TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1979
TEACHERS LEARN BUDGETTING IN NEW SCIENCE CENTRE
******
TEACHERS ATTENDING THE NEW SCIENCE CENTRE ARE GETTING AN EXTRA LESSON IN ECONOMICS APART FROM LEARNING ABOUT TEACHING AIDS.
IN THE FIRST WORKSHOP WHICH STARTED IN NOVEMBER, 1978 IN THE CENTRE PARTICIPANTS ASSEMBLED SOLAR CELLS. THESE KITS COST MORE THAN $100 ON THE OPEN MARKET.
BUT IN THIS WORKSHIP RUN BY THE SCIENCE SUBJECTS SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S ADVISORY INSPECTORATE THE PARTICIPANTS WERE TAUGHT TO PRODUCE SOLAR CELL KITS AT A MERE COST OF $10 - A PRICE WELL WITHIN REACH OF MOST STUDENTS.
+PROPERLY
IN POINTING OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING AIDS IN MODERN TEACHING, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE SAID DESIGNED APPARATUS IS HALF WAY TO SUCCESS WHEN EXPLAINING TO STUDENTS INTRICATE CONCEPTS IN CERTAIN SCIENCE TOPICS.+
+JUST TAKE THE SOLAR CELL KIT AS AN EXAMPLE, HE SAID, NO MATTER HOW GREAT AN ORATOR HE IS, A TEACHER CAN NEVER CONVINCE OR MAKE HIS STUDENT UNDERSTAND THE EXISTENCE AND FUNCTION OF SOLAR ENERGY UNLESS THE STUDENT CAN PHYSICALLY SEE THIS PROCESS.+
TEACHERS ATTENDING THE WORKSHOP CAN ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WHOLE PROCESS OF PRODUCTION BY ASSEMBLING THE APPARATUS THEMSELVES AND, ABOVE ALL, KNOWING HOW TO CUT PRODUCTION COSTS BY SELECTING AND BUYING MATERIAL AT BUDGET PRICES FOR MASS PRODUCTION.
EACH WORKSHOP -- FIVE HAVE BEEN ORGANISED SO FAR THIS YEAR IS TAILORED TO COPE WITH THE SCHOOL SYLLABUS BOTH FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.
THE CENTRE, WHICH IS OPEN EVERY WEDNESDAY, WILL BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MORE EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES TO CATER FOR MORE TEACHERS AND ENABLE THE PRODUCTION OF MORE SOPHISTICATED TEACHING AIDS IN FUTURE. REFRESHER COURSES, SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES ARE ALSO PLANNED.
THE WORKSHOP PROGRAMMES, HE SAID, WERE ALSO DESIGNED TO ENABLE TEACHERS TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN SCIENCE TEACHING SO THAT THEY CAN PASS THIS KNOWLEDGE TO FELLOW COLLEAGUES AND STUDENTS.
THE SCIENCE CENTRE, AT TANNER ROAD POLICE PRIMARY SCHOOL IN NORTH POINT, ALSO HELPED TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AMONG SCIENCE TEACHERS AND BETWEEN SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STAFF OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CENTRE HAD SO FAR ATTRACTED ABOUT 90 TEACHERS AND LABORATORY TECHNICIANS TO THE FIRST FIVE WORKSHOP SESSIONS, AND ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF TEACHERS AND LABORATORY TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED IN THE FORTHCOMING SESSIONS. AT THE SAME TIME MORE THAN 130 SCHOOLS HAVE MADE ENQUIRIES AND SENT IN APPLICATIONS.
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