Towards Science and Research

Transkript

1 Towards Science and Research Josef Brůna TEREZA Association Czech republic Lumír TEREZA Association Mojmír

2 Outline of presentation TEREZA Association Projects and activities The GLOBE Programme Background Challenges Activities Online Activities Constrains Success factors and lessons learned

3 TEREZA Association Non-profit NGO 30 years tradition of environmental education Delivers programs to children each year Half-day programs in our building Long term programs in schools: Ecoschools, Forest in schools, school in forest and The GLOBE Program done by teachers using our materials Now we focus also on teacher education

4 The GLOBE Program Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment Worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program Focused on inquiry based learning and collecting data about environment

5 The GLOBE Program Started in 1994 and TEREZA is coordinating it in Czech republic from the very beginning

6 The GLOBE Program There are more than schools around the world in 111 countries and >130 schools in Czech republic Most activities are for younger students We wanted better activities for high schools => Project started in November 2008

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8 Project goals Enhance the scientific literacy of secondary school students Develop their scientific research skills Establish a working network of students, teachers and researchers Improve the attractivness of science Fully funded by Operational Programme Prague - Adaptability(OPPA) Priority Axis 3: Modernization of initial training, with the support of the European Social Fund and the City of Prague.

9 Regional challenges Inquiry based education is new in czech curriculum Teachers are not very used to it There is not enough time in the classes We have to start with the teachers Materials have to be useful Out of the box Allow further modification for active teachers

10 Cooperation Creating the materials Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of science, Charles University Team of doc. Jana Albrechtová Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of life Sciences Team of prof. Luboš Borůvka Testing the materials: 8 high schools in Prague Online activities: Centre for Modern Education (CZ), s.r.o.

11 Project topics Scientific process General principles of scientific work Carbon Cycle Popular problematic of CO 2 Modern topic with few learning materials Soil science New in curriculum Missing in most textbooks

12 Project Activites Methodical materials Online materials E-learning lectures Publishing system Browser game Workshops for teachers and scientists During the whole project Excurses to Universities (2009 and 2010) Final students conference (9 th November 2010)

13 Materials and experiments For each topic Methodical guide with background information, literature reviews, solutions and references to relevant literature Set of easy experiments without special equipment Possible modifications for equipped schools and active teachers Students workbook or field guide

14 Materials and experiments Scientific process Reading skills Working with information Formulation of hypotheses Planning of experiments Principles of data collection and basic analysis Interpretation of results Publication and presentation of the findings

15 Materials and experiments Carbon Cycle Carbon capture in plants How much carbon is in different types of wood? Principles of photosynthesis Carbon release from soil How much carbon is in different type of soils? Sealed environments in a milk bottle

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17 Materials and experiments Soil science Flower pots Influence of different additives on plant growth Contamination, acidification salinisation Field surrvey soil profiles How does soil change in various conditions Land use, geology, morphology

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19 Students conference 9/11/2010 at Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague 8 high schools present results of their research You are all welcome

20 Online learning activities Interactive e-learning lectures Publishing tool with database Browser game

21 E-learning lectures Flash based interactive slides with tasks Same topics as other materials 3 sections with 6 lectures each with 5-9 slides Dialogs of two companion scientists Mojmír (plant physiologist) and Lumír (soil scientist) Introduce tasks and give direct feedback dependent of students performance Text or fully voiced Individual study pace Compatible with interactive whiteboards TEREZA Association Mojmír

22 Contents of lectures 3 sections: Scientific proces Literature, online databases Hypotheses Methods and plans Presentation of results Carbon cycle Plant physiology Photosyntehsis CO 2 Soil science Soil types Life in soil Threats, vulnerability Feedback of soils

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24 Examples

25 Examples

26 Examples

27 Online publishing system DATEL Online cooperation of student groups Writing scientific reports from experiments Practicing writing skills Learning principles of citation and authorship

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29 Online database of results Database of published results Publicly accessible Source of information and inspiration For other students For teachers For new schools Knowledge base from all experiments New research Further investigation Includes a discussion forum for teachers

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31 Browser game Simulation of a small village Results of decisions on regional level Connected mostly to soil and carbon cycle Possible to play in groups with roles Vision of sustainable development Detailed statistics

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33 Network for SD Strengthens cooperation between universities and high schools During workshops, testing and excursions teachers have cooperated with scientists Exchange of experience online For teachers For students Online activities don t need much maintenance, most is done by teachers Detailed feedback for the first draft of materials

34 Constraints Time limits in school lectures Activities are sometimes done in students free time Opportunity - new school education plans Limited number of topics Limited by number of cooperating scientists Can be extended in GLOBE Program topics No regional University partners today

35 Success factors Functional network for creation of materials and cooperation on students research activities Tailor made activities Simple but interesting experiments Teachers count scientific skill as vital for biology and chemistry lectures

36 Lessons learned Possibilities of online learning Universities can offer many things to secondary schools, but there is almost no platform for this cooperation On universities, there are usualy no special courses of scientific literacy Usually taught by supervisor May use some of the activities for the first grades

37 Current state Methodical materials - in print Excursions and workshops - finished E-learning finishing and dubbing Publishing system well tested articles for conference Browser game parametrisation Beginning of last part Dissemination to 80 high schools in Prague

38 Future Dissemination to 80 high schools in Prague until april 2011 Modification for elementary schools Dissemination to all GLOBE schools in Czech republic

39 Summary Project was beneficial for all participants Online activities can be integrated into methodical materials to deliver better support for students and teachers Online database for results of experiments can help new schools in their scientific work Scientific work can be done in regular classes in schools

40 Links / - project website - lectures -publishing system - main TEREZA website The GLOBE Program Thank you for your attention

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42 Optional activity