SPACE in association with Council of Science and Technology, U.P. is once again bringing all the teachers together to learn hands-on science in Lucknow. The workshop was scheduled to be conducted in fuve districts of Uttar Pradesh, has been successfully conducted in Bijnor, Meerut, Hardoi and Allahabad. Now, in July, the last leg of the workshop gets complete with a teacher training workshop in Lucknow. SPACE has successfully brought together teachers to learn science in an exciting manner. The teachers who have participated in this workshop feel that it's one of their best experience and would like to join SPACE for further activities also.
This program attempts to address why fewer students are pursuing higher studies in the pure sciences and instead going on to engineering, medical, computer science, Biotech etc. It is believed that if teachers introduce hands on tools and activities into lessons at the middle school level, it will increase the spirit of enquiry and enjoyment in science, as classroom teaching in science is perceived as dull. After this training, teachers will in turn be able to communicate the joy of science by utilizing these tools and methods and attract talent to this field at an early age, thus building the country's science and technology base. Department of Science and Technology's INSPIRE program addresses the same issues of how to attract students to the pure sciences, and this teachers training program is following INSPIRE's precedence. A unique feature in this program is that it will be centered around Astronomy, as it is a superset of many sciences and includes physics, chemistry, math, biology and geography within its boundaries.
The program will be initiated with the fourth workshop at Allahabad from 25th July to 29th July. About 60 school teachers from Government schools will participate in a 5-day program encompassing presentations, hands on activities, model making, and demonstrations. A variety of activities such as making hydro rockets and sundials, creating solar systems with daily life objects such as fruits and marbles, and learning about the night sky through observations will immerse the teachers in hands on science. The activities will demonstrate how science can be better conveyed with teaching aids, and that aids are easily available as part of nature around us. Teachers will be introduced to internet tools of communication such as web conferencing and social networking with Twitter and Facebook as tools to disseminate and share information and pictures.
The program will culminate in a 'KHAGOL MELA' open to the public on 29th July, 11:00 am- 3:00 pm, where teachers will design and conduct their own science activities! Hydrorockets made by participants will be launched. Find out your weight on different planets, learn how to make pop rockets, cook a comet in the comet kitchen and find out how gyroscopes work! All schools, colleges, and public are welcome to attend and find out about such activities at this unique space fair – 'KHAGOL MELA'. Local dignitaries will also grace this event.
