Developed by Universeum.
Science Club is an established method developed by Universeum where children and young people can investigate, experiment and discover how fascinating science and technology can be. Through hands-on activities and engaging encounters with STEM, we strengthen the participants' scientific capital and arouse curiosity for scientific phenomena.
What is STEM?
STEM is an acronym of the terms Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. We define STEM as the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills needed in today's developed society.
What is scientific capital?
Scientific capital is a concept that encompasses more than just theoretical knowledge. It includes a person's collective resources in the STEM field: knowledge, mindset, role models, social networks, and involvement in science activities. Research shows that people with high scientific capital are more likely to see the STEM field as "something for them" and are more likely to choose education and careers in these fields.
Our Science Club concepts.
Science Club After-School.
A ten-week program that strengthens after-school centers' work with science and technology through:
- Professional development for after-school staff
- Regular visits from Universeum educators
- Guidance and support for own activities
- Free visits to Universeum during the school year
The program complements the school's knowledge focus by emphasizing curiosity, confidence, and the joy of discovery. The activities clearly connect to the school subjects of biology, physics, chemistry, and technology, which strengthens students' confidence in these subjects.
Science Club Family.
A concept implemented in collaboration with local actors such as School as Arena/Lights On, housing companies, and associations. Families participate in a series of four sessions, creating continuity and deeper learning. The program:
- Creates a meaningful meeting place for children and adults
- Strengthens families' engagement in children's learning
- Builds bridges between home and scientific experiences
A particular strength of Science Club Family is that children who have participated in other Science Club activities, for example at after-school centers, get the opportunity to show their knowledge to their parents. This creates pride and strengthens both children's and adults' identification with science and technology. The program also offers continued learning through special family annual passes to Universeum.
Science Club leisure
A leisure activity for children aged 9-12 that offers exciting encounters with science and technology during six exciting sessions in the children's local area. The activity is conducted in collaboration with local actors such as housing companies, cultural centers, or associations. The program:
- Complements other leisure activities and contributes to meaningful afternoons
- Adapts content and structure according to participants' scientific capital and ability to focus and collaborate
- Focuses on practical learning
- Is free of charge for participants
The educator from Universeum adapts content and structure according to the group's conditions, creating optimal conditions for learning and development.
Science Club Universeum
A more advanced program that utilizes Universeum's unique learning environments and expertise. The program is aimed at children in grades 4–6 who are particularly interested in STEM and want to deepen their knowledge together with like-minded peers. Each program includes several meetings with different themes and contains:
- Experience-based learning that combines theory and practice
- Exploration of scientific questions
- Experimentation and analysis in Universeum's exciting learning environments
- Opportunity to develop together with other science-interested children
The experience-based learning gives participants both practical experience and theoretical understanding by experimenting, analyzing, and asking new questions based on their discoveries.
Pedagogical basis.
In the Science Club, participants get to take on the role of researcher and explorer. Just as a football player or scout grows into their respective roles through training and challenges, the children's scientific identity is strengthened through laboratory work and experimentation in the Science Club.
Universeum's educators play a key role as role models and engaging forces in science. With their special expertise in experiential STEM learning, they explore answers to scientific questions together with the participants, ask new questions and train scientific methods and approaches.
Background.
The Science Club method was developed within Ungas kraft, an initiative divided into two projects during the years 2017 to 2023. The initiative was part of the national initiative Education for Increased Integration and met the major societal challenge related to education level, labour shortages and exclusion in Sweden. Both projects have been made possible through support from the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation.
The first project was carried out in 2017–2020 under the leadership of Universeum in close collaboration with the City of Gothenburg, the Gothenburg region, academia and actors in business and the public sector. Among other things, the project results and follow-up research showed that Universeum's unique arena worked very well as a complementary learning environment for the school when working in longer and deeper learning processes. The second project aimed to further develop and gear up the method over the next three years, 2021–2023.
Documented effects.
Since 2023, Science Club has undergone a significant upscaling from 2023 to meet the continued need for skills development in the education sector. Evaluations of the Science Club show clear positive results:
- Strengthened competence of educators in science and technology
- Expanded didactic toolbox for teachers
- Increased creativity and curiosity among children and students in relation to STEM subjects
- Increased commitment of guardians to their children's schooling
- Strengthened role as a role model in relation to STEM subjects among guardians
Science Club's continuing education and supervision have been particularly valuable for professional groups in need of skills development in science, technology and mathematics.