SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE AMERICAS : VIEWS AND

CHALLENGESTHE IANAS PROGRAM ON

SCIENCE EDUCATION

José A. LozanoCoordinator

ACADEMIA COLOMBIANA DE CIENCIAS EXACTAS, FISICAS Y NATURALES

INTER AMERICAN NETWORK OF ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES

IANAShttp://www.ianas.org

• Founded in the spirit of IAP in May 2004,

IANAS is a regional network of Academies of Sciences created to support cooperation towards the strengthening of science and technology as a tool for advancing research and development, prosperity and equity in the Americas.

CREACION DE IANAS Santiago, Mayo, 2004

• The original proposal for the Science Education Program was generated by Jorge Allende, of the Chilean Academy of Sciences and the final version was approved in the IANAS General Assembly meeting held in Santiago May 5-7, 2004 as follows:

Program Objectives

The general objective of this programme is to improve the level and the relevance of science education in the hemisphere through the active participation of Science Academies and the most prominent scientists in the nations of the Americas working together with teachers and educational authorities.

•Focus . The initial main focus of the programme will be on elementary level science education. However worthwhile activities on secondary and tertiary science education will be considered.

• Why Science Education?

• Science education is the most important way through which national societies of all countries learn about science, its values, concepts and objectives, and through which they can understand the importance of scientific endeavour for their cultural and socioeconomic development.

Why IBSE

The Academies of the world have recommended to use IBSE because:

• Inquiry leads to understanding through learners’ own activity and construction of knowledge

• IBSE develops scientific literacy: i.e. appreciation of what science is and does

• IBSE develops cognitive skills (including meta-cognition) needed for life-long learning

• All these are outcomes needed for citizens of a world permeated by science and technology.

Wynne Harlen, PhDVisiting Professor, University of Bristol

Meaning of IBSE

• Students raising questions and gathering and using evidence from investigations of the world around to answer them, sharing ideas, advancing ideas through dialogue

• Teachers leading students to develop the skills of inquiry and the understanding of science concepts through the students’ own activity and reasoning, organising group work, debate and access to materials and information sources.

Wynne Harlen, PhDVisiting Professor, University of Bristol

Structure of the IANAS Programme

on Science Education • IANAS Academies decide freely to

participate in this Programme. • One Representative or Focal Point from

each participating Academy will conform the Hemispheric Council for the IANAS Science Education Programme. This Council will meet annually and will decide on the major policies and activities of the Programme.

• The council elects a coordinator and a vice-coordinator.

• The coordinator will act as executive secretary of the program for a two years period.

• The vice-coordinator will replace the coordinator for the following period. The council most confirm the replacement by election.

• At the end of his period, the coordinator becomes past-coordinator.

• The three of them work together as an executive committee.

Financing • Policy • All the activities sponsored by the IANAS

Programme for Science Education (IANAS-PSE) should receive significant funding from the host Academy or other national institutions in the host country.

• The IANAS-PSE will provide funds that will primarily cover costs for international participation. The funds for the support of these activities will be obtained from grants and direct contributions given to IANAS by national or international public or private institutions.

• The budget of the Programme will depend on the financing obtained.

• Up to 2006 financing came from IAP only. • On March 2005 the Coordinator and the Chilean

Academy of Sciences presented a pre-proposal on the Science Education Program to OAS.

• After several visits and letters and other presentation by the Colombian Academy , OAS-FEMCIDI said a final version of the project had to be presented and it had to be coordinated by the Chilean Academy which originally presented it.

• A final proposal was presented by Jorge Allende and the Chilean Academy in January 2007 requesting USD $330,000 for 3 years project. The proposal was approved by OAS-FEMCIDI and USD $63,000 were allotted for the year 2007. The activities for 2007 and a tentative budget for 2008 were approved during the Focal Points meeting in July 2 and 3 USD144,000 were granted for year 2008-2009.

Financing

Financing • In November 21/2007, the Academia

Mexicana de Ciencias signed agreements with the Science Academies of seven countries to implement the program “La Ciencia en tu Escuela”. The Academia Mexicana is contributing with 400,000 Mexican Pesos (Approximately USD35,000) for each country. The seven countries are. Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panamá, República Dominicana, Colombia, Perú y Bolivia.

