ZAU Science Clubs
- Finland,Finland
- 2019
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The “ZAU Science Clubs” aim at attracting the interest of, especially, 10 to 12-year old girls in STEM subjects by utilizing topics that are important to them and the latest teaching methods based on academic research in universities. The target was 100 clubs and 1000 participants allover Finland in 2019 - 2020 as well as a new, permanent operating model for schools. Science instructors were hired and trained by LUMA Centre Finland and they later organized ZAU Science clubs in schools.
The clubs aim at attracting the interest of, especially, 10 to 12-year old girls in STEM subjects by utilizing topics that are important to them and the latest teaching methods based on academic research in universities. The target was 100 clubs and 1000 participants allover Finland in 2019 - 2020 as well as a new, permanent operating model for schools.
LUMA Centre Finland hired and trained science instructors for ZAU Science Clubs. The training was arranged as an online MOOC course created by the University of Helsinki. After the training, instructors contacted with schools, teachers and student associations, etc., to organize ZAU Science clubs. The instructors got a salary for arranging and organizing the clubs. The cost of one club were around 2500 €.
The primary funding source was ZAU Campaign which started 2018 lasting to the end of 2019. Besides, the traditional Zonta club events also served as fundraising events during the campaign. Special ZAU events were organized to raise awareness of gender equality.
Funds were also raised through ZAU campaign products. These include Moi & Co Oy's ZAU reflectors and reflective woollen gloves, and House of Elliott Oy's chained pendants and brooches in two sizes.
The practice represents a great model to arrange science education training and promotes gender equality on STEM disciplines.
Inquired-based science education, phenomenon-based learning, problem-based learning
The practice is the first Finnish one which both promotes the rights of girl’s and women’s and enhances the regional equality of STEM education in Finland.
During the science clubs, children are encouraged to do as much as possible by themselves. Different disciplines are explored by doing and experimenting.
The children’s families will be encouraged to participate in the activities – mothers, fathers, grandparents and relatives can attend the club meetings.
The clubs are mainly intended for girls, but also welcoming boys. Depending on the instructor’s language skills, ZAU science clubs may also be organized with other languages such as in English and Finland’s second language Swedish.
ZAU clubs combined different academic disciplines such as chemistry, physics, biology, technology and mathematics.
The clubs included topics such as well-being and health, food and nutrition, molecular gastronomy, physical education, nature and the environment, space and the stars, programming games. Besides, arts could function both as a theme and a learning method, using the forms of drama, storytelling, etc.
The LUMA Centre Finland network was responsible for organizing ZAU Science Club activities which were funded by the sources provided by Zonta International 20.
The basis of the campaign is the fact that in Finland there is still a clear division into female-and male- dominated professions and a distinct difference in their salaries. Girls do well at school, but when choosing their subjects, they usually avoid science-, engineering-, technology- and mathematics-related subjects, thus closing the doors to further studies at a very early stage.
However, while Finland is a mostly rural area with long distances, it is not possible to cover all areas of Finland with ZAU Clubs. For that reason, ZAU Club activities will also be organized virtually in the future.
Children are encouraged to decide how to start studying something. At the same time, the instructor asks questions like “what do you notice now and what could cause that phenomenon”.
The National Council of Women of Finland supported Zonta International 20 by consulting in legislation.
All in all, the partners did very well. Each partner had well-defined roles, which seems to be a primary factor helping the partners to carry out the tasks.
The LUMA Centre Finland network was responsible for organizing ZAU Science Club activities.
The National Council of Women of Finland supported the administration of Zonta International, e.g. by consulting in legislation.
Schools are encouraged to organize science clubs by themselves. At the same time, LUMA Centre Finland aims to develop a new, permanent operating model for generating new learning materials in Finland.
The LUMA Centre Finland network was responsible for organizing and evaluation of the ZAU Club activities. The ZAU club activities provided material for the students’ theses which also analyzed and reported on the effectiveness of the activities.