Apply now for the new 'Teach with Earth from Space' workshops

Dates: 3-4 April 2023 for secondary & 20-21 April 2023 for primary
Time: All day
Duration: 2 days
Language: English
Pre-requisites: None
Certification: Attendance to the entire workshop is mandatory and a certification of participation will be provided to the attendees.
Registrations: Click here for secondary or here for primary school teachers.

Important note regarding Covid-19

Due to the improved situation regarding Covid-19 in the ESA Member States, ESA Education Office has decided to restart primary and secondary teacher workshops with physical presence, in the e-technology lab, at ESEC site in Belgium, starting from October 2022.

Depending on the evolution of the corona virus situation, and in line with governmental instructions across Europe and with the recommendations of ESA's Director General on travel restrictions for health and safety reasons, the ESA Education Office reserves the right to adapt the format or cancel any scheduled workshop.

Overview

The next ESA Education teacher training workshop using Earth Observation as a teaching and learning context for primary and secondary school teachers, will take place in presence at the e-technology lab in the ESA Education Training Centre, located in Belgium.

There will be two workshops, one for each school level, both organized in April 2023:

• 3-4 April 2023 for secondary school teachers
• 20-21 April 2023 for primary school teachers

The content of each workshop will be suitably adapted to match the curriculum and level of complexity of the corresponding school level.

During the 2-day workshop, teachers will explore the role of space in monitoring our planet and understanding our changing climate and how these topics can be integrated in their lessons. Teachers will discover and master new tools and inquiry-based practices for STEM teaching and learning at school.

What to expect?

The ESA “Teach with Earth from Space” workshop will provide an introduction to some of the most important indicators that scientists use to study climate change from space and how they can be used to support science lessons through examples of hands-on activities and projects that can be developed in the classroom, such as the Climate Detectives project.

With selected examples teachers will learn how to use the online tool EO Browser to investigate changes through time. EO Browser gives free access to satellite images from different Earth Observation missions, and it’s possible to explore different topics from volcanoes to wildfires.

Earth observation satellites can also be used to monitor air quality from space. Moreover, ground stations equipped with suitable sensors can monitor air quality too. Both aspects will be explored during the workshop.

In addition to all the above, representative examples of monitoring air quality from the classroom using environmental sensors will be demonstrated.

The e-technology lab workshops make use of a range of educational technology tools, including but not limited to Raspberry Pi and Arduino, within the context of space to enable participating teachers to engage and inspire their students in STEM subjects. Inspired by real ESA missions and by using real data, teachers will learn about the different kinds of expertise and skills necessary to make a project on Earth Observation successful.

Selected teachers will receive further information on the content of the workshop that will be delivered.

Who can apply?

The “Teach with Earth from Space” workshops are open to primary and secondary school teachers of STEM-related subjects residing and working within any ESA Member State. Teachers from Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta may also apply, due to specific agreements with ESA. Teachers that have already attended the robotics workshop at the e-technology lab in Belgium in the past, can also apply for this workshop. The number of available places is limited, so apply now so as not to miss this opportunity!

How and when to apply

Teachers wishing to participate should fill in the relevant application form.

The deadlines to submit applications are:

• 1 March 2023 for the secondary teachers’ workshop taking place on 3-4 April 2023. Applicants will be notified on 3 March 2023, whether successful or not. Click here to fill in the application form.

• 07 March 2023 for the primary teachers’ workshop taking place on 20-21 April 2023. Applicants will be notified on 14 March 2023, whether successful or not. Click here to fill in the application form.

Note: ESA reserves the right to close the application window earlier than the given deadline if a sufficient number of quality applications are received. In such case, an announcement will be posted on the ESA Education Facebook page.

Sponsorship and costs

Selected teachers should arrange their travel from their departure point in an ESA Member State, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia or Malta, to the training course's location and back to their original departure point. ESA will cover travel expenses up to a maximum of 300€ per teacher. After the event, ESA will reimburse these expenses to the teacher's bank account upon producing valid, original receipts.

For the duration of the workshop, accommodation, catering, and local transportation will be organized, booked, and paid for by ESA's Education Office. Teachers will be sharing hotel rooms.

Teachers are responsible for their arrangements for passports, visas, and any additional insurance required.

If you have any questions, please email etechnologylab@esa.int.