Interactive Science Events

Short course organised by the SEEP network

SEEP : European Youth Science Days. Creation and Management of Science Events in Schools

Malta

November 2015

 Oporto, Portugal

April 2016

For registration and questions about funding for staff mobilities send an email to : validainfo@gmail.com

Information about obtaining funding from your country’s National Agency under the ERASMUS+ Action 1 programme

This course is based on the experience of the organisation of the European Youth Science Days and the content covers all areas of organisation, media and activities that can make a science event in school more interesting and engaging. It covers areas like wide ownership of the event within the school management, teaching staff, students and other players in the community. It included management tools, gantt charts and cooperation. It contains an element of video production that could be one of the most creative vehicles for student engagement and post event exploitation and sharing outwards.

Preparation before the course

Participants will first be invited to join the SEEP network. The participants will embark on the project work character of this course. They will participate in an online forum in which :
– they get to know each other and about each other’s contexts,
– they answer some questions and participate in an online discussion on topics like popularisation of science, science careers and other topics that were discussed by the SEEP Network during its lifetime.
Participants will also take stock of potential stakeholders that they could identify as partners in hypothetical science events in their school. Participants will also share their idea starting up the collaborative learning environment that will be the leit motif of the course.

Objectives of the course

The course will impart cognitive knowledge in :

– event planning including online planning tools that enable sharing,

– costings and use of resources,

– solicitation of partner organisations and

– selling the idea to school management and colleagues, students and parents.

It will impart practical skills in :
– the technical and practicalities of organising an event,
– management of individuals, generating a cooperative environment, joint decision making,
– the potential of the use of media in the event both for content and for dissemination and
– marketing and dissemination techniques.
It is also aimed at donning the participants with the right level of confidence and knowledge of event planning and management as well as the proximity required between the event and curricula in science education in order that the event may be feasible, enjoyable and rewarding to organisers and audiences alike.

Methodology

The course will build on the European Youth Science Days organised by the network and will use these as a show case about the balance between international aspect of science, and local context. The content will be delivered in a project based approach. There will be group work from the beginning to end of the course with teams forming according to similar contexts regarding to levels of teaching, subjects / topics and other elements that may bring groups together. The project work approach will be necessary in order that teams form a working plan that participants can implement it during the very course days giving visibility to their outputs within the organisation hosting the course sessions. The practical aspect will be used as a platform for future mini events that the participants could use within their own respective organisations once they return home.

Follow up to the course

There will be a follow up action in which the participants will share templates and kits they create during the course with their colleagues. They will improve on them and possibly implement them within their school. There will be a sharing follow up action of these improved and contextualised event proposals and results on the SEEP portal in the very same forum that will have been used for preparation for the course.

Programme of Activities

Day 1

0900-0945 Introduction of the works and participants profiles

0945-1030 Sharing of ideas and building teams

1100-1200 Allies and foes in the setting up of an event

1200-1230 Names for group projects

1400-1500 Stock taking for group projects

1500-1600 Short write ups about group projects

Day 2

0900-0945 Negotiation with venue of Science Event in host organisation

0945-1030 Stock take : resources, space, traffic…

1100-1200 Experimentation with online planning tools

1200-1230 Assignment of duties

1400-1600 SEEP philosophy : alternative / future applications and careers in Science

Day 3

0900-1000 Preparing a presentation of group events

1000-1030 Presentation of the event to the audience

1100-1200 Validation of learning : conveying messages to audiences

1200-1230 Identifying tools required for the event

1400-1800 Excursion and experimentation with cameras and video testimonial

Day 4

0900-0930 Assessment of tools and preparation for activity with students / teachers / players

1000-1330 Public event / presentation / use of tools experimenation

1500-1630 Feedback and stock take of activity : feedback analysis

1800-2200 After event cast party : humour me in science

Day 5

0900-1000 Planning for after course follow up

1000-1030 Tools for validation and analysis of course

1100-1130 Posting on after course experience on forum started on SEEP portal during preparation

1130-1230 Participants’ views on the teacher as a player for popularisation of science and promoter of science careers

1230-1330 Concluding thoughts by all participants

For registration and questions about funding for staff mobilities send an email to : validainfo@gmail.com