By Frieda Grima, Science Centre, Pembroke
Throughout history a great deal of energy has been put into scientific and technological research with the aim of improving the quality of life and the world we live in. Such advances bring with them many consequences and responsibilities towards society in general.
Man was, is and always will be inquisitive. Gone are the days where one was educated for a particular career. The modern world within which we live experiences such rapid advances that it requires society to be scientifically literate and also to possess a number of skills which allow one to be retrained according to the ever changing industrial needs. Science is an integral part of our lives and is not restricted to a specific career/s as was perceived to be in the past. It is around us in everything we see and do.
The Science Centre forms part of the Department of Curriculum Management and eLearning within the Directorate for Quality & Standards in Education. It aims at increasing the awareness of the role of Science & Technology in everyday life as stipulated in Objective 12 of the National Minimum Curriculum (NMC). This is achieved primarily through two channels:
- The Peripatetic Science Teachers deliver lessons and provide additional support to the class teacher by providing lesson ideas and relevant resources.
- A variety of on-going activities held at the science centre and other venues where children are exposed to the science curriculum. Such activities are aimed to develop the skills and attitudes related to science through hands-on, fun-filled learning experiences.
During the scholastic year 2007/08, over 9000 students from both State and non-State schools throughout Malta and Gozo engaged in hands-on science activities organised by the Centre. Following a visit by members of MCST to the Centre, we were encouraged to participate in the Wonders EUSCEA Science Festival which was held between 24th to 26th October 2008 in Genova. Initially we had cold feet but decided to take the plunge. Accompanying me to the festival was Mr.Alexander Attard one of the Science Peripatetic Teachers at the Centre.
The Festival was held at the Palazzo Ducale. Exhibitors came from various countries throughout Europe. The exhibits aimed to promote science being fun, exciting and within reach providing logical explanation for daily phenomena which under normal circumstances would be considered to be boring principles and too complicated to comprehend. The festival also enabled students of all ages as well as the general public to witness latest research in various fields such as nanotechnology and the use of a heat sensitive camera (infrared thermography) in the medical field in diagnosing conditions before they appear externally, thus enabling treatment before their surfacing externally and in some instances prove to be more difficult to treat.
The biggest hit at the festival was definitely the exhibit/shows related to liquid nitrogen. Both children and adults alike were bemused by the changing form of this element. Other shows were given where a range of science topics were treated. Such examples were the shows given by Ukraine and Ireland. In principle it is similar to the approach taken by the Science Peripatetic Team when delivering the Science curriculum in schools.
Our participation in the festival has given us much encouragement because it made us realise that what we are doing is nothing less than what other countries are doing. In actual fact most were surprised by the quality and variety of the work done by the Science Peripatetic Team. Others were surprised to find that we not only provide hands-on experiences beyond the school environment but we also deliver the science lessons and provide science resources and support to teachers and the School Management Team.
All in all, it was definitely an encouraging experience for we often tend to put ourselves down in comparison to other countries. It was however a great pity that no time was allocated to enable exhibitors to visit other areas of the festival and to address concerning matters about the world in which we live and also to get together socially so that they may have an opportunity to talk at length with others. We would certainly recommend others to participate in such events when the opportunity arises.
Special thanks go to Mr. Giovanni Buttigieg from the MCST who encouraged us to take part and also to the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education for releasing us from our duties in order to enable our participation in this festival.