ACTIVITIES 2004 - 2006

• Activities started in October 2004 when the first meeting of the Council took place in Santiago. Jorge Allende from the Chilean Academy of Sciences, who presented the original proposal of the Program to IANAS, was elected as coordinator for the period 2004 - 2006. José A. Lozano from the Colombian Academy, was elected as vice-coordinator.

• The activities for 2005 were approved.

Se definió la estructura de la dirección del Consejo Directivo del Proyecto

Se elaboró el plan de actividades 2005-2006

ACTIVITIES 2004 - 2006

• Through the efforts of the IANAS Co-Chairs and also in response to the specific requests of several Academies to their respective national representatives, the IANAS Science Education Program was approved as a Hemispheric Initiative by the Science Ministers of the Americas who met in Lima on November 11, 2004.

ACTIVITIES 2005Argentina Inter American Course of Molecular

Biology and Genetics for Secondary School Teachers –.

February 14-23, 2005, Buenos Aires

Course on “Sustentable Chemistry” for Secondary School Teachers,

November 13-18, 2005, Mendoza, Argentina

Mexico Third International Conference on Science Education, March 17-18, 2005 Monterrey, N.L. Mexico

Colombia Inter American Course for Leaders among Science Teachers of Latin America (Training the Trainers),

May 23-28, 2005, Bogota, Colombia

Trinidad-Tobago

Meeting of Caribbean Focal Points for Science Education,

May 13, 2005, Tobago

ACTIVITIES 2005Venezuela

Launching of the IBSE Project of Venezuela,

July 13 to 15 , 2006, Caracas

Canada

II Meeting of IANAS Focal Points for Science Education, September 26-27, 2005, Edmonton.

The activities for 2006 were approved along with the decision to present a project to the OAS

Jamaica

Regional (Caribbean) Conference on Education for Sustainable Development,

October 18-20, 2005, Kingston, Jamaica

Chile

5, 2005 – Santiago

2nd Strategic Planning Workshop for IBSE Projects –

October 31-November 4, 2005 and Internamerican Workshop on Evaluation of IBSE projects, November

Peru

One semester course on Mathematics for Secondary School Teachers,

January 2006, Lima, Peru

ACTIVITIES 2006Argentina 2nd. Latin American

course on SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY for High School teachers,

Nov 12-17, 2006

Brasil IANAS Meeting on the Evaluation of IBSE

May, 2006, Rio de Janeiro

Costa Rica

Latin American Course of Molecular Biology and Genetics for Secondary School Teachers.

August, 2006, San José, Costa Rica

Caribbean Academy

Trinidad and Tobago,

The CARICOM Conference on: Harnessing Science and Technology for Caribbean Development

May 10-13, 2006,

ACTIVITIES 2006Chile 3rd. IANAS Focal Points Meeting, The

activities for 2007 were approved. José A. Lozano of the Colombian Academy was confirmed as coordinator of the program, for the period 2006-2008. Norma Nudelman of the Argentine Academy was elected as vicecoordinator. Jorge Allende became past coordinator.

IAP-IANAS International Workshop on Evaluation of IBSE projects.

Sept. 27, 2006, in Santiago.

Colombia

WORKSHOP: TRAINERS OF TEACHERS,

Cali, October 2 to 5, 2006

Venezuela

Comparative analysis of IBSE projects (México, Chile, Brasil, Colombia and Venezuela).

Caracas, November 2 and 3.

Bolivia

Workshop for Trainers (Monitors). January 30 to February 3 of 2007

Canada

ACTIVITIES 2007México Focal Points Meeting,

2007 Support IANAS/ delegates

Bolivia Training the Trainers Workshop

For participation of foreign experts

Argentina Strategic Planning LASER K-8 Workshop in Washington

Team of 5 Travel to USA

Panamá Short fellowship for professional the development (in Panama)

ACTIVITIES 2007Brasil National meeting – ABC Program

in National Science Education, Oct 2007

Support IANAS / Participants

Caribean National meeting – of programs of Scientific education CARICOM

Support for experts instructors on IBSE from IANAS

Perú Training of Primary School teachers

Support for experts instructors on IBSE from IANAS

Chile Venezuela

Bolivia

IBSE Module Materials exchange Buy and ship materials

Colombia =International Expert to evaluate

evaluations activities.

