The project is developed across two main axes, the pedagogical and the technological. The technological axes includes the development of the CONNECT technology and its iterative process of design. The pedagogical axes develop the pedagogical approach and its theoretical background, the proposed educational pathways, and collaborates with the technologists to implement the visual augmentations of the exhibits.

a. the CONNECT technology

b. Exhibits
Four exhibits of different science centers have been CONNECTED so far to formal science teaching of schools.

• Aerofoil - at - Bristol
• Airtrack - Eugenides Foundation
• Biotube - Xperiment Huset
• Hot Air Balloon - HEUREKA

c. piloting with the users
To assure maximal usability of the new tools, optimal adaptation to the local environments and realistic evaluation of the pedagogical effects, the CONNECT project uses a heavily student-centred approach. This will be achieved by involving in a series of field trials many students in Finland, Greece, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Moreover, the trials are used to strengthen the connections between schools and informal learning of all students, i.e. visits in museums and in science parks. Therefore two sets of trials are to take place, the Test Run and the Final Run.

First trials: May - June 2005

Test run dates: Autumn 2005 - Winter 2006

Sweden: November  2005
Greece: December 2005 - February 2006
U.K.: December 2005
Finland: January 2006

Final run dates:

• Phase A: Spring 2006

Greece: April-May 2006
Sweden: May 2006
Finland: June 2006
U.K.: July 2006

• Phase B: Fall 2006