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Nadiya T. Mosyakina

Integrating principles and approaches of Intel ISEF with national science education practice and national/local science fairs: a view from Eastern Europe. Nadiya T. Mosyakina Deputy Director, National Ecology and Nature Center, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine Sergei L. Mosyakin

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Nadiya T. Mosyakina

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  1. Integrating principles and approaches of Intel ISEF with national science education practice and national/local science fairs: a view from Eastern Europe Nadiya T. Mosyakina Deputy Director, National Ecology and Nature Center, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine Sergei L. Mosyakin Prof., Dr. Sci.M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

  2. Presentation Outline • Development of the Intel ISEF process in Ukraine as a case study: gain from our experience, learn from our mistakes! • Background information on education system in Ukraine and its peculiarities (similar to those in some other countries of Europe and Asia). • Our science fair experience before Intel ISEF: national & local science fairs, Junior Academy of Sciences, NENC, etc. Adaptation & integration. What are Feeder Fairs? • Scientists and Science Fairs: some principles of and approaches to involving scientists and research institutions in the science fairs process • Working with local judges: problems of explaining science education basics to scientists and educators. Making judges understand Intel ISEF requirements • Non-native-English speaking students: improving students' presentation skills in English • Finalists’ Club in judging and motivating

  3. Ukraine: Some Facts and Educational Environment • The largest country in Europe (after the European part of Russia) • Europe’s geographical centre is in W Ukraine! • Large and diverse school system: ~22 000 secondary education institutions • Education system governed by the Constitution and Laws of Ukraine On education, On general secondary education etc. • Education system in transformation (pluses and minuses) More info: http://education.gov.ua/pls/edu/educ.home.eng

  4. Some peculiaritiesof a Soviet-style system of education, and its modern transformation • Academic approach: Mathematics (Basic, Algebra, Geometry etc,), Physics, Chemistry (General, Inorganic, Organic), Biology (incl. Botany, Zoology, Anatomy and Physiology, General Biology), etc. • Pluses: rather high quality of education (high-school textbooks like slightly simplified college handbooks etc.); • Minuses: limited integration of subjects, less practical skills and holistic approach, strict and non-flexible curricula… MODERN TRENDS: more pragmatic approach, simplification of some curricula, many local programs etc. • Egalitarian approach: ALL students shall obtain some standard and rather high-level minimum of knowledge • Pluses: rather high quality of education and more or less equal opportunities (for those who CAN and WILLING…) • Minuses: more attention to medium-level students, less attention to talents and highly motivated students MODERN TRENDS: Egalitarian  elitist approach etc.

  5. Our science fair experience before Intel ISEF • National & local science fairs • Junior Academy of Sciences (JAS – MAN) • Science Olympiads • Schools with special science programs, school science clubs, school NGOs (environmental etc.) • Extracurricular education (NENC etc.): several nationwide systems • Adaptation and integration of existing experience • In our case, what are Feeder Fairs? Some examples (4 separate science fairs and 1 fair system feeding to national Intel ISEF-affiliated fair)

  6. Junior Academy of Sciences:mission and some principles • Find and support young talents • Promote development of the new generation of researchers, • Help students in their professional orientation • Transform skills into profound knowledge and creativity • Improve science education • Use facilities and opportunities of schools, universities, research institutions • Strengthen cooperation between schools, higher education, and science • Promote wide access to information and knowledge • Use communication technologies and new approaches in education

  7. Junior Academy of Sciences:Sections • Computer Science • Science & Technology (mainly Engineering) • Physics, Mathematics, and Economy • Chemistry & Biology • History & Geography • Philology & Arts (Humanities)

  8. Extracurricular education and science fairs • The system of extracurricular education in the USSR was specially designed for gifted and motivated students • Practical reasons in the 1920s – 1940s (technical and agricultural skills, industrialization etc.) • Science and technology revolution since the mid-1950s – 1960s • In some ex-USSR countries the extracurricular system of education was “destroyed in transition” • Still preserved in Ukraine, but in need of reformation and “new blood”

  9. Botanical Internship:an example of cooperation between the Institute of Botany and NENC • Direct contacts of researchers of the National Academy, high school students, educators (extracurricular education, schools) through student research projects • Students involved in real research • Cooperation at all stages: from topic selection and project planning to analysis and presentation of results and conclusions • Cooperation Agreement between the Kholodny Institute of Botany (National Academy of Sciences) and NENC, additional agreements with other institutes • Growing interest to science; higher learning motivation, independent research skills, problem solving, scientific method, teamwork, distance learning using Internet • Young teaching young: PhD students and other young scientists as direct supervisors of student projects. More understanding, better project performance • Junior Academic Council at the Institute: students report their results, present their projects, ask and answer questions, participate in discussions, and receive awards and certificates

  10. Scientists and Science Fairs some principles of and approaches to involving scientists and research institutions in the science fairs process • Real scientists usually have little or no time (and often limited resources), they often do not want to waste their time and resources for something not directly related to their research, something not promising results • Real scientists are usually really devoted to their science; • they like to work with those interested in their field of science; • they want to see young people going into their field; • they are interested in followers and future high-level students (up to PhD); • many like to teach Carl Linnaeus born 1707 300th Anniversary in 2007

  11. Scientists and Science Fairs • Some practical approaches • find devoted and enthusiastic scientists (not necessarily Bosses of Science) • establish informal and formal links with research institutions and universities (cooperation agreements etc.) • coordinate student research with their research • bring fresh ideas; explain benefits of cooperation • use Internet, email, study visits, extracurricular education • get various kinds of support from government agencies (Ministry of Education, National Academy of Sciences, etc. • use personal contacts

  12. Working with judges • Sometimes it is difficult to explain science education and science fairs basics to scientists and, amazingly, to educators! • Why?