= IndagaLa will begin

One international expert

ACTIVITIES 2007Financed by oea-femcidi

Professional Development workshops for ECBI teachers of elementary schools in Bolivia and Perú. Professional Development courses for teachers of secondary schools in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics: Molecular and Genetic Biology - Chile Green Chemistry – Argentina Interchange of teachers using ECBI methodology for periods of two to six weeks: Two teachers from Venezuela visited Chile Two teachers from Caribbean visited Canada Two teachers from Caribbean visited the USA Strategic Planning workshops A group from Argentina went to Washington (NSRC) Workshop in Mexico for groups from Costa Rica, Rep Dominicana, Perú, Bolivia, Guatemala Brazil produces a module and Interchanges it with Colombia and Venezuela. Web Pages in Spanish and Portuguese to be established in Colombia (IndagaLa) and Brazil Focal Points meetings of the IANAS Science Education Program (Sixteen Academies represented) International Evaluation of Colombian ECBI Project and Latin-american workshop on inquiry based science education assessment and program evaluation

ITEM Country Amount USD$ Notes

V Focal Point Meeting 2008

Costa Rica

8,000

Travel and expenses

Workshop, for training the trainers, for monitors and /or elementary school teachers

Costa Rica 2,500 Travel and expenses

Short fellowship for professional development (Exchange of teachers) and visit of an Argentine expert to Uruguay

Argentina 1,500 Travel and expenses

Exercise on assessment of IBSE Program in Brazil

Brazil 2,000 Travel and expenses

II Interamerican Course of mathematics for secondary school teachers

Peru 2,000 Travel and expenses

Training the trainers workshop

Colombia 1,500 Travel and expenses

Training the trainers workshop

Venezuela 1,500 Travel and expenses

Visit of one expert of IBSE

Guatemala 1,500 Travel and expenses

Training the trainers workshop

Dominican Republic

1,500 Travel and expenses

Conference on IBSE High School Teaching. (Grades 9-12) Convoked by the National Sciences Resources Center, USA.

Funds administered by the coordinator of the program, José A. Lozano.

3,000 Travel and expenses

Total ………………………………………………………………..………………USD$ 25,000

IAP 2008

OEA – FEMCIDI 20085.1 International Support to Evaluation Exercises Argentina USD 6,000 Total Request by Item

1.1 Primary 25,000 1.2 Secondary 1.3 Exchange 9,600 1.4 Experts to other Countries 15,500 1.5 Requests experts 6,000 2.1 Strategic Planning 9,000 3.1 Generation of Modules 11,000 4.1 Inter American Conference 25,000 4.2 Web Forum 5,000 4.3 Focal Points Meeting 5,000 4.4 Regional and Subregional Workshops 27,000 5.1 lnternational Evaluation 6,000 Total 144,100

Relevant activities already performed

• Several Latin American countries are performing IBSE programs in primary school.

PROGRAMAS ECBI

Establecidos antes de 2004

Canadá, Estados Unidos, México

Colombia, Chile, Argentina y

Brasil

Panamá, Venezuela,

Perú, Bolivia

Costa Rica, Rep. Dominicana,

Guatemala, Caribbean

The National Academies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia the Andes University and the “Convenio Andrés Bello” signed an agreement with the Science Academy of France for the implementation of the Web Page “MapAmerica”, now “IndagaLa”, oficially inaugurated in Bogotá on May 20, 2008, it works on the platform MapMonde donated by the French Academy. Five more countries are in the process to sign the agreement.

This site will maintain a permanent discussion platform on education issues, scientist will permanently advice teachers and educational materials will be available.

THANK YOU

José A. LozanoCoordinator

ACADEMIA COLOMBIANA DE CIENCIAS EXACTAS, FISICAS Y NATURALES

Ministerio de Educación de Chile

Universidades: de Chile, Concepción,

Playa Ancha, La Frontera,

La Serena, Talca.

Academia Chilena de Ciencias

94 elementary schools

Inquiry based Science Education

Program 2003 - 2006

ECBI- Chile

Work as one team

• Wide reach

• Maximum quality

GOAL

To ensure that all children receive high quality science education

All children All teachers

It is a model program, but it is expected to influence policy and the education system in Chile

Professional

development

Evaluation

Community Support

Materials

Systemic Approac

h

Curriculum

Universities Municipalities

Chilean Academy of Sciences

Ministry of Education

200694 schools35.000 children400 teachers

COLOMBIAN IBSE PROGRAM

Cristina CARULLA Santiago de Chile, September - 2006

Strategy for education in science thinking, science and citizenship

It is an alliance between:

