Science School Teachers Returned to the Classroom at the Fundación

January 25, 2009

With excellent positive feedback ended the second edition of the Multimedia Educational Workshops for Teachers of Science, carried out by Programa Eureka of Fundación in conjunction with Programa Explora from CONICYT. These workshops are aimed at enhancing and improving the educational tools of science teachers in high school so students are better prepared in current scientific issues and more motivated to undertake a scientific career.

On this occasion, three workshops were held at Fundación from the 13th to the 15th of January. Thanks to Explora, the National Network of Science for Schools, over 60 teachers across Chile registered and attended the course where they received training on the use of audiovisual materials for the classroom and heard lectures and interacted with leading scientists. Among those renowned researchers were Dr. Nibaldo Inestrosa (Chilean Science Award-2008) and Dr. Mario Rosemblatt (UNAB Science Award-2008). Both actively participated in the production of two interactive DVDs “Las Incomunicaciones del Alzheimer” and “La Patrulla Celular”, repectively.

For Claudia Duran, teacher of biology and chemistry at Alma Mater School from La Granja, the workshop represented a “very important experience for the development of my profession, we received valuable teaching material that we can apply directly in the classroom. Bringing science to teachers in this way has a multiplier effect, because what we learn here, can be taught at the school straight away”

As Professor Mauricio Hernandez from the Geoerge Huneeus Zegers Educational Center at La Pintana pointed out, “we are impressed by the important work done by the Fundación and puzzled by how few Chileans are aware of this extremely important work”. He stressed that “It’s very difficult to believe that in our country, Chile, there are scientists of the quality that we saw here and that they are doing first-level science”.

At the end of each training day, teachers were given a takeaway set of audio-visual material to use in their classrooms. This set consists of three series of interactive DVDs: Colección Eureka I and II (12 DVDs) and the Biotec Biomed Series consisting of 3 DVD and a book.

Programa Eureka of Fundación Ciencia para la Vida, will continue working on the development of this area, bringing science and innovation to our teachers and the community, and does not rule out the possibility of – in conjunction with Explora- new versions of these workshops with new items that bring in a new way of education to our youth.