross Fertilization Between Museums and Schools, Science and Art, History and Multimedia

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Prefazione

Il CD-rom presenta l'intera collezione di strumenti del Gabinetto di Fisica di Alessandro Volta, circa 150, da una prospettiva storico-didattica e in maniera interattiva, attraverso centinaia di animazioni, in gran parte tridimensionali

The Neverland project

The Neverland project draws on the past experience of the History of Physics Group starting in the 80’s and 90’s and aimed at the preservation, restoration and explanation through 3D multimedia of the old physics’ instruments, an experience that led to the foundation of the University (Science) Museum System. Interactive exhibitions were dedicated to Volta (1999), Einstein (an international cooperation in 2005 with Berlin and Jerusalem and with contributions from Oldenburg and Pisa), Galileo (2009), and the History of the energy conservation principle (2010). In all of these, high school students were trained to play the role of “explainers”, carrying out with younger students, colleagues, and general public a series of historical experiments. University students have coordinated the various activities. The youngest participants have been encouraged to develop forms of “artistic” expression based on the sensations and ideas experienced in their exposure to scientific activity