In general, society often has a distorted view of science that excludes its constructionist and creative nature in favor of a mechanistic and Cartesian view. The activity of the Mystery Boxes is a practical activity of simple organization that allows to place those who carry it out in contexts and situations that emulate the real scientific research. The skills that need to be developed for research: curiosity, observation, creativity, discussion, critical thinking, among others, can have many links with learning.
The activity was carried out in a training day with the entire faculty of the Rocagrossa Institute with the aim on the one hand, that they understand the operation of scientific research, and on the other, to create a space for reflection within the cloister in which they can look for possible links with the activities of the different subjects that they carry out in the classroom.
This activity has been carried out within the framework of the Magnet alliance that we started in 2021 with the Rocagrossa Institute in Lloret de Mar and which will last for 4 years. The Magnet Alliance is an educational program that creates links and collaborations between schools and institutions of excellence in different fields of knowledge.
The dynamic was carried out together with the Magnet trainer, Marta Simon, Jordi Pagès and Gemma Agell of the Magnet Commission of the CEAB. Below is a video summary of what was the day on February 16, 2022.
In this first year of the Magnet alliance, each course has a mentor from the Center for Advanced Studies in Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) who guides the teachers to carry out a scientific research project. Currently, Meritxell Genovart is the contact scientist of the 1st ESO course, Jordi Pagès of the 2nd ESO, Anna Lupon of the 3rd ESO, Marta Pardo of the 4th ESO and finally, Xavier Torras of the Baccalaureate courses, in this case also to promote the carrying out of research work at the CEAB.
This collaboration between the school and the institution allows the school to develop an innovative and quality educational project, an attractive project that has magnetism and that becomes a reference project in its territory, both for families and for the educational community.
Domènech-Casal, Jordi. (2013). Les Mystery Boxes: una activitat senzilla d’indagació a l’aula com a metàfora de la ciència. Ciències. 24. 20-25. 10.5565/rev/ciencies.99. DOI:10.5565/rev/ciencies.99
