Let's Talk Science

Tess Gardiner

·    What is the name of your professional association or specialist organization? 

o        Let’s Talk Science , inspiring discovery http://www.letstalkscience.ca/

o        Let’s Talk Science is an award-winning, national and charitable organization.

·    How did you find out about it (provide details such as urls)?

o       I found this organization by researching on-line. I googled “BC Science Teachers” and followed a link from the BCScTA site http://www.bcscta.ca/links/links.htm

·    What is the mandate of the association? 

o       Let’s Talk Science’s mandate is to deliver science learning programs and services that turn children and youth on to science, keep them engaged in learning and develop their potential to become 21st century citizens, innovators and stewards.

o       Their approach to science education engages children and youth with fun, exciting hands-on/minds-on activities that improve their understanding of physical and life science, mathematics and technology. Their approach builds critical life skills, including problem-solving, communication and teamwork, and accounts for the fact that each individual learns in their own unique way.

·    What kinds of projects is your association currently working on (e.g., publications, mission statements, professional development initiatives, collaborations with museums, conferences, etc)? 

o       Let’s Talk Science continually researches to understand the impact of their work. They have published their findings in numerous venues, including conferences, peer-reviewed journals, teachers’ magazines and on their website.

o       Let’s Talk Science collaborates with universities and colleges across Canada. University volunteers engage students in classrooms, field trips, lab tours, and science fairs as well as at workshops in schools, museums and community events all across Canada.    

·    Who are its funders? 

o       Goverenmnet of Ontario, Nserc, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Esso, Pfizer, Synapse, Merk, Suncor Energy Foundation, Shaw, 3M, The Cloverlearf Foundation, Hydro-One, RBC Foundation, Trudell Medical Limited, Health Canada, Trottier Family Foundation

·    How would you describe the possible link of this group to your teaching?  

o       As a science teacher it is very important to be aware of the resources that are available so I can utilize these in my teaching. I hope to have the opportunity to invite volunteers from this organization to my classroom to deliver fun, exciting hands-on science activities.

·    What other organizations does it work with?   

o       Let’s Talk Science has two other websites; Wings of Discovery and CurioCity. Wings of Discovery provide resources for families and early childhood learning programs. CurioCity provide youth with relevant articles that reveal the science behind topics that matter to them.

Summary:

In the article “A wake-up call on science literacy: Canada’s future depends on it” Kenneth Knox and Bonnie Schmidt (2006) discuss the importance of educating Canada’s citizens in the field of science and technology. They stress the importance of creating a science-literate society that will ensure the success of the future of Canada and the world. This article was written for the magazine Policy Options. This magazine is Canada’s premier public policy magazine. Its goal is to encourage an informed debate on the important public policy issues of today and tomorrow.

Knox and Schmidt (2006) discuss the need for society to understand science in order to make informed decisions about Canada’s future. Science knowledge is increasing exponentially and people need to understand the links between science, technology, innovation, the economy and our society.

They also include information on what Canada is doing to improve science literacy. They stress that the focus should be on engaging youth. The article lists a number of organizations involved. However, they state Canada has “no national strategy, no common goals” when it comes to science literacy. In addition, they compare how Canada’s science knowledge rates internationally. They state that other countries are creating a strong science culture and Canada is lagging. They conclude in order for Canada to do better they must establish a new federal, independently governed science literacy agency.

Social Issue:

Canada’s future depends on science literacy. Citizens need to be prepared with the science skills and knowledge to play an active role in Canada’s future. Without an understanding of science people cannot make informed decisions about issues that affect their lives. Issues such as, stem cell research, new sources of power generation, climate change and genetically modified organisms. People need to have knowledge of basic scientific concepts and processes so they can understand science-driven social issues. Youth need to learn science-based skills so they can help solve the problems of our future.

Pedagogical strategies from the article:

Knox and Schmidt (2006) address many strategies to improve Canada’s science literacy. They suggest that Canadian citizens must continue to learn, investigate and inquire and these attributes must be fostered in children and reinforced throughout life. In order to build science skills they suggest “hands-on, minds-on” programs and science organizations to engage youth. These organizations include science centers, national and regional outreach organizations, media, libraries, scientific societies, research institutes, universities and colleges. These organizations bring science out to communities, for example, creating science fairs and early child education learning programs.

My pedagogical strategies:

In order to attract and retain people in science it is important to instil a love and passion for science at a young age. Creating a positive classroom atmosphere is one of the first steps in developing a student’s love for science. In my experience I have observed that many students have low science confidence. By establishing a climate where everyone respects one another and feels comfortable to ask questions and offer suggestion students will show an increase in their science confidence. As a result, students will grow to enjoy science learning more.

A further method to improve students’ science confidence is to have them sign a personal contract. This contract asks them to think positively about their accomplishments in science and to not put themselves down if they make a mistake.

My third strategy is to incorporate experiential science learning whenever possible. Students learn more effectively when they are actively engaged. Active learning can be accomplished by doing hands-on activities whenever possible. Experiential learning includes field trips, designing and conducting student led experiments, lab activities and more.