Role of scientific academies and science centers in promoting science education: Experiences from Singapore

1
Role of scientific academies and science
centers in promoting science education
Experiences from Singapore

• R. Subramaniam and Leo Tan Wee Hin
• Singapore National Academy of Science
• National Institute of Education
• Nanyang Technological University

2
Capacity building and economic development

• Correlation between capacity building and
  economic development is well established in the
  research literature.
• Science and technology are also instruments for
  promoting socio-economic development.
• Capacity building in a country is largely
  dependent on science and technology capabilities.
  
• Role of the scientific establishment
  universities, teacher education institutes,
  science centers, scientific academies, scientific
  societies and even schools, takes on greater
  overtones.

3
Central thesis of this presentation

• Full dimensions of science teacher education can
  be achieved only if there is participation from
  other stakeholders such as scientific
  academies and science centers.
• Singapore experience will be shared.

4

• STRENGTHENING LINKAGES OF SCHOOLS WITH SCIENCE
  CENTERS

5
On the role of science centers

• They are institutions which popularize science
  and technology to students and the public -in
  this way, people are able to realize the
  important role played by science and technology
  in their lives and society.
• By sensitizing people to the role played by
  science and technology in promoting
  socio-economic development, science centers also
  help to improve science literacy among the
  population.

6
How science centers promote their mission
objectives?

• Mainly through
• (a) exhibitions on various themes in science and
  technology for
• students and the public,
• (b) science enrichment programs for schools,
• (c) promotional activities for the masses.
• Linkages with schools have helped science centers
  to reach out to students and bring science to the
  public domain.
• Strong support in the research literature to show
  that the affective and kinesthetic dimensions of
  the learning process can be improved when
  students participate in the educational programs
  of science centers

7
Status of science centers in developing countries

• Science centers have been around for about 40
  years since the establishment of the
  Exploratorium in San Francisco in 1969.
• More than 95 of science centers are located in
  the Western world.
• Very few science centers in the developing world.
  
• Only in more recent times have there been a small
  number of science centers established in Asia
  for example, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan,
  Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan.

8
Singapore Science Center

• Established in 1977.
• Attracts about a million visitors every year
• Has the most comprehensive menu of science
  enrichment programs among all science centers in
  the world.
• Over 100,000 students and science teachers attend
  the science enrichment programs every year.
• The science enrichment programs complement the
  school science syllabus.

9
Kinetic Garden at the Singapore Science Center
10
Mathematics exhibit at Singapore Science Centre
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How science centers support science teachers

• Teacher on attachment programs, which allow
  science teachers to take a sabbatical for a year
  and work on innovative education programs.
• Workshops for science teachers on a variety of
  themes for example, use of exhibits for
  teaching, doing project work using the resources
  at the science center, and so on.
• All these constitute part of the professional
  development of science teachers an unorthodox
  route for their continuing education but
  nevertheless a valuable mechanism in extending
  the scope of their training.

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Summarizing comments in relation to role of
science centers

• In many developing countries that do not have
  science centers, science teachers (and therefore
  their students) are missing out on an important
  aspect of science learning.
• There is a strong case for the establishment of
  more science centers in the developing world.
• In many countries of the Western world, the
  establishment of science centers was supported by
  foundations and philanthropists.
• In the case of Singapore, it was
  government-initiated.
• Actually, the scientific intelligentsia in a
  country can utilize independent citizenry efforts
  to jump-start the setting up of science centers
  if the government can lease out land or building.
  
• Many exhibits can be easily fabricated using
  indigenous resources and expertise.

13

• LINKAGES WITH SCIENTIFIC ACADEMIES AND
  SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES

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What are scientific academies and scientific
societies?

• They are non-governmental organizations that
  serve the disciplinary interests of their members
  and the wider cause of science and technology in
  society.
• As professional societies, they wield tremendous
  clout by virtue of their membership and the fact
  that the elites of the profession are their
  members.

15
Status of scientific academies and scientific
societies in developing countries

• In the Western world, scientific academies and
  scientific societies are well established, are
  highly regarded by governments, and play an
  important role in society through their scholarly
  activities and programs.
• In the developing world, the movement is still in
  its infancy.

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Singapore National Academy of Science (SNAS)

• Established in 1967
• Operating without a building has been having a
  virtual office even before the advent of the
  Internet
• Mailing address c/o Singapore Science Centre
• No full time employees all volunteers
• Only source of regular income is the S500 paid
  by each of its nine constituent societies for
  their annual subscription fees

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Constituent Societies of SNAS

• Singapore Association for the Advancement of
  Science
• Singapore National Institute of Chemistry
• Institute of Physics Singapore
• Singapore Institute of Biology
• Singapore Mathematical Society
• Singapore Society for Biochemistry Molecular
  Biology
• Singapore Society for Microbiology
  Biotechnology
• Singapore Institute of Statistics
• Science Teachers Association of Singapore

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Cooperation of scientific academies and
scientific societies with science teaching
profession in Singapore

• Through schemes which promote project work among
  students
• Science teachers gain valuable experience when
  they assist respective constituent societies to
  train students for the local and international
  Olympiads.
• Workshops regularly conducted by scientific
  societies for science teachers as part of their
  professional development.

19
Young Scientist Badge Scheme

• Allows students to engage in project-based
  investigations in 15 disciplines
• Geology , Zoology, Mathematics
• Physics, Ornithology, Botany
• Astronomy , Chemistry, Entomology
• Ecology, Meteorology, Environment
• Information Technology, Food Technology and
  Water
• Students need to complete tasks in an Activity
  Card and then get these certified by the class
  teacher.
• Successful completion of Activity Card gets
  student a highly coveted I am a Young Scientist
  Badge in the appropriate discipline.
• Over 60,000 badges awarded annually.

20
Young Scientist Activity Card in Physics
21
Singapore Youth Science Festival

• Science Teachers Association of Singapore and
  the Singapore Science Centre have been organizing
  the Singapore Youth Science Festival since 1978.
• A diversity of activities are held during the
  fortnight over which the Festival is held
  science carnival, science camp, etc.
• Reaches out to over 100,000 students and teachers
  every year.

22
Science Olympiads

• National Olympiads in Physics, Chemistry,
  Biology and Mathematics are held annually by the
  respective constituent societies of SNAS.
• Besides helping to promote the respective
  disciplines among students, they also help to
  prepare students for participation in the
  respective international Olympiads.
• Olympiads help to identify talent for further
  nurturing, an important outcome in the process of
  education.

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Science Olympiads (contd)

• Efforts by professional societies have yielded
  good results for Singapore
• International Mathematics Olympiad in Mexico in
  2005 4 Silvers and 2 Bronzes
• International Biology Olympiad in Argentina in
  2006 2 Golds and 2 Silvers
• International Physics Olympiad in Singapore in
  2006
• 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 3 Bronzes

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Summarizing comments in relation to scientific
academies and scientific societies

• The scientific intelligentsia in a country should
  take an active role in energizing the scientific
  society movement.
• Links with science teaching profession can
  benefit science teachers and students.

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Message from this presentation

• Science teacher education is too important a
  mission to be left to the purview of any one
  stakeholder.
• Its full import can be realized only when the
  various actors government, teacher education
  institutions, science centers, scientific
  academies / scientific societies and the science
  teaching profession join forces for the national
  good!

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References

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• Tan, W.H.L and Subramaniam, R. (2003b). Virtual
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