We expect this ESERA Conference 2021 will bring together the international science education research community where we will be able to share our research and to engage in discussion about the pressing issues in science education. “Fostering scientific citizenship in an uncertain world” is the theme of this 14th edition, which was selected having in mind the severe social and educational changes resulting from this recent public health problem.
We hope you will join us for an excellent virtual ESERA Conference!
Prof. Graça S. Carvalho, (UMinho)
The ESERA 2021 Conference President
About ESERA 2021 online Conference
The ESERA 2021 Online Conference will be organised by the University of Minho (Braga, Portugal) from 30 August to 3 September 2021.
The WebApp will be the new conference venue and adjustments to the scientific programme will be made in order to adapt to the new online format as well as to create an interactive participant experience.
The conference programme will, as usual, include invited plenary sessions, single paper presentation sessions, symposia as well as workshops. Posters will also be made available in an interactive online format. These presentation formats are similar to previous face-to-face ESERA Conferences, but the preparation and the interactive presentations will be different.
Presenters of single papers, symposia and workshops are requested to record their presentation and send them to the conference secretariat until the deadline, which will be informed well in advance. Recorded presentations will be uploaded to the Conference Programme before the conference dates allowing registered participants to consult the presentations online in advance. Conference sessions are organised in Strands in the online Conference Programme. Single paper sessions and Symposia will also include real-time moderated interactive Q&A between assisting participants and the presenters.
As a large number are expected to assist the sessions, participants are encouraged to write their questions online. Questions can be directed publicly (visible for all participants, the moderator and the author) or in a private message to the author/presenter. The session moderator will place a selection of the public questions, submitted in writing before and during the session, in a live interaction with the presenters who will be present online to respond in real-time. The live Q&A session will take place at the end of each session.
ESERA 2021 Key Dates
Call for Proposals - Platform for submissions opens
15 October 2020
Call for Proposals - Deadline for Submission
31 January 2021
EU STEM Education Projects Posters submission opening
15 March 2021
EU STEM Education Projects Posters submission deadline
31 March 2021
Notification of Acceptances
15 April 2021
End of Early Bird Rate
30 April 2021
Deadline for Presenters to Register
1 June 2021
Deadline for other participants to register
3 September 2021
Registration
Due to travel restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ESERA 2021 conference will be held exclusively online. Since the conference cannot take place in a physical setting, there will be reduction in the registration fees as compared to the previous ESERA conferences. However, there will be costs associated with the design, management and maintenance of the new virtual platform as well as the support provided to the participants before and during the conference. The costs associated with these activities will be reflected in the registration fees.
The registration system will open from March 15th, 2021 and the registration fees will be shared at that stage.
Personal data
The information collected during the registration process will be used only to process your registration and to send information about the ESERA 2021 onine conference.
Your personal data will not be shared with third parties and will be deleted from the registration platforn after the conference.
The information systems and programmes used are configured in order to reduce the utilization of personal identification data to the minimum. The data will only be processed for specified purposes. Advanced security technology and procedures are in place to protect users’ personal data; for example, personal data shall be kept on secure servers located in protected and controlled premises. Users may help the organisers by updating and correctly maintain their personal data and by communicating any changes to their address, their qualifications, contact information, etc.
Certificates of Participation
All participants will receive a digital participation certificate.
