Biodiversity, the star of the eighth URV Science Fair

Biodiversity was the central theme that captivated 150 primary school students in Tarragona. The eighth Science Fair of the Rovira i Virgili University (URV) transformed the Butterfly Garden into a setting for practical and direct learning.

This initiative, driven by 120 future Primary Education teachers, took place last Friday at the Sescelades campus, putting science and the environment into play through activities adapted to the interests and needs of the participating children.

A project that puts local teaching into practice

The origin of the project and its objective

The Science Fair is the final project of the subject Teaching and learning of experimental sciences, which is part of the second year of the Primary Education degree and the fourth year of the double degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education at URV. This activity allows students to have their first real contact with pupils, becoming teachers for a day.

The role of the Faculty of Education Sciences and Psychology

Maite Novo, responsible professor, highlights that this experience is key for students to develop teaching skills in a real environment. It is, literally, an opportunity to test everything learned in a close and very local context: Tarragona.

Activities focused on biodiversity and the environment

Contents adapted to primary school students

The workshops were designed taking into account the demands and concerns of the students from local schools: Joan Roig, Sant Salvador, and Mare Nostrum. The scientific approach was adapted to the topics they are currently studying and the questions they ask themselves, making science accessible and interesting for the little ones.

An educational experience that mixes learning and fun

The workshops, which revolved around biodiversity, were not only theoretical but experimental. The children were able to interact with the environment and understand the natural richness that surrounds them, right on their own campus, a space many of them were unfamiliar with.

Local impact and future of the initiative

A bridge between the university and Tarragona’s schools

This Science Fair is a clear example of how URV works to establish strong connections with the local educational community, especially with the primary education centers in the province. The participation of 150 students and 120 university students evidences the scope and involvement that the project has.

Towards the consolidation of an innovative educational methodology

With this experience, the Faculty of Education Sciences and Psychology positions itself as a benchmark in experimental teaching in Tarragona. The practical interaction between future teachers and primary school students promises to continue growing and adapting to local needs.

That biodiversity is the protagonist of a fair where active learning and citizen involvement are promoted speaks volumes about the educational trend in Tarragona: more than books, experiences.

Source of the article: Rovira i Virgili University