Engaging young minds with particle physics
David Rainer Wolfgang Borgelt, Christian Klein-Boesing

TL;DR
This paper presents an educational approach using particle physics to engage and motivate students aged 10-15, aiming to influence their decision to pursue physics, with positive initial results especially among girls.
Contribution
It introduces a novel workshop-based strategy to demystify particle physics for young students and evaluates its effectiveness in increasing interest in physics.
Findings
Over 620 students reached in 25+ events
Positive motivation increase among girls
Initial evaluation shows promising engagement
Abstract
To give teenagers a new, everyday perspective on STEM topics, we use particle physics as our main topic to engage young students. Our strategy is designed to demystify particle physics, making it more accessible and attractive early in high school. In Germany, students usually decide whether or not to continue their physics education around the age of 15. That's why our project is aimed specifically at students aged 10 to 15 to give them a real insight into particle physics research before they have to make a final decision about continuing physics. Our efforts have focused on creating educational and engaging workshops for young learners. We have reached over 620 students across these age groups through more than 25 events in the last two years. The initial results are promising, indicating that our efforts are successfully igniting a motivation for physics, especially among girls. In…
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Taxonomy
TopicsScience Education and Pedagogy · Science Education and Perceptions
