An innovative science and environment pilot coaches Peruvian children to be curious about the world around them while searching for solutions to real world problems. Results from the first year of the pilot, which we implemented in partnership with Peru’s Ministry of Education and LEGO Education, show an increase of 53% in the proportion of teachers who believe that practical hands-on experience should be taught before the memorization of science history and theories.

The changes in educational approach are already reflected in test scores. In the module on the physical world, for example, we saw an almost 8% increase in test scores of third graders who benefitted from the new teaching approach compared with those who were taught using the traditional approach. A challenge for the next phase consists in ensuring that all students benefit from the new teaching methods, particularly girls and pupils in rural schools. This is a critical policy issue in a country with an inequitable distribution of education and learning outcomes.

The pilot helps children develop skills in solving scientific problems through challenges that capture their interest and stimulate their imagination. Students work in teams to develop their own solutions; reflect on those solutions; and apply their new knowledge to new challenges.