CASTEL - Centre for the Advancement of Science Teaching and Learning

Seminars & Events Archive

CASTeL members have been involved in the organisation and/or participation in the following events:

2011

Seminars

The IOPI/CASTeL Seminar for February 2011 will be presented by Prof. Robin Millar, University of York, UK on:

"DOES PRACTICAL WORK REALLY WORK? THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRACTICAL WORK AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING METHOD IN SCIENCE AND HOW WE MIGHT IMPROVE IT"

This seminar will begin at 12:00 in the room HG18 located on the ground floor of the Nursing Building DCU (MAP)

All are welcome to attend

2010

Science Live 4 Teachers 2010               

Open to all primary school teachers, this one-day symposium is free of charge and lunch will be provided. Designed to provide teachers with an opportunity to hone their skills to teach and demonstrate the primary science curriculum there will be four workshops throughout the day. Following feedback from previous years the programme will include aspects of outdoor science, drama in science, C.A.S.E. and maths education.

Throughout each workshop, the focus will be on developing teachers’ skills and confidence in the classroom and finding methods of encouraging students to develop an inquiring mind for science and maths. A comprehensive guide with notes, lesson plans and resource management will be provided to all attendees. Please note attendance at this symposium will earn participants CPD credits towards the Certificate/Diploma in Education.

Due to demand, early booking is strongly encouraged and places will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Places can be reserved by email karen.sheeran@rds.ie or telephone 01-2407289.

For further information please see www.rds.ie/scienceliveforteachers.

Seminars

Dr. Patricia Eaton (Stranmillis University College) and Dr. Maurice OReillly (SPD) will present a one-day workshop to consider: "MATHEMATICAL IDENTITY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING AND RESEARCH IN MATHEMATICS AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION".

Details: 9.45-16:00, Friday 7th May, Room F201, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra.
Full details will be found at: http://staff.spd.dcu.ie/oreillym/mist.htm

Prof. Eric Mazur (Harvard University, USA) will present the March CASTeL seminar on:  "CONFESSIONS OF A CONVERTED LECTURER".

Details: 14:00-15:30, Thursday 11th March 2010, HG20, School of Nursing, DCU.
Prof. Eric Mazur is the Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Harvard University. An internationally recognized scientist and researcher, he leads a vigorous research program in optical physics and supervises one of the largest research groups in the Physics Department at Harvard University. Click here to view this presentation. (Filesize: 475 MB)

Prof. John Mason (Open University, UK) presented the February CASTeL Seminar on: "DEVELOPING AND EXPLOITING RICH TASKS - WHAT MAKES A MATHEMATICAL TASK RICH AND HOW CAN RICHNESS BE AMPLIFIED AND EXPLOITED?"

Details: 15:00-16.30, Tuesday 2nd February, Room F101, SPD

Dr. Peter Gray (S-Team & Norwegian University of Science & Technology) presented the CASTeL Seminar on: "THE S-TEAM PROJECT".

Details: Friday 30th October 2009, Seminar Room, Invent, DCU.
Dr. Peter Gray is the project manager of the S-Team project, which is funded under the FP7-Science in Society call and will be able to provide a useful insight to the coordination of such projects.

Prof. Norman Reid (University of Dundee) presented the October CASTeL Seminar on: “A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THE TEACHING OF CHEMISTRY.

Details: 10:00, Friday 16th October, N115, School of Physicals Sciences, DCU
Prof. Reid is the 2006-2007 Nyholm Award winner and past-director of the Science Education, University of Glasgow.  Though the title pertains to the teaching of chemistry, this talk discusses the many common issues that are associated with the teaching and learning of “difficult” science subjects. 

A copy of Prof. Reid’s presentation can be found here

Conference

Science & Mathematics Education Conference (SMEC 2010), Inquiry-based learning: Facilitating authentic learning experiences in science and mathematics, took place in DCU on 16th & 17th September 2010.

This conference was aimed at all parties involved in the teaching and learning of science and mathematics and will look to address the issues, concerns and experiences of inquiry-based learning, such as:

· Breadth versus depth in science and mathematics curricula
· Attitudes and perceptions of inquiry-based learning
· Implications for teacher education; pre-service & in-service
· Inquiry for teachers - challenges and rewards of implementation
· Inquiry as a means versus inquiry as an outcome
· Assessment of inquiry

"Inquiry-based learning: Facilitating authentic learning experiences in science and mathematics" is the fourth in a series of biennial international Science and Mathematics Education Conferences (SMEC) to be hosted by the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning (CASTeL) of Dublin City University and St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin.

Inquiry-based learning was chosen as the theme for this year’s conferences as this inductive method for teaching and learning has been shown to engage and stimulate students to continue to learn and pursue careers in areas of science and mathematics. Other family members of this inductive teaching method include discovery learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, case-based learning and just-in-time teaching (Michael Prince and Felder, 2007). This conference focused on the above mentioned themes in relation to this teaching method.

A total of 108 delegates attended SMEC 2010 over the two days; which included five plenary speakers, three from the Unites States of America, one from the United Kingdom, and one from Germany.  In addition, there were 22 contributed talks, four workshops and 23 posters.

SMEC 2010 PLENARY SPEAKERS:

  • Jonathan Osborne, School of Education, Stanford University, California, USA
  • Sarah Lubienski, College of Education, University of Illinois, USA
  • Barbara Jaworski, Mathematics Education Centre, Loughborough University, UK
  • Donna Messina, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
  • Martina Roth, Director of Intel’s Global Education Strategy, Research and Policy, Germany

INVITED WORKSHOPS:

  • ESTABLISH - European Science and Technology in Action Building Links with Industry, School and Home
  • FIBONACCI Project - Large scale dissemination of inquiry based science and mathematics education
  • NCCA: Assessment in Project Maths - Learning and Teaching for the 21st Century

Other events including:

2009

2008

Seminars

Workshops

  • RDS Science Live for Primary School Teachers, 8th November, DCU
  • ISTA Science Quiz, 19.30pm 13th November, DCU
  • Workshop – science answers by investigation. ScienceLive Demonstration Series, October 2008, in DCU

  • Micro-scale Workshop, 17th October by Viktor Obendrauf
    A hands-on workshop exploring the use of microscale chemistry experiments will take place in DCU on Friday, 17th October from 1.00p.m.—4.00p.m.  Places are limited to 25 maximum and will strictly be given on a first-come-first-served basis.  All materials for the workshop will be provided.

    Due to additional sponsorship, this workshop is now offered for free, but registration is necessary as numbers are strictly limited.

    To register for either the conference and/or the workshop, please download the registration form and post it together with the relevant registration fee to:
    Dr. Odilla Finlayson, CASTeL, ChemEd-Ireland Conference, School of Chemical Sciences, DCU, Dublin 9

    Please indicate your intention to attend by emailing either odilla.finalyson@dcu.ie or castel@dcu.ie as soon as possible. Registration fees can be paid on the day.

Conferences

2007

Workshops

  • Primary School Science Symposium, June 2007 in SPD (Odilla Finlayson, Thomas McCloughlin)

Awards

  • Odilla Finlayson, Teaching and Learning Award winner, 2007

    Odilla is a leading member of CASTeL, with a strong team devoted to research in science, particularly chemistry, education. This award recognises the great contribution made by Odilla personally to science education, and reinforces the importance of research in CASTeL to the development of the teaching agenda in the university.

    Full story here »

2006

2004

 

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