Summer School - Science teaching

I don’t think there was a teacher present who did not have glowing comments to make about the value of the day of ICT workshops provided yesterday. “We’d like more time to play” was the comment heard repeatedly at break time.

The sessions offered were:

• Interactive and Visual Learning with Interactive Whiteboards
• Digital Content what’s available from The Le@rning Federation?
• Simulations and modelling
• Data Handling using Digital Loggers
• Integrated Science with Lego Robotics
• Digital Recording using Handheld Devices (iPod, Podcasting and Video)
• Enhanced Learning with Scientific Software
• Connected Science:Using Social Book Marking, Wikispaces and Google Docs
• Science on Your Phone and Your iPod

For me these sessions offered rich overviews of areas that were either new or not well known. Learning this in the company of a diverse group of other teachers provided an enormous level of added value compared to any other way of coming up to speed in these areas. Whilst my ICT experience, knowledge and skills are extensive, the science context is not as I have only recently returned to science teaching. The immersive nature of the summer school model is very powerful in this respect.