  13. Working with local judges • Who are our judges: • Scientists: mainly researchers from institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and some other agencies • 2-in-1 Scientists & Educators: university professors and other people from universities and other educational institutions • Educators (extracurricular system of education & schools) • Experts from various institutions • Junior Judges (Club of International Finalists)

  14. Working with local judges • Consequently, our local judges at the Intel ISEF affiliated fair and other science fairs in Ukraine (Junior Academy, EcoSoft, science olympiads, etc.) are usually recruited among leading scientists and experienced educators • These people are usually familiar with judging principles and procedures of “traditional” national and local fairs, but Intel ISEF principles and approaches are often new for them • Making judges understand Intel ISEF rules and requirements • Give them the basics, and then details • Give them some time to grasp the process • “Dilute” new judges with experienced ones • Translating, adopting, or adapting the Rules? • Adaptation of international and national/local approaches explained • 3-stage judging: • at sections (1st – 2nd – 3rd awards) • at the national superfinal (science evaluation and attention to presentation skills) • selection of international finalists

  15. Intel-EcoUkraine 2008: presentations at sections

  16. Working with local judges: Judges’ Set: provided to all judges at national fairs since 2005 • Letter of appreciation • Background info about Intel ISEF • Background info about the national fair • Relevant documents of MoE • Principles of judging – 1-page overview • Principles of judging – a simple 1-page overview for students • Adapted rules based on international Intel ISEF rules • A system of points/scores • Evaluation/judging forms (for individual and team projects) • Program of the national fair Workshop for judges One-hour final instructions and questions & answers before the national fair Judging committee and SRC are ready to provide consultation during the national fair

  17. Working with non-native-English speaking students • English for Science. Why? • 2007 – 300th Anniversary of C. Linnaeus • Systema Naturae, Species Plantarum, Philosophia Botanica, Flora Suecica, Flora Lapponica, Hortus Cliffortianus etc. • Latin, French, German, Russian, Chinese etc. etc. • Modern Lingua franca and language of science, like it or not! • By the way, Linnaeus came to his greatest scientific ideas when he was young!

  18. Working with non-native-English speaking students • Students and their problems with English. Why? • Levels of language knowledge and communication skills are very different in different schools (at least in Ukraine) • Good language knowledge is not equal to presentation/communication skills • Some practical considerations: active & passive vocabulary • Some positive shifts in active English: • Internet, cable and satellite TV channels available in English • More attention to languages at schools • Availability of scientific literature in English (especially via Internet). How to surf the web in search of real scientific literature, not just some unreliable junk.

  19. Working with non-native-English speaking students • Science or language: What is important for judging and selection at national fairs? Both, but science first! • Assessing the level of English: • Tests plus communication at the national final (2005-2006) • Express assessment through communication at sections and the national final (2007-2008) • At least some judges at all sections should have good command of English! • Why not formal written tests? • Additional stress for students • Time-consuming • Problems with evaluating the tests • When the results are announced, students tend to compare them, which may lead to additional stress before the national final • Most of formal language tests give just an approximate level of knowledge and say nothing about presentation and communication skills, creativity etc.

  20. Working with non-native-English speaking students: after the national fair • Problem of selection: 2 case studies from our experience • Even students with good command of English often experience problems in preparing their posters and oral presentations following the Intel ISEF format • Additional criteria for selection of best international finalists • Improving students' presentation skills in English • Pre-ISEF training process, email consultations etc. • Motivating students to learn English • English for Science. How? • Intel ISEF experience (incl. language): shaping lives of our international finalists • Training of international finalists: Using experience and expertise of international finalists 2005-2007 (Alumni). Personal and email contacts.

  21. Club of International Finalists.Alumni at Intel-EcoUkraine 2008International Finalists 2005-2007 sharing their personal experience with national finalists of 2008

  22. Some final thoughts: How to help transforming the system of science education? • Well-balanced transformations needed. More attention to project-based and inquiry education • Bring principles and approaches of project-based and inquiry-based learning to schools and extracurricular education centers • Strengthen links with science & research (Academies, universities etc.) • Expand Intel ISEF activities through integration of various national competitions, bring the best students to Intel ISEF-affiliated fairs • Extracurricular education system should play an important role, but changes and shifts in school curricula are also needed • Ensure more support from MoE and other governmental agencies, local communities etc. (not sufficient yet) • Intel ISEF process as a potential trigger of changes and innovations in science education • Team needed!

  23. Thank you for your attention! Main Web Resources Used: • Society for Science & the Public: www.societyforscience.org • Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MoE; official web site): www.mon.gov.ua • National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine: www.nas.gov.ua • National Ecology and Nature Center, MoE of Ukraine: www.nenc.gov.ua • Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (official web site): www.man.gov.ua • M. G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, Kiev: www.botany.kiev.ua • and many other sites… Special thanks are due to: • Intel • Society for Science & the Public and Intel ISEF people: Sharon Snyder, Karen Merrill, Chris Chardi, and many others • Our colleagues and friends at NENC, MoE, research institutions of NASU, universities etc. • Many other people who shared with us their bright ideas and experience

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