Qualitative analysis of the participation of three vocational students in a STEM project

Awareness of the scientific process is a fundamental skill for citizens living in a society shaped by science and technology. However, science does not always reach all students, either through formal or non-formal science education. In this study, we analysed the participation of three vocational students (aged 17-19 years) in a multimedia course, who embarked on a guided project. The students captured and analysed images of solar phenomena and produced a video illustrating dynamic processes on the Sun’s surface, which they presented at the European Researchers’ Night (NEI). Following the event, a semi-structured interview was conducted with the students involved to evaluate their satisfaction with participating and the significance they attribute to space exploration. The results indicate that the project motivated the students by engaging their multimedia skills in a scientific context and also sparked interest in Astronomy-related content.