Down to Earth Science Education

This course is intended for teachers of science who wish to bring the subject of environment and energy as a cross topic or cross curricular subject of discussion in science education. It will touch upon putting in green topics as an inspiration for future applications and careers in green science. It touches upon engaging video making in environment topics and interaction with stakeholders and players in the green economy and policy making.

Preparation before the course

Participants will first be invited to join the SEEP network. This will prepare their minds to look at science education from the SEEP perspective ie. from a future oriented approach including future applications and careers in science.  They will also be invited to share teaching ideas that they may have in order that the preparation to the course may get their mind set on sharing and cooperating with other teachers in the network. The preparatory action will also raise awareness in the minds of the participants about informal learning, learning objectives and validation. Active participation in the preparation to the course will also be noted in the certificate of participation that will be awarded at the end of the course.

Objectives of the course

The course has three objectives :

The course is intended for teachers of middle and secondary schools. It is also intended for trainers in the vocational education and training sector. It is a course that imparts skills and fosters a positive attitude in the minds of teachers towards the environment and scientific aspects of climate change, recycling, natural or alternative sources of energy and future applications in science that could be detrimental or beneficial for the environment.

The course has four objectives :
– helping teachers see the potential of making the environment as a theme that is cross topic and that runs horizontal through the curriculum,
– helping teachers see the environment as a topic that could develop as an ongoing project for students at an individual or group level,
– enticing teachers to carry out research and to instill the research culture in the classroom through extra and cross curricular activities around the topic of the environment in the science classroom,
– giving confidence to the teachers to use alternative media and to allow the students to take initiative and adopt technologies and vehicles of their choice that enhance science education, make it more attractive and tap specific interest of students who may seek a science career in the future especially in the area of environment protection and conservation.

Methodology

The course will have a balance between :
– reflective didactic sessions that are interactive and that are aimed at fostering a creative and critical thinking process in the minds of the participants,
– sharing sessions in which participants will work in a collaborative and cooperative learning environment engaging media, research, planning and validation exercises,
– practical activities that are entertaining and that would provide examples for teachers to emulate, copy and adapt within their own school and teaching environment.
The methodology will endeavour to allow teachers to use what they know and what they have experienced in class and in school be it a positive or challenging experience when it comes to the environment as a topic, future applications in science and careers in science. The course will make them conscious that what they know matters. It is the input of energy, fresh approaches and working with other teachers and the rest of the school that may bring change to science education and to the very career of the science teachers.

Follow up to the course

At the end of the course the participants will prepare a generic lesson plan or project that brings the topic of the environment and issues that are ancillary to the topic into the science classroom. The lesson plan will contain learning objectives, general structure and working plan for the implementation of the activity. It will include resources, planning and follow up required to make the planned activity a success. Upon return to their respective schools / organisations the participants will implement this activity and share the results with the group again via the social media tools of the SEEP network in order that the results of the course may be shared with the whole network.

Training Programme 

Day 1
09:00 – 09:30 Welcome note and presentation of course work plan
09:30 -10:30 Personal reactivity to environmental issues
11:00 – 12:30 Journalist’s approach to the climate change and RRR principles
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 16:30 First mini media project

Day 2
09:00 – 11:30 Understanding the change: scenario building backwards
11:30 – 12:30 Identifying drivers of change: group project work
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 16:30 Identifying drivers of change: group project work

Day 3
09:00 – 10:30 Foresight discussion: parabola of change
10:30 – 13:00 Foresight discussion: scenario building forwards
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 17:30 Excursion and field work for Day 4 project

Day 4
09:00 – 11:30 Science Event: Earth Day: planning and selling it to the students
11:30 – 13:00 Media Project for students: ownership of earht awarness through video
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 16:30 Making environment a business

Day 5
09:00 – 09:30 Review of Day 4 activity
09:30 – 10:30 The business of conservation, preservation : Science and Citizenship
11:00 – 12:00 Scientists and Activists : awareness, ethics, politics and law
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 14:00 Validation of learning of the course
14:00 – 16:30 Planning for follow up, future cooperation and networking