ESERA 2021 Conference Secretariat
Leading Lda
Tel.: +351 215 870 920
Email: esera2021@leading.pt
Secretariat Opening hours (Western European Time (WET))
Monday to Friday - 09:30 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 18:30
Invited Speakers
Charbel N. El-Hani
Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology
Federal University of Bahia
Brazil
Cecília Galvão
Professor
Institute of Education, University of Lisbon
Portugal
Julie A. Luft
Professor of Mathematics and Science Education
College of Education, University of Georgia
USA
Jrène Rahm
Educational Psychologist and Professor
Université de Montréal, Canada
Canada
Christina Siry
Professor of learning and Instruction
University of Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Hagop A. Yacoubian
Professor of Education
Lebanese American University
Lebanon
Committees
Local Organising Committee
Graça S. Carvalho (Conference President)
Zélia Anastácio (Conference Manager)
Ana Sofia Afonso
Beatriz Pereira
Cristina Sylla
Fernando Guimarães
José Alberto Precioso
Paulo Varela
Teresa Vilaça
International Scientific Committee
Graça S. Carvalho (Conference President), University of Minho, Portugal
Zélia Anastácio (Conference Manager), University of Minho, Portugal
Ana Sofia Afonso, University of Minho, Portugal
The main responsibility for the review process and the scientific programme of the ESERA 2021 Conference rests with an international committee of experienced science education researchers. This committee comprises of the members of the ESERA Executive Board and the Strand Chairs.
ESERA Executive Board
Sibel Erduran (President), University of Oxford, UK.
Ellen Henrikesen (Secretary), University of Oslo, Norway
Gjalt Prins (Treasurer), University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Marianne Achiam (member), University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Lucy Avraamidou (member), University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Mariona Espinet (member), Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
Bob Evans (member), University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Graça S. Carvalho (Co-opted member – Conference 2021), University of Minho, Portugal
Eliza Rybska (Co-opted member – Summer School 2021), Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland
Strand Chairs
Ana Sofia Afonso; Massimiliano Malgieri
Florence Le Hebel; Vanessa Kind
Sabine Fechner; Dimitris Stavrou
Jesper Bruun; Jesper Haglund
Italo Testa; Nikos Papadouris
Ebru Kaya; Veli-Matti Vesterinen
Kalypso Iordanou; Maria Andrée
Antti Laherto; Eliza Rybska
Albert Zeyer; Justin Dillon
Eilish McLoughlin; Odilla Finlayson
Lukas Rokos; Mathias Ropohl
Lucy Avraamidou; Allison Gonsalves
Maria Evagorou; María Ruth Jimenez Liso
Claudio Fazio; Pedro Reis
Bodil Sundberg; Christina Siry
Anna Spyrtou; Federico Corni
Jenaro Guisasola; Paula Heron
Marianne Odegaard; Shulamit Kapon
Professional Conference Organiser (PCO):
Leading Lda.
Carin Isacson
Célia Araujo
Catarina Freitas
Strand Chairs
1. Learning Science: Conceptual Understanding
Theories, models, and empirical results on conceptual understanding, conceptual change and development of competences; methodology for investigating students’ processes of concept formation and concept use; strategies to promote conceptual development.
Strand Chairs: Ana Sofia Afonso & Massimiliano Malgieri
2. Learning Science: Cognitive, Affective, and Social Aspects
Cognitive, affective, and social dimensions in learning science. Design of in-school and extra school learning environments and study of teaching/learning processes. Representational languages and knowledge organisation. Collaborative construction of knowledge.
Strand Chairs: Florence Le Hebel & Vanessa Kind
3. Science Teaching Processes
Relations between teaching practices and students’ cognitive and affective development, design of teaching interventions. Research based intervention and its role for curriculum planning, instructional paths and learning outcomes. Laboratory-based practice. Video studies in science education.
Strand Chairs: Sabine Fechner & Dimitris Stavrou
4. Digital Resources for Science Teaching and Learning
Design, evaluation and characterization of resources and environments for teaching/learning science: ICT and TEL in science education. Online learning environments, simulation and modelling tools, virtual laboratories. Self-regulation, reflection and collaboration in digital learning environments.
Strand Chairs: Jesper Bruun & Jesper Haglund
5. Teaching-Learning Sequences as Innovations for Science Teaching and Learning
Design of teaching and learning materials. Classroom implementation, refinement and evaluation of teaching sequences. Exchange and adaptation of teaching-learning sequences. Adoption and transformation of teaching materials. Factors that influence teacher ownership.
