‘Scottish Experience’ winner of ESA's TEACH SPACE 2001 Award
Mrs Susan Burr from the Kyle Academy in Scotland wins the 'Most Inspiring TEACH SPACE 2001 Award'. The award was announced at TEACH SPACE 2001, the first International Space Station education conference, held at ESTEC, ESA's technical centre in The Netherlands, from 26 to 28 October 2001.
The winning project, 'Teaching Earth and Space: the Scottish Experience' combines scientific content with playful, hands-on lessons for pupils from 5-14 years of age. "My school was delighted with the award," said winner Susan Burr, "I have let them have the certificate, but the space station model is sitting in my lab." Her project was selected among 40 responses to an open call for teaching space projects. Details on this and all other projects presented at the conference can be found at http://www.esa.int/export/esaHS/education.html.
This innovative conference introduced teachers to ESA and the International Space Station programme, in particular planned and potential educational activities and ideas. Its purpose was to understand the needs of teachers from all over Europe, their interests, projects and requirements for space education and how ESA could help make Space a valuable tool for their teaching.
The conference also opened up to European teachers, ESA’s wealth of educational information and offered a source of inspiration for all school curricula subjects.
TEACH SPACE 2001 was attended by 167 participants coming from 19 different countries including the 15 ESA member states. The visiting teachers were enthusiastic, positive and committed to using space as a tool for their teaching, despite limitations imposed by existing budgets and national curricula. The input gathered and the teachers' network established at the conference is a fundamental element for the growth of ESA's International Space Station team education activities.
