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Pilot Project: Interactive forensic science: Whodunit?

The project familiarised children, pupils and their teachers as well as the public at large with different aspects of forensic and life sciences. This theme covers different disciplines of science such as chemistry (DNA, substance identification), biology (hair, pollen, fingerprints), and technology.

It also trained observation skills as well as deduction skills by encouraging children to combine clues to find the solution - skills which are very important in scientific research. Life and forensic sciences are also very cutting-edge subjects, which make an exciting project for children as well as adults. Many people find these sciences fascinating and intriguing.

Target age group
10-12 years old, large public

Languages
Dutch and English

Methodology

• Experiments will be adapted to the school curriculum
• Testing with children and teachers
• Teacher support and recommendation in the implementation stage

Outputs
Interactive website:
The interactive website (www.experimenteer.be) presents 7 online experiments referring to forensic science. The topic of forensic science was chosen for its popularity, its attractiveness and its link to the social context. The target group are children 10-12 year old but it is also addressed to the general public.

School kit:
The school kit/workshop is based on 3 experiments and includes a scenario, materials for the children to perform the experiments, sheets to fill in the results and an educational file for the teacher. An edutainer will go to the schools and start with a demo designed to draw the attention of the pupils in an animated way. Afterwards the workshop will start in the course of which the pupils will investigate 3 scientific principles. In order to keep the attention of the pupils and to make the whole thing exciting, the experiments will be linked to each other and fit within an exciting story. The workshop will be concluded by a spectacular experiment. Pupils will be asked to assist.

Interactive exhibits:
Technopolis will develop 3 new interactive exhibits related to forensic research techniques. See e.g. the Science Truck MysteriX http://www.xplora.org/downloads/Knoppix/Technopolis/MysteriX.pdf

Impact
Teachers are always looking for attractive ways to present a subject. With the projects presented above we offer them the possibility for hands-on experiments in an exciting and playful way.

Evaluation strategy

• Interactive website: web survey
• Interactive exhibits: survey and interview by edutainer at Technopolis
• School kit: questionnaire

For further information see the PENCIL deliverables:

D10 Assessment of Pilot Projects:
Case studies illustrating the work of each of the Pencil pilot projects (pdf, in English).

D24 Pilot Project Outcomes:
The objectives, the learning activities used, the methodology employed and the results of the pilot projects (pdf, in English).

Pilot coordinator

Technopolis, the Flemish Science Centre, Mechelen, Belgium

Technopolis is the only science centre in Flanders, Belgium. It is a permanent meeting place where, in an original way, you tumble from one exciting experiment into another.

Contact details
Technopolis
Technologielaan
2800 Mechelen
Belgium
www.technopolis.be

Project coordinator
Erik Jacquemyn
Tel: +32 15 34 20 20
Email: erik@technopolis.be

Partners

Scientific partners
National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology, Belgium
University Hospital of Leuven, Centre for Human Heredity, Belgium
University Ghent, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Belgium
Technological Education for Primary Teaching, Belgium
Technological Education for Secondary Teaching, Belgium
Education Department of the Ministry of the Flemish Community
Science, Innovation and Media Department of the Ministry of the Flemish Community

Educational partners
Technological Education for Primary Teaching, Belgium
Technological Education for Secondary Teaching, Belgium
Primary schools
Ges. Vrije Gemengde Basisschool, Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium
Gemeentelijke Basisschool G.L.O.C., Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Guido Gezelleschool, Mortsel, Belgium
Basisschool Sint Norbertusinstituut, Antwerp, Belgium
De Zonnebloem, Wilrijk, Belgium
‘t Groen schooltje, Hove, Belgium
BSGO Klim Op Bonheiden, Bonheiden, Belgium
Sint-Jorisinstituut, Bazel, Belgium
BSGO Zilvermeeuw, Blankenberge, Belgium
GBS, Sleidinge, Belgium
Secondary schools
Sint-Lievenscollege, Gent, Belgium
Sint-Jozefinstituut, Herentals, Belgium
Stella Matutinacollege, Lede, Belgium
Technisch Instituut Sint-Carolus, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Technisch Secundair Onderwijs Don Bosco Haacht, Haacht, Belgium
VTI, Lokeren, Belgium
Instituut Dames van het Christelijk Onderwijs, Antwerpen, Belgium
OLV van Lourdes College, Edegem, Belgium
Middenschool Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Belgium
Sint-Geertruid, Gent, Belgium
Atheneum Groenkouter, Sint-Amandsberg, Belgium