Universidad Nacional de ColombiaUniversidad Pedagógica Nacional

Universidad de IbaguéUniversidad Autónoma de

ManizalesUniversidad ICESI

Escuela de Ingeniería de AntioquiaUniversidad del NorteUniversidad Tecnológica de BolivarUniversidad del ValleUniversidad de los Andes

Ministerio de Educación Nacional – Fundación Empresarios por la educación

National organization

Structure

Enterprises School

Government

Central NucleusRegion Nucleus

University

Mapa de cobertura

Marzo 2007

Ciudad Niños Maestros Colegios Universidad Líder

Entidades Patrocinadoras

BOGOTÁ 21.400 535 34 UniAndes, UPN,UNAL

GAS Natural E.S.P.

MANIZALES 1.760 44 12 U. Autónoma de Manizales

Fundación Luker, ExE

IBAGUÉ 3.200 80 12 U. De Ibagué ExE- Fundación Génesis

MEDELLÍN 1.840 46 21 EIA Colegios Privados

CALI 4.120 103 11 ICESI, UniValle ComfandiExE

BUCARAMANGA 160 4 1 U. Autónoma de Bucaramanga

CARTAGENA 960 24 4 U. Tecnológica de Bolívar

Fundación Mamonal - Dow Química

LETICIA 20 1 1 UNAL Colegios Privados

BARRANQUILLA 0 0 0 UniNorte

YOPAL 1.200 30 4 Unitrópico SED Yopal

TOTAL 34.660 867 100

The National Academies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia the Andes University and the “Convenio Andrés Bello” signed an agreement with the Science Academy of France for the implementation of the Web Page “MapAmerica”, now “IndagaLa”, oficially inaugurated in Bogotá on May 20, 2008, it works on the platform MapMonde donated by the French Academy. Five more countries are in the process to sign the agreement.

This site will maintain a permanent discussion platform on education issues, scientist will permanently advice teachers and educational materials will be available.

Abertura do Seminário Nacional 2007

Programa ABC na Educação Científica – Mão na Massa

Ernst W. Hamburger, Universidade de São PauloCoordenador do Programa,

pela Academia Brasileira de Ciências

8 nov 2007, Espaço Ciência, SECTMA, Recife, PE

45Semin. Nac. ABCEC MnM - Recife, 8

Nov 2007

IBSE in Brazil

• Groups exist in about 15 cities, south to northeast. Some just starting; oldest ~2001.

• Very loose coordination by Academy

• Cooperation with France: Lamap.

• Largest group S.Paulo city ~90 schools

• Was larger: gov’t change→ ~disappeared

• Meaning: was not internalised in schools

Semin. Nac. ABCEC MnM - Recife, 8 Nov 2007

47

Cidade/UF Instituição Responsável

Ingressono

Programa

Total Alunos

naRede

Pública*

Alunos no programaatendidosem 2006

São Paulo/SP

Estação Ciência - USP 20011.296.90

1

10.000 (100

escolas)São Carlos/SP

Centro de Divulgação Científica e Cultural - CDCC - USP

2001 21.478 6.355

Rio de Janeiro/RJ

Fundação Oswaldo Cruz – Fiocruz 2001 633.742 8.130

Jaraguá do Sul/SC

Centro Universitário de Jaraguá do Sul - UNERJ

2003 17.215 550

Petrolina/PEJuazeiro/BA

Espaço de Ciência e Cultura – Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco - UNIVASF

200377.31434.450

3.723

Campina Grande/PB

Secretaria de Educação do Município de Campina Grande

2003 62.244 175

Juiz de Fora/MG

Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora - UFJF

2004 69.562 60

Salvador/BA

Organização de Auxílio Fraterno - OAFUniversidade da Criança e do Adolescente - UNICA

2004 21.478 886

Viçosa/MGCentro Referência do Professor - UFV

2004 9.885 1.000

Recife/PE Espaço Ciência – SECTMA/PE 2005 201.472 1.440

Project implementation strategy:

- Political support- Funding- Participant’s training

Important intersectorial partnerships: Brazilian Academy of Sciences (research institutions and universities), Education Government Agencies, French Embassy and Consulates.

