To embed the COSMOS approach into everyday teaching practices, teachers should focus on connecting classroom science lessons with real-world issues that matter to students and their communities. Selecting Socio-Scientific Issues (SSIs) relevant to students’ lives encourages active participation and helps students see the value of their learning beyond the classroom. Teachers can develop lesson plans that incorporate SSIBL activities, making inquiry-based learning an integral part of science education.
Promoting a culture of open schooling starts with creating a supportive environment for teachers. Headteachers can help by facilitating time for professional development, encouraging cross-curricular collaboration, and providing resources that enable teachers to integrate COSMOS principles into their lessons. By endorsing initiatives that involve community partnerships and SSIBL, headteachers signal their commitment to sustaining the COSMOS approach in their school’s culture.
Policymakers play a vital role in supporting the sustainability of the COSMOS approach by integrating open schooling principles into national education frameworks. This may include revising curricula to encourage SSIBL-based inquiry and project-based learning as core components of science education. Policies that incentivize or fund professional development opportunities in open schooling can further support schools in adopting and maintaining the COSMOS approach.