CAS Caribbean - Charles

ICSU-ROLAC
Workshop of Focal Points in Latin
America and The Caribbean
March 9 – 10, 2015
The Caribbean Academy of Sciences

Science Teachers’ Training
Workshops
in
The Caribbean

The Caribbean – a Development Laboratory

• In the Caribbean region, except for the
careers in medicine and engineering, science
education has not been attracting crowds.
Declining enrollments in faculties of natural
sciences, agriculture, biotechnology and in
science education programmes have been
noted.
At the Caribbean Conference on Education for
Sustainable Development in October 2005,

CAS concluded that science education
will be a major activity of The
Academy….
CAS has been actively participating in
the Inter-American Network of
Academies of Sciences (IANAS) Science
Education Programme.

Historically, two (2) pedagogical approaches in
science teaching can be contrasted. The first,
traditionally used at schools, is the “Deductive
Approach”. The second has long been referred
to as the “Inductive Approach”…
•Today this Inductive Approach is most often
referred to as Inquiry-Based Science Education
(IBSE)…
•Increasingly experimentation has shown that
inquiry-based methods provide the means to
increase interest in science.

• In responding to the current near crisis in
science education in the region, the
Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS) in
collaboration with the Inter-American
Network of Academies of
Sciences (IANAS) hosted a
Science Education Workshop on ISBE
Methods for Primary School Teachers
in October, 2008 ….
• Follow up workshops were held….

Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE)
Objectives of IBSE Workshops
•Training of Trainers in IBSE –
persons attending these workshops
can serve as trainers in their
respective territories
•Development of outline curricula in
order to promote IBSE
•Some focus on Assessment
Methods

• Objectives cont’d.
• Expose Teachers to Science Curriculum
Development
• Identify some local issues that primary
school teachers face in sustainable
development, climate change and hazard
mitigation activities in science education
and the teaching of ISBE methodologies

As follow up to the ISBE Methods
Workshop in Grenada, The Country of
Guyana commenced a series of similar
training workshops for teachers. Teacher
Training Workshops increased from twelve
(12) in 2009 to forty one (41) in 2014.
Funding support from Exon Mobil was
obtained in collaboration with Youth
Challenge Guyana….

Science Teachers’ Training Workshops
Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE)
Teacher Training in Climate Change
using the IBSE methodology

Global Micro-Science Experiments Project
(GMSEP)
Another approach in science education
used by UNESCO is its Global Micro-
Science Experiments Project which
provides developed and developing
countries alike with new teaching tools….

(GMSEP)
The project thus contributes to capacity
building, in areas where limited/no laboratory
facilities are available. The experimental
techniques that can be covered on a micro-scale
include everything from separating the
components of mixtures to measuring rates of
reactions between chemicals.

(GMSEP)
Micro-science teachers’ and students’
manuals can be developed to accompany
the kits for biology, chemistry and physics.
•These kits can be used with the IBSE
methodology.

(GMSEP)
The Global Micro-science Programme was
launched by UNESCO and the International
Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
(IUPAC) in 1996. The micro-science
approach has been introduced into over 80
countries, many of them in Africa.

STEM Education/IBSE/Micro-Science
As the World embraces a low carbon
development pathway, the role of Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
(S.T.E.M) education will become the
catalyst for national sustainable
development.

Collaborative Ventures
1)A joint workshop run by CAS in collaboration
with the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF)
for Eastern Caribbean Primary School Teachers
was held in St. Vincent & Grenadines in January
2015.
(

•“The aims of this new joint venture in
primary science education were to:
•(1) have teachers expand their understanding
of the nature of science, science education
and how students learn science;
•2) identify strategies, resources and activities
for Inquiry and STEM-based science teaching
and;
•(3) increase the confidence of teachers in
their planning, teaching and assessing of
inquiry based approaches”.

2) Robotic Training
This is targeted to STEM teachers. This could
also be a series of regional joint workshops in
collaboration with a suitable collaborator.
•Goals of Robotic Training:
•To enhance teachers’ skills in design,
construction and execution of problem solving
activities, based on Robotic Tool Kits that will
increase student interest in STEM subjects.

Goals of Robotic Training – Cont’d.
•To identify and review links between
Curricula, Robotics and National/Regional
development goals.
•To empower and encourage student
volunteers to support teachers in deploying
robotics activities in schools.
•To promote dialogue and community building
among regional educators engaging in similar
initiatives.

3) Incorporation of IBSE & Micro-Science
Training in Schools.
A proposal to incorporate IBSE and UNESCO’s
Global Micro-science for primary and
secondary schools will involve the following:
•Capacity building for teachers at the primary
and secondary levels.
•Implementation of country pilots in at least 5

Incorporation of IBSE & Micro-Science Training
in Schools – Cont’d.
Project Objectives:
•To strengthen science education in the
selected countries
•To strengthen the institutional capacities of
curriculum units in Ministries of Education

Project Objectives – Cont’d.
•To enhance science, technology and
innovation at primary and secondary levels
•To promote capacity building for science
education and enhance development of
scientific thinking and experimentation for
students in the selected countries
•To expose students to more experimental
skills.

Project Objectives – Cont’d
•To increase the interest in young people in
science so as to promote gender equality,
scientific literacy and the choice of a scientific
career
•The provision of resources for the School
Based Assessment (SBA) component for the
sciences in secondary schools

4) Establishment of STEM teacher networks to
share best practices in IBSE
•To strengthen climate change education for
sustainable development within schools
•Support capacity building through training
workshops on climate change, disaster risk
reduction and education for sustainable
development

• Develop IBSE lessons linked to climate
change education. Incorporate sandwich
programmes as part of capacity building.
• Networks of teachers need to be
established so that the teachers can
assist one another in the drive for
excellence in teacher training.

Science Teachers’ Training Workshops
MUCHAS GRACIAS!

CAS Caribbean - Charles

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