Strand Chairs:Italo Testa & Nikos Papadouris
6. Nature of Science: History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science
The implications of nature of science, its history, philosophy, sociology and epistemology, forscience education. The significance of models and modelling for science education as reflected in the particular importance attached to the use of metaphors, analogy, visualization, simulations and animations in science.
Strand Chairs: Ebru Kaya & Veli-Matti Vesterinen
7. Discourse and Argumentation in Science Education
Understanding, supporting and promoting use of evidence and argumentation discourse in science education. Scientific practices related to knowledge evaluation and communication. Supporting the development of critical thinking. Discourse analysis. Talking and writing science in the classroom. Meaning making in science classrooms.
Strand Chairs: Kalypso Iordanou & Maria Andrée
8. Scientific Literacy and Socio-scientific Issues
Teaching about scientific literacy, science and citizenship education, science and media education, information literacy, informal reasoning and critical thinking, decision making, debates on socio-scientific issues (SSI), discourse communities, social dimension of science and techno-scientific practices, public engagement in science, schools’, students’ and teachers’ engagement in socio-scientific issues.
Strand Chairs: Antti Laherto & Eliza Rybska
9. Environmental, Health and Outdoor Science Education
Ecological and Environmental Education, Education for Sustainable Development, environmental health, health education and health promotion. Lifestyles and attitudes towards health and the environment. Developing and evaluating the impact of programmes and experiences outside classrooms, including those organized by institutions other than schools.
Strand Chairs: Albert Zeyer & Justin Dillon
10. Science Curriculum and Educational Policy
Curriculum development. Reform implementation, dissemination and evaluation. International comparison studies such as TIMSS and PISA. Evaluation of schools and institutions. Policy and Practice issues: local, regional, national, or international issues of policy related to science education
Strand Chairs: Eilish McLoughlin & Odilla Finlayson
11. Evaluation and Assessment of Student Learning and Development
Development, validation and use of standardized tests, achievement tests, high stakes tests, and instruments for measuring attitudes, interests, beliefs, self-efficacy, science process skills, conceptual understandings, etc.; authentic assessment, formative assessment, summative assessment; approaches to assessment. Monitoring student learning and implications for teaching.
Strand Chairs: Lukas Rokos & Mathias Ropohl
12. Cultural, Social and Gender Issues in Science and Technology Education
Equity and diversity issues: Sociocultural, multicultural, bilingual, racial/ethnic, gender equity studies and science education for the special needs.
Strand Chairs:Lucy Avraamidou & Allison Gonsalves
13. Pre-service Science Teacher Education
Professional knowledge of teachers, pre-service teacher preparation, instructional methods in pre-service teacher education, programs and policy, fieldexperience, relation of theory with practice, and issues related to pre-service teacher education reform.
Strand Chairs: Maria Evagorou & María Ruth Jimenez Liso
14. In-service Science Teacher Education, Continued Professional Development
In-service science teacher education, teachers as lifelong learners; methods, innovation and reform in professional development; evaluation of professional development practices, reflective practice, teachers as researchers, and action research.
Strand Chairs: Claudio Fazio & Pedro Reis
15. Early Years Science Education
Emergent science, science pedagogy and learning in the early years, cognitive resources for science learning, early years science and technology curriculum, innovative teaching practices in the early years, children’s learning, preschool science, early years teacher education in science.
Strand Chairs: Bodil Sundberg & Christina Siry
16. Science in the Primary School
Procedural skills in science, science investigations, science teaching and learning sequences.
Strand Chairs: Anna Spyrtou & Federico Corni
17. Science Teaching at the University Level
University pedagogy. Teaching and learning at the university level.
Strand Chairs: Jenaro Guisasola & Paula Heron
18. Methodological Issues in Science Education Research
Aspects of epistemology, ontology and axiology.
Strand Chairs: Marianne Odegaard & Shulamit Kapon
