FEAST

About the project

The FEAST project ran from 30 November 2011 to 29 November 2013.

FEAST built on the success of another European project, PILOTS, that worked towards the professionalisation of explainers in science centres and museums. This time, participants focussed on a specific target audience: parents. Their role as learning catalysts was explored and a method drawn up to develop activities fostering their involvement as confident and knowledgeable science educators of their children.

Scope

FEAST (Facilitating Engagement of Adults in Science and Technology) identified Explainers in Science Centres and Museums as key personalities in informal education of adults and families. The professional development of this category in an international setting and the creation of a European model for developing and delivering informal science workshops for adults was a way for the consortium to contribute to the field, combining the efforts of museum practitioners, academic researchers, networking and media experts in the creation of high quality products.

The FEAST Project aimed to contribute to this panorama by developing a model and a number of tools and resources for the informal science education of adult parents. With its actions it:

• promoted science centres and museums as forums for active citizenship and scientific literacy;
• developed the professional skills of explainers in facilitating informal lifelong learning of adults;
• provided adult parents with the skills and tools to act as confident and knowledgeable science educators of their children.
• In practice FEAST developed:
• 5 FEAST Workshops and related Activities on different scientific topics, aimed at adults;
• an educational model for FEAST workshops with related research materials on parent and adult learning;
• an International Training Course for museum adult educators (Explainers);
• an on-line FEAST hub for sharing Project results and material and creating an on-line parent educator community.

The International Training Course for Explainers, the FEAST workshops for parents and the on-line resources and FEAST hub were maintained after the end of the Project, ensuring an even wider impact on the professional development of European Explainers and on the informal science learning opportunities for parents.

Materials on Adults' engagement in science and technology and project's results are available in the section "Resources" of this website.

Tangible benefits for all science engagement professionals

You want to work with families? Read up a very digestible summary of parents’ role in informal learning settings, download material to deliver five different sessions or create your own workshop (available in different languages) and join an open platform where parents and professionals reflect on their experiences.

Supported by the European Union's Education, Audiovisual, and Culture Executive Agency, acting under powers delegated by the Commission of the European Union grant agreement NO. 2011-4065/001-001