Innovative Tools for Science Education: Classroom Materials and Games from the INSE Project

The INSE project (Interdisciplinary Network for Science Education, led by WasserCluster Lunz and funded by GFF NÖ) has developed a comprehensive set of innovative, classroom-ready materials designed to strengthen scientific literacy across all educational levels. Co-created by researchers from the natural, social, and educational sciences together with partner schools, the materials translate core principles of scientific inquiry into engaging, age-appropriate learning experiences. All resources are freely available online and have been successfully tested in classroom settings.

For the primary level, the module The Forest of the Future introduces humanities-based inquiry through storytelling, exploratory learning, and creative techniques. Children investigate questions about environmental futures by engaging in narrative-based research tasks, learning how observation, interpretation, and imagination contribute to knowledge creation.

At the lower secondary level, a set of interactive Nature of Science (NOS) materials helps students understand the characteristics of scientific thinking. Activities highlight scientific evidence, uncertainty, the iterative nature of research, and the diversity of scientific methods. Abstract NOS concepts become tangible through hands-on tasks, role-play activities, and small-scale investigations.

For the upper secondary level, two modules allow students to conduct their own research:
(1) a natural science module in which students design and conduct an aquatic ecology respiration experiment, learning to formulate hypotheses, plan experiments, collect data, and interpret results; and
(2) a social science module that introduces learners to empirical social research through survey projects. Both modules guide students through the full research cycle and encourage reflective, evidence-informed thinking.

Beyond these core teaching packages, the project developed additional tools that make scientific inquiry accessible across informal and formal learning contexts: The research quartet Go Science introduces children aged 8+ to the fundamental steps of scientific inquiry through a playful card game. For teenagers, the Dive into Science learning app offers an interactive experience in which learners navigate scientific decisions based on real research questions - selecting hypotheses, designing experiments, analyzing sample datasets, and receiving direct feedback. Complementing these tools, the SCIBORG science board game supports learners aged 16+ in deepening their understanding of the scientific process.

Together, the INSE materials provide a powerful set of educational tools for fostering curiosity, critical thinking, scientific literacy, and trust in research. By showing how science works in practice, they support educators in integrating authentic scientific inquiry into everyday teaching.

In this presentation, we will showcase the full range of materials, allowing participants to explore, try out, and interact with the resources directly.