There are a number of initiatives in the UK to link scientists and
engineers with schools. They cover a range of approaches and level of
scientist. They include the Norfolk Teacher Scientist Network and
similar schemes either up and running or planned in Bristol and Cardiff,
the EPSRC/PPARC Pupil Researcher Initiative, other Resaerch Council
schemes and many others. The BA has been asked by the OST to devise a
way of promoting these links in 2000 in a way which increases profile
and encourages growth but does not compete with exisiting schemes and
which recognises that one ingredient of success appears to be that local
initiatives work best. In effect, we are being asked to consider
something that will do for scientst-school links what SET Week does for
public understanding of science activities in general. As far as I
know, none of these schemes embraces the idea of involvement in
governing bodies, but I agree that it is a good one although, as Sue's
message implied, part of the motivation in the USA is to counter the
creationists. If anyone has suggestions about how the BA might best
promote links without starting a new national scheme, please let Brian
Gamble know at [log in to unmask]
Peter Briggs
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sue Bowler [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 06 April 1999 10:56
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: science in school and all that
>
> One approach to the problems of getting science and technology as it
> really
> is across in school comes from the American Association for the
> Advancement of Science. They are encouraging
> scientists/technologists/anyone who works with the stuff to get
> involved in
> schools by volunteering time, etc, but especially by getting on school
> boards and getting some influence. They are aiming for one on every
> school
> board, emulating, I believe, an approach developed by fundamentalist
> religious groups.
>
> Dr S. Bowler, Editor, Astronomy & Geophysics,
> the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society
>
> Tel/fax 0113 233 5251
>
> School of Earth Sciences
> University of Leeds
> Leeds LS2 9JT
> Britain
>
>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|