ISS Education Kit presented to German science teachers
How do we get pupils interested in science? This was the main subject of the 'Science on Stage' conference held 10-12 June 2004 in Bad Honnef, Germany. The ISS Education Kit could provide one possible answer. ESA made the most of the opportunity to tell German science teachers how they can use the Kit to help capture the imagination of their pupils.
Interdisciplinary
The conference, organised by Science on Stage Deutschland e.V., offered German science teachers the opportunity to see the best European practices from 'Physics on Stage 2003' and listen to presentations about interdisciplinary teaching.
Barbara ten Berge, ESA's International Space Station Education Officer explains, "The ISS Education Kit, developed for secondary school pupils between 12 and 15 years old, uses the International Space Station as a context to teach a variety of subjects. Exercises on biology, maths, and chemistry all related to the life and work of astronauts on board the ISS give pupils a feel of their experience in space."
Workshop
In each country where the ISS Education Kit is distributed, an ISS Education Kit launch event and workshop are organised to promote and familiarise the teachers with the educational material. All 62 teachers participating to the 'Science on Stage' conference attended the ISS Education Kit workshop and received a free copy of the ISS Education Kit.
Classroom
The teachers were very positive about the ISS Education Kit workshop. Stefanie Zweifel, coordinator of 'Science on Stage' said, "The teachers were pleased that the workshop was in their own language, and said that they will use the Kit in their classroom." Many specifically commented that it was useful that the ISS Education Kit can be used as interdisciplinary teaching material.
The ISS Education Kit workshop in Bad Honnef captured the largest audience of teachers to date. It proved to be a successful means to help ensure that ESA's education material is effectively used in the classroom.
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