Teachers: Are you looking for a way to get your students excited about science?
If so, you’re in luck. Smarter Science has recently announced plans for its second annual educator’s event at the Kempenfelt Conference Resort just outside of Barrie, Ontario.
Registration for the intense, two-day seminar closes on July 24th, and tickets are going fast. Last year’s event proved to be wildly successful and provided participants with valuable insight into how to better structure their science curriculums. This year’s event will have a strong focus on helping educators engage and motivate their students while promoting an interactive, “hands-on” approach to science learning. Topics covered will include: techniques on how to better engage students, assess their level of competency and develop a creative curriculum.
The seminar is divided into three strands:
Strand 1 – Introducing Smarter Science. This strand is designed for teachers who wish to learn the basic Smarter Science framework. It will provide educators with teaching activities and lesson planning templates. Participants will begin to design course content and learn how to assess and evaluate their students.
Strand 2 – Creativity, Innovation and Moving to the Next Level. Geared towards educators who are familiar with the Smarter Science program, Strand 2 is part brain-storming session, part practical application. Teachers will participate in innovation exercises that will help them plan and develop their curriculum in a creative manner.
Strand 3 – Consultants, Supervisors and Lead Teachers. In this strand, educators will learn how to implement the Smarter Science learning curriculum within their prospective districts while learning about available funding and support.
We hope everyone has a great time at this year’s Inquiry at the Bay! Click here to learn more about the seminar.
Starting next September, smartphones, laptops and mp3 players will be allowed in all Toronto classrooms, following a decision by the school board to embrace “the evolving nature of such technology, its value as a tool to enhance student learning and support curriculum delivery, as well as the growing role it plays in school communication.”
Here at Ayva, we have long supported the use of mobile and electronic devices in the science classroom. It’s no secret that the students of today thrive in a technological environment that provides a reliable, interactive platform for learning.
Our PASCO SPARKvue iPhone app has been proven to be a popular teaching aid, granting students and educators alike the flexibility to collect data anytime using their mobile Apple device.
Teachers in other provinces have demonstrated that technology can successfully be integrated into the science classroom. For example Bob Van Duren – a teacher at Hudson high school – uses PASCO’s Airlink2, a single-sensor interface that connects to a Bluetooth-enabled computer, to teach students how to build their own rockets while using PASCO’s sensors to collect and analyze real-time data.
Back in Toronto, teachers have discussed the possibility of integrating educational apps into their curriculums and providing students with the opportunity to text their answers to the teacher instead of raising their hand, providing a better opportunity to assess if “everyone [is] grasping the concept being taught.”
We applaud the Toronto District School Board on their progressive decision.
A combination of cutting-edge technology with a learning-based platform is an effective first step in reaching out – and connecting – with today’s tech-savvy student population.
ASIMO, the world-famous robot created by Honda, is back in Canada for the first time since 2007. The friendly ‘bot kicked off its Canadian tour at the Ontario Science Centre May 13, where it received rounds of cheers and applause.
If the Friday the 13th demo is any indication, ASIMO’s country-wide tour is going to be a huge success. Dozens of school-aged children crowded the Science Centre’s auditorium last week, excited to see the robot in action.
Standing at 4’3” tall, ASIMO resembles an astronaut wearing a jet-pack. Children were amazed by the robot’s highly-advanced abilities, such as walking up and down stairs, running at a human pace, and kicking a ball. ASIMO clapped along with the crowd, danced and waved to the delighted children. The state-of-the-art robot represents a triumph in robotics; its ability to adjust its balance, respond to verbal commands, connect to the Internet and navigate around obstacles is unprecedented.
A robot that’s been 20 years in the making, ASIMO was designed by Honda in hopes that it will one day be able to assist people with disabilities, in addition to performing tasks that are dangerous for humans, such as fire-fighting and working with biohazardous waste. Honda has yet to release its plans for making ASIMO commercially available.
Click here to learn more about ASIMO. You can read more about ASIMO’s visit to the Ontario Science Centre here, and you can track the Canadian tour on Facebook.
The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev for short) is a government initiative designed to support economic and community innovation and, more specifically, to strengthen the region’s position in the knowledge-based economy.
FedDev’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Youth Initiative encourages young people to embrace education and careers in these fields through strategic partnerships with STEM-based industry leaders.
The goal of the STEM Youth Initiative is to create a focused and coordinated STEM outreach program.
Not-for-profit organizations that encourage youths between kindergarten and Grade 12 to embrace STEM education can to apply for funding that will allow for the expansion of their pre-existing initiatives.
To learn more about this initiative and to apply online, visit FedDev Ontario.
