An educational and scientific alliance in Bolzano

SiD – Science in Depth is the project selected and supported by the Fondo per la Repubblica Digitale Impresa sociale which, together with a dense network of partners wishes to open new perspectives on learning, teaching, and the use of STEAM subjects.

A path that has its roots in learning in depth (LID) to encourage students to explore, through creative and multidisciplinary research, the different facets of the scientific world needs a big team behind it.

To guide students in their in-depth research there is Arciragazzi Bolzano and all the teachers, together with the local research institutions Eco Research and Fraunhofer Italia, and the association La Strada – der Weg ONLUS, along with many other experts in education, scientific dissemination, and STEAM.

The schools: where in-depth knowledge begins

The protagonists of the SiD project are the students: 500 lower secondary school students are involved in the in-depth exploration of STEAM subjects. During their lessons, they will learn to explore scientific topics in a creative, conscious, and multidisciplinary way.

Teachers will follow them in their research path: to do this, they too will take part in a professional training path to strengthen their skills in the field of STEAM education, get closer to innovative teaching approaches, and explore the methodologies of Imaginative Education. Only by establishing a dialogue between teachers and educators can the SiD project truly be shared and its activities co-designed.

Participating in the SiD project are Istituto Comprensivo Bolzano V – Gries 1 (“Archimede”), Istituto Comprensivo Bolzano VI  (“Ugo Foscolo”), Istituto Comprensivo Bolzano II – Don Bosco (“Ada Negri”), and Istituto Comprensivo Bolzano II (“Fabio Filzi”).

The research institutions: hands-on with STEAM

Eco Research and Fraunhofer Italia are research institutions and long-time partners of Arciragazzi Bolzano in the context of the Festival “Le Mille e una Scienza”. Beyond research, students will have the opportunity to get hands-on and talk with experts in various fields of the STEAM disciplines. Scientists, researchers, experts in chemistry, environment, robotics, computer science, and technology – namely the experts from the Eco Research and Fraunhofer Italia teams – will share their experience with the students.

Among the goals of Eco Research, beyond basic, interdisciplinary, and applied research, are also scientific consulting and training, the dissemination of knowledge and scientific communication, which the research center has developed since 2020 through participation in events, projects, and collaborations with schools and lifelong learning associations. With its expertise in chemical analysis, Eco Research brings scientific support to teachers and students within the SiD project, offering training sessions and STEAM content.

Fraunhofer Italia is a landmark for innovation and scientific and technological research at the service of companies through innovative solutions. Since 2019, digitalization and sustainability – the cornerstones of Fraunhofer – have found a home in the application center ARENA, which students will visit during the project. The experts who will guide the classes into ARENA with guided tours, creating engaging STEAM paths focused on topics such as robotics, technology, and computer science.

The association La Strada – der Weg

For years engaged with actions of social, educational, and cultural promotion, the association La Strada – der Weg ONLUS is an important reality in the city fabric. Within the SiD project, it collaborates in the design and implementation of activities, labs, and workshops dedicated to young people in out-of-school contexts. The experiential learning moments will be many and engaging: from bio-blitzes to kitchen chemistry, everyone will be able to get closer to the world of STEAM.