|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
| AEON EarthWISE
|
GEOSCIENCES
AEON
The Africa Earth Observatory Network is a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary research institution with a focus on African Earth and environmental sciences. AEON’s task is to track co-evolution of Earth and Life to facilitate better planning for the future, so that we can Arrive Alive 50 years from now.
EarthWISE
AEON EarthWISE, originally ran from the offices of the University of Cape Town, was started by AEON at with the aim to provide training for science educators in the Earth and Beyond (E&B) field that was incorporated into the Natural Science Curriculum for the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) in 2005. EarthWISe is currently hosted by the Department of Geology of the University of the Free State. The Department of Education lacks the expertise and manpower to run a program like this and therefore EarthWISE took on this very important task.
Outreach programs are done in the form of Lecture Series for Learning Facilitators and Teachers and Road Shows to create science awareness among learners. Great success has also been had by combining these activities with a Family Math and Science workshop, hosted by RIEP.
Most important of these are the knowledge acquired by the science educators during the Lecture Series. Here they become familiar with the content knowledge of Earth and Beyond and ideas are shared about how to teach the content interactively to effectively promote Outcome Based Education. Workshops also empower educators to use Earth and Beyond material to enhance and support other themes in the Natural Science learning area.
The program for the Lecture Series was as follows:
| Day 1: Friday 25 July 2008 |
Day 2: Saturday 26 July 2008 |
| 11:30 - 12:00 |
Arrival and registration |
07:00 - 08:00 |
Breakfast |
| 12:00 - 12:30 |
Teachers settle into their accommodation |
08:00 - 10:30 |
Session 4: Recycling of Igneous Rocks |
| 12:30 - 13:15 |
Light lunch and socialising |
10:30 - 11:00 |
Tea and Coffee |
| 13:15 - 15:30 |
Session 1: The Building Blocks of Spaceship Earth |
11:00 - 13:00 |
Session 5: What it’s all about – putting it all together
Consolidation and closure |
| 15:30 - 16:00 |
Tea and Coffee |
13:00 - 13:45 |
Lunch |
| 16:00 - 18:00 |
Session 2: Magma |
13:45 |
Departure |
| 18:00 - 18:30 |
Free time and network |
|
| 18:30 - 19:30 |
Dinner |
|
| 19:30 - 22:30 |
Session 3: The Night Sky |
|
And the program for the activities that took place in Prieska for the learners was as follows;
| Family Maths and Science PROGRAMME |
| Timeslot |
|
Family Maths in VENUE 1 |
Family Maths in VENUE 2 |
| 08:00 - 09:30 |
Grade 7 |
25 Learners + 25 Parents |
25 Learners + 25 Parents |
| 09:45 - 11:15 |
Grade 8 |
25 Learners + 25 Parents |
25 Learners + 25 Parents |
| 11:30 - 13:00 |
Grade 9 |
25 Learners + 25 Parents |
25 Learners + 25 Parents |
|
Past Projects
Ø During February and August 2004 a Lecture Series were held for science and technology educators in the Central Karoo area. Running parallel to these workshops, a Road Show was held in Beaufort West during February 2004 with interactive displays aimed specifically at the learners and general public to increase awareness and interest in the natural sciences. The Road Show was entitled LoveRocks, since it coincided with Valentine’s Day.
A research study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of the workshops and road show. This was done with the help of interviews with the educators, focus group discussions with parents and learner survey by means of a group-administered questionnaire.
The response was positive and clearly showed that the EarthWISE workshops are definitely necessary and that this programme is undoubtedly targeting the right broader audience with the right information. Educators expressed the need for more workshops. The whole exercise highlighted the great need in the rural areas for this kind of science outreach programs.
|
Science Educators at the Teacher’s Lecture Series
during the Prieska Science Weekend
|
|
Learners and their parents during the Family Maths and Science Sessions presented by RIEP
|
Another successful workshop and road show was conducted in Prieska, Northern Cape, on 25 to 26 July 2008 and by cooperation with both the Free State and Northern Cape Departments of Education. It included a Lecture Series for science educators at the Prieska Youth Camp, a Family Math and Family Science workshop for learners and parents at Prieska Primary School presented by RIEP, and interactive Natural Science displays in the school hall by several departments for the Faculty of Natural Science of the UFS. |
| Learners fascinated by the interactive science displays at the Prieska Road Show |
|
|
|
|
| Headlines |
|
|
 |
|
|