• Conselho de Coordenação do Programa na ABC - Nomeado em outubro 2007:

• Hernan Chaimovich (IQ/USP; vice-presidente ABC)• Diógenes Arruda Campos (DNPM; ABC)• Simon Schwartzman (IETS; ABC)• Wilson Teixeira (IG e EC/USP; ABC)• Danielle Grynszpan (IOC/FIOCRUZ)• A. Aprígio S. Curvelo (CDCC/USP)• Ernst W. Hamburger (coordenador do programa Brasil.,

IF/USP; ABC)• Coordenação Executiva• Ernst W. Hamburger, Coordenador• Dietrich Schiel, Vice-Coordenador• Danielle Grynszpan, Vice-Coordenadora

Scientific Literacy ProjectStages of programme

implementation and evaluation

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology

ArgentinaIAP Workshop on the Evaluation of IBSE Programs

Santiago, Chile, September 25-26, 2006

Scientific Literacy Project Schools and jurisdictions involved

2004-20072004 – 2006Schools in Corrientes, Chaco y Misiones• 49 in Corrientes• 17 in Chaco• 4 in Misiones• 3 billingual schools (spanish - portuguese)

2006 – 2007 • 12 Schools in Buenos Aires, Chubut, Salta

Impact evaluationAlejandra González Dávila Impact evaluation

Alejandra González Dávila

• The Academia Mexicana de Ciencias has established the program “La Ciencia en tu Escuela”

• (http://www.amc.unam.mx/lacienciaentuescuela.htm) which was conceived, structured and coordinated by scientists from the Academy.

• The program has been supported by the Secretaria de Educación Pública in the Federal District and the Consejo Nacional de Fomento Educativo in 5 states. The program seeks for methods that will awake the interest in science of children and youngsters through a better

• interaction with teachers and the active participation in simple experiments.

• The program is directed to teachers and students of primary

• and secondary level. Both the scientists and the teachers participate on a voluntary basis. The program initiated in year 2002 is currently

• present in 14 states and has instructed 2666 teachers of 983 schools. It has been evaluated comparing the attitudes and the performance of

• teachers and children from 5th and 7th grades non-participants teachers and students

Certified teachers in LCEE program

Primaria Secundaria TOTAL

02-03 70% 84/132 82/105

1105

03-04 81.2% 105/138 155/182

04-05 92.3% 78/81 121/136

05-06 88.2% 87/92 157/162

D.F. 66%Conafe (rural) 145 27Edomex, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Tlaxcala,

Morelos.

• In Mexico, the “Fundación Mexico-Estados Unidos para la Ciencia” (www.fumec.org.mx) and “Innovación en la Enseñanza de la Ciencia” (www.innovec.org.mx) have applied IBSE methodology in 11 states since 1995. They have always had a strong and permanent support from NSRC. Currently, those Mexican institutions have the financial support of very well known private enterprises and the education public offices of the 11 Mexican states.

THIRD MEETING OF FOCAL POINTS OF THE PROGRAM OF

EDUCATION IN SCIENCES BOLIVIAN EXPERIENCES IN PROGRAMS OF

EDUCATION IN SCIENCES

Elsa Quiroga

National Coordinator of the Program The Science goes to the School"

President of the Bolivian Organization of Women in Science

Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Bolivia

Bolivia

This is a project just beginning with workshops for monitors and teachers.

Application of the Inquire Methodology in two public schools.

IAP Workshop on a Proposal for International Collaboration

in the Evaluation of IBSE Programs

Programa de Educación en Ciencias Programa de Educación en Ciencias Basada en la Indagación -ECBI- Basada en la Indagación -ECBI-

Una nueva experiencia en Una nueva experiencia en VenezuelaVenezuela Academia de Ciencias Físicas, Matemáticas y Naturales.

Fundación Empresas Polar.

Con el apoyo de la Academia de Ciencias de América Latina (ACAL) y la Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador

Santiago de Chile, septiembre 2006

• It is starting pilot Project which began in 2006 in five schools in Caracas.

• 1 coordinator • 11 monitors• 19 teachers (5th and 6th grades) • 5 Schools (5th grade)• 738 Students• One module: Properties of mater • 2 new schools were added in 2007

PROGRAMA DE EDUCACION EN CIENCIAS

BASADO EN LA INDAGACIÓN - ECBI

CÉSAR CARRANZAACADEMIA NACIONAL DE CIENCIAS

DEL PERÚ

PUNTO FOCAL DE IANAS

MEXICO - 2007

• January,2006. Workshop on Experimental Chemistry for teachers of Natural Sciences.

