Inspiring passion for scientific research and technical innovation in schools

“Awakening” the beauty of science and technology

On March 16, the Science Fair 2025 was successfully held with the participation of more than 3,000 people across the city. With the unique theme of “Pixaverse”, students recreated classic footage from childhood cartoons to bring a visual and engaging scientific experience.

It is known that Science Fair (SF) is a non-profit science fair organized annually by the Society of Open Science, under Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. After 8 seasons, the fair has become a familiar destination for science-loving students throughout the city.

This year, the fair is inspired by Disneyland and the Universal Studios experience model. The Science Fair organizers hope to recreate a “science amusement park”, providing useful learning and playing experiences along with family bonding activities.

Sharing with reporters of the Vietnam Law Newspaper, Tran Phan Dieu Huong (grade 11 Russian, Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted), co-head of the Organizing Committee, said that in the past 2 months, nearly 150 members of the Organizing Committee have outlined the program, come up with ideas for event decoration, asked for funding themselves, as well as searched for and built experimental models for the Fair.

Tran Phan Dieu Huong said: “The preparation process for the Fair was an opportunity for us to improve both our expertise and event organization skills, and we were able to connect and discuss with students who share a passion for science across the city.”

In 2024, the Department of Education and Training of Van Quan district (Lang Son province) organized a district-level STEM Festival with the theme "Unleashing Creativity - Igniting Passion". The festival was attended by more than 300 students representing primary and secondary schools in the district and 29 secondary and high schools in and outside the province. During the festival, students participated in many interesting activities related to science and technology.

Ms. Dao Thi Hong Quyen, Director of the Alliance for Promoting STEM Education, commented on these festivals, saying that this is a very creative way. It helps students have interesting experiences, learn more about culture, and especially nurture their love of science and technology.

Support students to apply science and technology to solve practical problems

Since 2020, after the Ministry of Education and Training issued Official Dispatch No. 3089/BGDĐT-GDTrH on the implementation of STEM education in general education, STEM education activities have been promoted and implemented more systematically in all three forms: STEM lessons, STEM experiences and scientific and technical research of students.

Currently, most schools have teaching activities, supporting students to experience and research science and technology. Thanks to fairs and STEM festivals, students have been "inspired" with love for the subjects. However, there are still limitations, when students do not have many practical applications in their daily lives.

Director of the Department of Secondary Education, Ministry of Education and Training Nguyen Xuan Thanh said that organizing STEM teaching has aroused in teachers and students a passion for scientific research and technical innovation, helping students approach and become familiar with scientific research methods, creating a useful intellectual playground for them, giving teachers the opportunity to develop their professional capacity, innovate student assessment methods and innovate teaching methods, taking advantage of classrooms, functional rooms combined with modern teaching equipment to help teachers carry out STEM lessons well.

To help students gain deeper understanding and application of science and technology. The teaching staff is the driving force. Therefore, teachers are more active in research, exploration and have positive changes in applying STEM-oriented teaching methods to teaching. Many topics are organized to be taught according to STEM education, these teaching topics mostly come from daily problems encountered in the community where students live.

Huong Ngoc