by Eleni A. Kyza & Yiannis Georgiou (Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus)

The conference of the European Association for Practitioner Research on Improving Learning (EARPIL, http://eaprilconference.org/), took place in Nicosia, Cyprus from 25–28 November 2014.  The aim of the association is to promote practice-based research on learning issues in the context of initial, formal, lifelong and organizational learning, and create synergies between theory and practice.

Eleni Kyza (CUT) and Ralph Levinson (IOE), with the contribution of the PARRISE consortium,  co-authored a round-table submission titled “SSIBL: A theory-informed instructional framework for enhancing students’ understanding and action on socio-scientific issues through an inquiry approach”.

Eleni participated at the round table session, during which she had the opportunity to present and discuss the SSIBL framework with a total of thirty conference delegates attending the session. During her talk, Eleni Kyza explained what the SSIBL framework is and stressed the need for teachers’ professional development in order to employ the framework successfully.

With the goal of providing concrete examples to allow the conference delegates to conceptualize the framework, Eleni presented  the SSIBL basis of a socio-scientific inquiry-based module regarding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). This presentation was followed by a lively discussion.

In the context of the discussion the conference delegates indicated that they found the SSIBL framework  interesting and useful but at the same time challenging.  Participants’ questions were focused on how teachers can be better prepared for SSIBL-type teaching and whether students can engage with it.

The SSIBL framework was appreciated by all as an innovative learning approach since it brings new and alternative perspectives to teaching and learning about complex socio-scientific issues.

Kyza, E. A., Levinson, R. & The PARRISE Consortium (2014). SSIBL: A theory A theory-informed instructional framework for enhancing students’ understanding and action on socio-scientific issues through an inquiry approach. Roundtable presented at  the 9th EAPRIL Conference, November 25-28, 2014, Nicosia, Cyprus.