• February, 2006. Mathematics for Secondary School Teachers.• March 2007. Workshop on IBSE Methodologie for Science

Teachers of elementary and and secondary level from Miguel Grau School.

• Implementation of the first pilot IBSE project in elementary school at Miguel Grau school in second and fourth grades.

• IBSE methodology is applied in courses of mathematics in four different grades at Miguel Grau secondary school.

• International Workshop for IBSE trainers

•

CHALLENGES • The biggest challenge is to bring IBSE methodology for the

teaching of science to every teacher and every child in America. This is a tremendous work that will take many years of continuous and dedicated effort. As it is said in the STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER THE WORKSHOP HELD AT THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ON19-20-21 NOVEMBER 2001

“4. Such a challenge cannot be met without the deepest commitment on the part of the various members of the world’s scientific and technological community. Meeting this challenge must be viewed as a new moral obligation.

5. Every means should be used to convey the urgency of the situation to governments. They alone have the capacity to deal with the magnitude of the problem, to provide the necessary resources, and to implement suitable policies. Non-governmental organizations and financial institutions should also participate in such an initiative.

CHALLENGES In the United States the National Academy of Sciences

and the Smithsonian Institution created the National Sciences Resources Center (NSRC) in 1985.

• The mission of this unique organization is to improve the K–12 learning and teaching of science for all students in the United States and throughout the world.

• After 22 years of continuous an dedicated efforts with facilities and funds many times those available in Latin American and Caribbean countries, (NSRC) claims to have reached 25% of the National school districts .

CHALLENGES In Colombia, Pequeños Cientificos was created

on year 2,000 and is covering about 30,000 children representing only 0,6% of a total of 5,200,000 children in grades

0 to 5th.

Actually, we only have IBSE projects in 11 countries.

16 Academies are participating in the IANAS-PSE. The OAS has 35 registered countries. Many of

these countries don’t even have and Academy of Science.

CHALLENGES • The individual projects face continuous and

difficult challenges to survive and grow

• Funding

• Few projects have considerable and stable governmental funding. Maybe Chile and Panama are the best examples of national government support.

• Brazil, Mexico, Argentina have government support but in a limited and restricted way.

CHALLENGES • Colombia receives limited funds from

some regional educational authorities and survives thanks to support from private enterprises.

• Clearly we have to convince governments that the best inversion they can make for future development of our countries is in education and we have to demonstrate that IBSE methodology is the best for learning science.

CHALLENGES Scaling up.Going from a small or pilot project to a large

one brings new difficulties in organization and quality. Specially, problems are encountered in the distributions of materials and the control of quality in the teaching and learning process

Of course, as the project grows more funds are needed for sustainability.

CHALLENGES Evaluation IBSE projects require constant evaluation of all the

processes involved to control and improve the quality of those processes (formative evaluation) and it is also necessary to evaluate the results obtained after the processes have been operating for a certain amount of time. (Summative evaluation). We also have to prove, to convince governments, that results using IBSE methodology are better that those obtained by other methods.

Evaluation

• IAP has implemented a scheme that will help countries to develop their own evaluation instruments, that will not necessarily be identical to those in other countries to allow comparisons to be made.

Evaluation

• Not only the learning processes of children has to be evaluated but all the other processes which must develop at the same time during the implementation of an IBSE project.

Professional

development

Evaluation

Community Support

Materials

Systemic Approac

h

Curriculum

Professional development

There are two different challenges in Professional development:

• to convince universities with pedagogical programs to prepare teachers in these new methodologies

Professional development

to instruct acting teachers with little or non formation in science and IBSE methodology

In every new educational project an internal program of professional development should be implemented to allow teachers to grow continuously in scientific knowledge and capacity to guide children to learn science.

Modules Up to 2007, most of the modules that were being used in

Latin America had been originally produced in the United States or France. There are topics which have to be produced locally to reflect local conditions. This effort has already began mainly in Chile and Brazil.

Some of the children instructed by IBSE projects are going already into middle and high school. There is a great pressure for appropriated modules and laboratory materials that will allow schools to continue using the same methodology in middle and high school.

Some efforts are being made but the problem has not been solved.

All the Academies of the world

have the dream of giving every

child in our planet an education in

science of high quality, the

challenge is to make this dream

become true.

THANK YOU

José A. LozanoCoordinator

ACADEMIA COLOMBIANA DE CIENCIAS EXACTAS, FISICAS Y NATURALES