The engagement principles and techniques which are illustrated in our presentations and training courses are based on an Emotional Engagement in Science Toolkit developed by Paul McCrory as part of his PhD research.
If you’re interested in finding out more, you can download a draft version of a chapter for the ASE Guide to Primary Science Education (2011) which summarises some of the big ideas behind this engagement model. Chapter summary:
Developing interest in science through emotional engagement
It seems as if teachers are constantly being exhorted to “make science fun” nowadays. Where is the evidence that this approach can really help to improve the pupils’ understanding and knowledge? How can hard-pressed teachers, working to deliver a given curriculum, find the time to do this in practice? Is it even possible to make all topics in the science curriculum fun? In fact, isn’t there a danger that this approach will suggest to pupils that science itself cannot ever be fun unless we artificially make it so? This chapter discusses these important questions and offers a practical toolkit of some techniques that teachers can use to increase interest in their science lessons through fostering positive emotional reactions.