Pri-Sci-Net Third International Training Course
on Informal and Non-Formal Learning in IBSE at Primary Level
17th February 2014 – 20th February 2014
Paedagogische Hochschule (University of Education Salzburg)
Akademiestraße 23
5020 Salzburg
Austria
The Pri-Sci-Net project is organising a third International Training Course in Salzburg, Austria, from the 17th of February 2014 to the 20th of February 2014, on informal and non-formal learning in IBSE. Pri-Sci-Net is an FP7 funded project that promotes Inquiry-based Learning in Science Education at Primary School Level. The project has 17 European partners, and is coordinated by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST).
This training program is intended to support teachers and teacher-trainers to engage and guide students to develop independent learning and critical thinking skills, positive attitudes and curiosity towards science. The teacher is hence invited to scaffold the learning process whilst allowing the student to experiment, verify and reflect on different science concepts.
The training offers different ways of implementing inquiry in the primary science classroom and outside of the school. The training methodologies are a mix of theory, hands-on, interactive sessions.
Target Audience
The training course is of interest to primary school teachers, teacher trainers, primary science coordinator, IBSE experts-researchers, educational stakeholders and all other professionals who have a role of supporting primary teachers in the teaching of science at primary level of education.The course is limited to 30 participants and preference will be given to those who demonstrate a multiplier effect where they can share the training received with other teachers in their country. Applications received will be evaluated according to the criteria set.
Costs
The training course is being offered free of charge. A separate call for financial support has also been issued for teachers and trainers related to primary science education through which the project will provide financial assistance for 15 teachers to attend the training. For those selected, the project will provide:
- The flights/train will be covered by the project. Original boarding passes must be presented by not later than 10 days after the training; Economy flight tickets will be purchased by Malta Council for Science and Technology
- Train tickets to be purchased by the delegate and reimbursed upon presentation of original receipts. If receipts are lost, we will not reimburse
- A daily per deim allowance to cover all expenses as meals, accommodation and sundry costs. This is provided after the training and on presentation of original boarding passes.
- Reimbursement of insurance which is provided together with the per deim upon presentation of original invoice and insurance policy.
- Internal travel from the airport to the city centre and return. This is provided together with the per deim after the training and on presentation of original receipts. Taxis are only reimbursed between 22.00hrs (pm) and 6.00hrs (am). Sufficient justification that there was no other means of public transport should be provided.
- There is no cost for participation in the training.
- PRI-SCI-NET can only fund 15 International delegates
Pri-Sci-Net Third International Training Course
Informal and Non-Formal Learning in Primary Education
Draft Programme
17th-20th of February 2014
Salzburg, Austria
Draft Course Programme
Monday, Feb 17th / Tuesday, Feb 18th / Wednesday, Feb 19thA day at the Science Centre / Thursday, Feb 20th
09:00-09:30 Registration
09:30-10:00 Introduction
Welcome and Introduction, practical information
10:00-11:00 Technology and inquiry
How to use technology for inquiry? Online resources, learning portals
11:00-12:00 World Café part 1
Interactive Session on IBSE with all participants / 09:30-12:00 Parallel sessions
Group A)Hands-on session
Guided inquiry – Multiple images in plane mirror and color in nature
Group B) Hands-on session
Observing and explaining natural phenomena - magnetism and electrostatics / 09:30-12:00
Guided tour at the Science Centre with hands-on / 09:30-12:00 Parallel sessions
Group A) Hands-on session
Observing and explaining natural phenomena - magnetism and electrostatic
Group B) Outdoor activity
exploring change of state and the weather and seasons
12:00-13:00 Lunch break / 12:00-13:00 Lunch break / 12:00-13:00 Lunch break / 12:00-13:00 Lunch break
13:00-15:30 Parallel sessions
Group A) Outdoor activity
exploring change of state and the weather and seasons
Group B) Hands-on session (optional Outdoor activity)
a Guided inquiry –Multiple images in plane mirror and color in nature / 13:00-15:30 Science fairs
How to plan and conduct science fairs? / 13:00-15:30 Parallel sessions
Group A)Physical science and animals
Group B) Inquiry in museums / 13:00-14:00
World café part 2
Interactive Session with participants
14:00-15:00
Closing ceremony and certificates
Individual departure
19:00 Social Dinner / 19:00 Social program
Classical concert or alternatively a guided tour through historical Salzburg
Course Coordinators
Dr. Reinhold Hawle is the Head of Department IT-Systems for Educational Purposes at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education. He is the person responsible for the sector ICT-Development and Evaluation. He is also a member of the sector for New Technologies in Education and the Steering Committee of the European Schoolnet (EUN).
Ms. Monika Moises, MA works in international project cooperation in the fields of technology and innovative pedagogy. She is also the consultant of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education in the management of European funded educational projects.
