Promoting Scientific Literacy in High School: Insights from Short-Term STEM Collaborative Projects

Fostering scientific literacy is a key societal goal to equip individuals with skills to navigate and make informed decisions in an increasingly complex world. The development of project-based learning (PBL) approaches can effectively promote scientific engagement, but their implementation often presents challenges for teachers. This study presents a framework implemented in a Portuguese high school that encourages collaborative partnerships between schools and research institutions, actively involving students in STEM research projects. This approach consists of the development of year-long scientific projects that rely on a PBL framework, but in which researchers guide ideation and implementation, therefore overcoming challenges for teachers, who take a supporting role. Through a case study in Biology, we illustrate a practical application and share insights from an evaluation survey that assessed students’ experience and acquired knowledge, highlighting valuable lessons and areas for improvement. Our findings indicate that these initiatives improve students’ comprehension of the scientific process, offering an effective model to enhance their scientific literacy.