Taking societal responsibility

Using our international education program Experimento as a starting point, we worked with the Foundation for Learning through Civic Engagement – an off-shoot of the Freudenberg Foundation since 2017 – to launch the “Service-Learning in STEM subjects” project. The project’s goal is to motivate students to take responsibility and strengthen their environmental consciousness. In addition, students become more aware of sustainability, solidarity, and social justice in their daily lives. By directly and personally addressing community-based values in STEM subjects, students experience the meaning and the purpose of science and technology in a society. For example, fifth year students learn about nutrition and food in biology class before creating an age-appropriate learning game with tips on a healthy diet. They use the game to promote healthy school breakfasts at the primary schools in their community.

The subject matter learned in the classroom becomes easier to grasp once it is put into practice. The civic engagement also allows children to use their knowledge and skills for the good of others. Following the practical elements of a lesson, students engage in reflective exercises, discussing and identifying their experiences. This helps the students create connections to their own lives and expand their own perception of values.