Dr. Christian Bertsch is a senior researcher at the University of Education in Vienna. In his research he focuses on the outcomes of CPD for science teachers and Science-School-Cooperation.
Dr. Kristina Zoldosova, WP leader for teacher training in Pri-Sci-Net. She is alecturer within the Department of Preschool and Elementary Education and the head for the development of primary science education within the Faculty of Education. She has a rich expertise in science literacy development and in the promotion of science learning motivation with particular reasearch interests in science process skills development and in teachers´ views of innovative systems of science education amongst others.
Course Trainers and Speakers
Prof. Suzanne Gatt is the coordinator of this project and an affiliated researcher with MCST. She is a researcher in primary science education as well as the Erasmus coordinator for the Faculty of Education at the University of Malta. She has published extensively on children’s ideas in science conducting research with children as young as 4-5 years. Prof. Gatt has been active in the field for the past 15 years and is established with the international arena, particularly in the field of primary science education.
Dr. Jenny Byrne, who is the university’s representative for Pri-Sci-Net, is a senior lecturer on the primary PGCE course, program director and the learning and teaching coordinator. Her research interests are in children’s cognitive and affective development, especially in science and their impact on learning, health education and issues in Initial Teacher Education.
Dr. Manuel Filipe Costa was the Coordinator of the Socrates/Comenius 3 project “Hands -on Science, and national coordinator of the European projects Comenius 2 AESTIT and On-the-Edge, and the ERASMUS IPUC projects TFPC. He has produced several educational hands -on science experiments kits and organized and delivered numerous lectures, training courses, hands -on activities’ sessions, science fairs, international conferences, workshops and training courses. Dr. Costa is also the President of the board of the Portuguese Association for the promotion of science and technology education, AECT and the Founder and President the “Hands -on Science Network.
Prof Marianna Kalaitsidaki – is a Biologist with a PhD degree from the University of Glasgow and has extensive research experience in Genetics. She teaches biology, ecology and environmental education both at an undergraduate level as well as at the in -service –teachers continuing education 2 year program of the Department of Primary Education. She is one of the two authors of a Biology School National Textbook that is taught in Greece since 2002.
Dr. Tamjid Mujtaba graduated with a BSc Psychology degree from University College London, University of London and subsequently took up a post as a Research Officer in 1999 at the Institute of Eduction, University of London (IOE). She has had a range of experience of working with teachers both at the primary and secondary level, along with working on projects with nursery school. Her work explored how students' ethnicity or gender related to attainment and experiences of school. In 2005 she began her PhD part-time at the IOE and explored factors that lead to the development of positive and negative stress in teachers. She is currently working on a range of research activities in STEM education at the IOE.
Dr. Ayse Oguz-Unver is a full time associate professor in elementary science education at Mugla Sıtkı Kocman University in Mugla-Turkey. She received her Ph.D. degree in science education from The Ohio State University-USA (in 2006). Dr. Oguz-Unver is interested in developing inquiry-based science activities by using hands-on materials for teaching basic science concepts to elementary/middle school students.
Willeke Rietdijk is a senior research assistant at Southampton Education School. Her background is in Psychology and she has worked in international education for a number of years. She has been part of a number of science education research projects at the UOS. Her research interests are in scientific and philosophical inquiry in education, pupil engagement and teacher development in science education, and children’s cognitive, social, emotional and health development.
Dr. Annette Scheersoi has studied to become a Biology and French teacher in Germany. She has taught in different schools before she went back to University in 2005 to become a researcher and biology teacher trainer. Her main research interest is out-of-school biology education. During the last years she was involved in several science projects with museums, zoos and botanical gardens where she studied the influence of different educational programs on the children’s interest development. Annette now works at the University of Bonn (D) where she is a full professor of biology education
Dr. Kemal Yurumezoglu is a full time associate professor at the department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education (Physics Education) in Dokuz Eylul University in Izmir-Turkey. He received his Ph.D. degree in science education from Strasbourg University-France (in 2005). Dr. Yurumezoglu is interested in developing inquiry-based physics activities by using innovative teaching methods for teaching basic concepts in science. His research interests include also conceptual and inquiry based physics education.
Travel to Salzburg (Austria)
Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria (after Vienna, Graz and Linz) and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Its "Old Town", with its world famous baroque architecture, is one of the best-preserved city centres in the German-speaking world and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
How to get there
Salzburg´s international airport ( ) offers regular connections to the main destinations throughout Europe. The city bus number 2 goes at regular intervals between Salzburg Airport and Salzburg "Hauptbahnhof" (main railway station). The itinerary for the public transport can be found at: .
Alternatively you can travel to Munich or Vienna, which are a 2.5 hours train ride from Salzburg.