Roundtable Discussion
Institute of Advanced Studies/USP – Alfredo Bosi Room, Rua da Praça do Relógio, 109, São Paulo
Interdisciplinary Teacher Education Programs: Experiences, Challenges, and Potential in Brazil and Argentina
This event aims to foster an international dialogue on the curricular frameworks of interdisciplinary teacher education programs, examining how these initiatives can strengthen a critical, integrative, and responsive approach to teacher training that addresses the contemporary demands of science education. The opening remarks will be delivered by Prof. Cristina Leite, Ph.D. (IF-USP), coordinator of Line 1 of the FAPESP Thematic Project (Case No. 22/06977-5), who will discuss several initiatives, such as the Interdisciplinary Science Teacher Education Program (PLIC/USP) and the “Natural Sciences and Knowledge of the Cosmos” course (PRG). Next, Prof. Dr. Daniel Puig (UFSB/IEA-USP), who has extensive experience in implementing innovative curricula and is the author of a collective work on Brazilian experiences in this field, will discuss the coordination and outcomes of interdisciplinary teacher education programs in the national context.
To conclude the meeting, Prof. Dr. Agustín Adúriz-Bravo (UBA) will discuss the recent curriculum reform at the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires, presenting the creation of ten new bachelor’s degree programs, five of which are structured as interdisciplinary programs. The event is part of the FAPESP Thematic Project and aims to contribute to a discussion of curriculum models capable of responding, in a critical and context-specific manner, to some of the contemporary demands of science teacher education.
Moderator: Geraldine Chadwick
Speakers: Agustín Adúriz-Bravo (FCEN-UBA), Cristina Leite (IF-USP), and Daniel Puig (UFSB/IEA-USP).
This is a free, public event with a live stream on the IEA’s YouTube channel.
Free registration.
Lecture - Futurizing Teacher Education (in Science)
Auditorium of the São Paulo School of Education / FE-USP
April 9, 2026 – 4:00 p.m.
No registration required.
Futurizing Teacher Education (in Science) – Prof. Olivia Levrini (Universidade de Bolonha)
The lecture “Futurizing Teacher Education (in Science),” to be presented by Professor Olivia Levrini of the University of Bologna, will address challenges and perspectives for the training of science teachers in a world marked by rapid social, scientific, technological, and environmental transformations. The presentation invites us to rethink science education based on the need to prepare teachers capable of working in contexts of uncertainty, complexity, and the emergence of new possible futures. By discussing theoretical frameworks and experiences developed in the field of Futures-Oriented Science Education, the speaker will highlight pathways toward a teacher education program that is more responsive to contemporary issues, integrating scientific knowledge, socio-technical imagination, educational responsibility, and a commitment to building more just and sustainable societies. The lecture will be delivered in English.
Olivia Levrini holds a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. in physics. She is a Full Professor of Physics Education and History of Physics in the Augusto Righi Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Bologna. She has coordinated the European projects “I see, identities,” “Fedora,” and the EU Fedora Teachers’ Academy. Her current research interests include interdisciplinarity and a forward-looking approach to STEM education in advanced topics (e.g., climate change, artificial intelligence, quantum computing), cognition and conceptual change, identity, and processes of appropriation.
In 2019, she served as chair of the ESERA 2019 conference. In 2018, she received national certification as a full professor and served as an ambassador for the City of Bologna.
Open Seminar - 02/12/2025
Institute of Physics of the University of São Paulo / IFUSP
14h – Educación científica orientada al futuro – Prof. Olivia Levrini (Universidad de Bolonia)
16h – FyouTURES — A Board Game for Building Collective Scenarios Lorenzo Miani (University of Bologna)
Seminar 1: Futures-Oriented Science Education
Prof. Olivia Levrini – Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi”, University of Bologna
In this seminar, Olivia Levrini will examine how science education can empower young people to develop future-thinking competences that support navigation of a global landscape marked by uncertainty, complexity, and socio-environmental risk. Drawing on research at the intersection of science education and futures studies, the presentation will illustrate how scientific content can be re-interpreted and regenerated to foster students’ creativity, agency, responsibility, and informed hope. Particular attention will be devoted to the epistemological shift introduced by futures studies and to the pedagogical challenges that accompany it—such as recognising and problematising dominant technocratic narratives of the future, embracing complexity, engaging with value-laden decisions, and addressing the emotional dimensions of learning in crisis-laden contexts. The seminar will conclude with a discussion of the design principles developed within the EU projects I SEE, FEDORA, and FEDORAS, highlighting how these principles can guide the creation of educational environments that meaningfully integrate anticipatory thinking into science teaching.
Seminar 2: FyouTURES — A Board Game for Building Collective Scenarios
Lorenzo Miani – Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi”, University of Bologna
This seminar introduces FyouTURES, a board game developed to support futures-oriented science education by engaging learners in the collaborative construction of scenarios. Lorenzo Miani will present the conceptual foundations and design principles of the game, explaining how it creates spaces for negotiation, critical reflection, and collective decision-making under conditions of uncertainty and socio-environmental risk. Through gameplay, participants are invited to explore multiple possible futures, confront scientific and ethical dilemmas, and reflect on the consequences of individual and collective actions. The seminar will illustrate how the game promotes skills such as systemic thinking, imagination, argumentation, and cooperative problem-solving. Difficulties commonly encountered by students — such as navigating conflicting values, balancing scientific evidence with societal considerations, and imagining long-term outcomes — will be discussed, along with strategies for turning these challenges into meaningful learning opportunities. Overall, the presentation will highlight the pedagogical potential of board games as tools for fostering anticipation, collaboration, and shared responsibility among young people engaging with contemporary scientific and socio-environmental issues.