Dialogue between science and society

How do I motivate young people to take part in classroom activities? Teachers are constantly asking themselves this question in their day-to-day work. Should I use the carrot or would the stick be more appropriate? Should I just let them do what they want? Do I need to be more structured in my approach?

These questions are addressed in the FOCUS (German) travelling exhibition, which was designed by a research team at SFIVET’s Lausanne campus. The exhibition is based on the results and conclusions of a SFIVET research project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) on teaching at vocational schools. The interactive exhibition lets visitors feel what it is like to be a teacher and confronts them with typical teaching situations. The main question is: ‘How would I act in this situation?’

In this manner, the exhibition encourages people to think about teaching methods and learner commitment. At the same time, it builds a bridge between science and society. Very few people in the general public are aware of the scientific research on these questions and this subject has never been covered in an exhibition. SFIVET’s travelling exhibition is also backed by the SNSF as part of its Agora funding mechanism, which is intended to make research findings accessible to a broad public.

Between September 2018 and May 2019, FOCUS is on display in public places in the French-speaking towns of Lausanne, Geneva, Delemont, Nyon, Martigny, Fribourg and Neuchatel.