1. Science Literacy through co-inquiry based
on informal & non-formal learning
Sonia Pinto (UNEB-BR),
Silvar Ribeiro (UNEB-BR),
Alexandra Okada (OU-UK)
weSPOT is an EC-funded Research Project under the
Grant Agreement no. 318499 of ICT FP7 Programme in
Technology Enhanced Learning

2. Keywords in this study
• Scientific Literacy: being able to understand the role of
science and technology in our lives (AAAS, 1993)
• Co-inquiry: collaborative research projects based on
scientific reasoning
• Non-formal learning: learning guided by people through their
own communities and projects
• Informal Learning: learning guided by people through
resources and networks provided by Educational Institutions

3. Key questions
How can we promote scientific literacy
beyond schools and Universities (formal learning)?
• Can projects & communities of practice create opportunities
for developing scientific literacy(non-formal learning) ?
• How useful are open educational resources and social
networks (informal learning)?

4. Hypothesis
Empowering citizens for evidence-based thinking
• science and technology discussions in their daily life
• meaningful learning materials,
• easy-to-use technologies
• interesting projects
• communities of practice

5. Theoretical Principles
Collaborative inquiry for developing key competences
colearners can interpret evidence, weigh up technologies,
make informed judgements, and argue their views together
(COLEARN, 2008, 2014)

6. Co-learners as co-investigators
• take the role of explorers and scientists
• are motivated by their personal curiosity
• are guided by self-reflection, peers and experts
• develop personal knowledge and scientific reasoning
collaboratively

7. Inquiry.weSPOT.eu

8. • a European reference model for inquiry skills
• a diagnostic instrument for assessment
• Various tools: mobile apps, learning analytics, widgets,
social media, open badge system
• Flexible Inquiry workflow linked to school legacy systems
Working Environment with
Social Personal Open Technologies
for inquiry based learning

9. Case Study
The training programme on Digital Inclusion for
Telecentros.BR project supported by the Brazil Government
It is a non-credit online course for more than
450 young people from 16 to 29 years old
who work at Telecentro.BR in different locations

10. DIGITAL LITERACY
• Few people do not have computer at home (15%)
• All of them access internet (100%) from cyber cafés or Telecentro.BR
• Most of them are users of Youtube and FaceBook.
• All of them have mobile phones and most of them with Internet (70%) .
1st step
questionnaires and interviews with
20% of the Telecentro.Br’s
young educators
Case Study

11. INFORMATION LITERACY
• 80% access online newspaper, and search for online information.
• 65% access Wikipedia, but consider only one source of information.
• 30 % share information in their social networks, access online library
and are able to download their course material.
• 10% is recognised in their networks as a knowledgeable person
1st step
questionnaires and interviews with
20% of the Telecentro.Br’s
young educators
Case Study

12. CITIZENSHIP LITERACY
• 60% use government online services, and participate in social movements.
• 40% gets information from public services such as job opportunities and
cultural programmes, or participate in political movements.
• 10% share their opinions in the Brazilian Citizens Portal.
1st step
questionnaires and interviews with
20% of the Telecentro.Br’s
young educators
Case Study

13. Participants elaborated the research questions collaboratively with
feedback of researchers:
• “What is main cause of environmental degradation in our community?
• What would be the most effective environmental actions?
• What are the most relevant environmental inquiry projects?
• How does an environmental project support citizen engagement?
2nd step
Pilot study through Discussion Forum
and FM online webconference

14. Key issues that might engage participants to develop their inquiry project:
• Common interests: “our communities are interested in environmental
protection”.
• Enjoyment: “It will be fun to increase our network with other cities and
countries”.
• Perceived usefulness: “It will be useful to learn a new application with our
mobile devices”
• Collective Purpose: “discussion using technology will be good for our
communities”
• Co-authorship: “Our project will be built collaboratively.”

15. Barrier
• Participants are not familiar with inquiry methodology
• Develop inquiry based projects take time
• Engaging communities will be a challenge for participants

16. Working Environment with
Social Personal Open Technologies
for inquiry based learning

17. Further studies and final remarks
• We would like to integrate weSPOT and ENGAGE
(Equipping the Next Generation for Active Engagement in
Science) which offers collaborative learning for teaches and
engaging materials for learners to talk and think
• Collaborative inquiry projects might be useful for increasing
learners ’ engagement and understanding through software
tools, mobile devices, and different resources offered in the
European Projects weSPOT and Engage.
.

18. Challenges, Objectives & Results
Objective 1: To provide smart,
adaptive inquiry supportChallenge 1: Lack
of inquiry skills
Challenge 2:
Curiosity not
supported
Challenge 3: Construct
personal conceptual
knowledge
Challenge 5: How to
measure impact?
Challenge 4: Linking e-
learning with inquiry
Objective 2: Bridge formal &
informal learning activities
Objective 3: To link personal inquiry
projects & everyday life to curricular
context & classroom teaching
Objective 4: To create an
open source toolset
Objective 5: To evaluate
impact & effects
Theory &
Models
Requirements
specification
Theory &
Models
Diagnostic
instrument
Inquiry courses
& Templates
Mobile
clientsServices
Evaluation
reports &
publications
Integrated
pilots set-ups

19. In Short...
• Started: October 2012
• Duration: 3 years
• Consortium: 9 partners
from 9 EU countries
weSPOT is an EC-funded Research
Project under the Grant Agreement no.
318499 of ICT FP7 Programme in
Technology Enhanced Learning

20. Contacts
COLEARN – Collaborative Open Learning Research Network
(founded at The Open University UK - KMI)
ale.okada@open.ac.uk
silvarfribeiro@gmail.com
soniamarpinto@gmail.com
wespot-project.eu
Inquiry.wespot.eu
Colearn.open.ac.uk