engage, excite, educate. Review m ew meeting E g EXPEKT Hugo Thienpont
We live in a society where the economy is strongly linked with knowledge, innovation, and technological progress The brightest science and engineering students of today will be the driving force of tomorrows’ companies and society
D eclining in interest in in s science a and t technology : : a k a known i n issue � “Europe needs more highly skilled, qualified and motivated individuals to push back the technological frontiers, in order to improve economic growth and employment.” [10/08, Jose Manuel Barroso ] � “Most young people of today want to have “a meaningful job and make a difference to society” – as they express it themselves. [...] many of them do not connect the engineering profession to this vision.” [10/07, FEANI, position paper on 'Engineering Skills Shortage in Europe'] � “With a declining student proportion in MST, a stabilisation of access to tertiary education, unfavourable demographic trends and negative attitudes towards education and careers in MST it is evident that stakeholders need to act.” [10/08, Jorma Ollila, Chairman of Shell and Nokia] � “It is teachers who are making the difference” [11/08, European Round Table, conclusion report on 'Inspiring the next generation' workshop]
The number of students interested in a career in science and technology is gradually and steadily decreasing (at least in Europe and the US) no technically skilled human resources, no researchers, no engineers, no innovators, no problem solvers,…
a 2 25% i increase i in u university s students o only 3 3% increase i i in engineerin ing.... .... B e B elgiu ium 2009- 2009-20 2010 10
With their knowledge, skills, and ethical values scientists and engineers can take the lead in providing workable solutions for some of the most crucial problems that the world is currently facing: global warming, pollution, unaffordable health care, safety and security, deadly diseases,…
Photonics is a key-enabler to help solving som e of these global issues Solar Energy Lighting Machine Vision Medical Technologies Machine vision Flat Panel Displays Optical Communications Safety & Security Laser Material Processing Information Technology Optical Systems PHOTONICS 21 & OPTECH CONSULTING, Photonics in Europe – Economic Impact, December 2007
Why do we focus on Photonics ? Photonics has been identified as one of the key enabling technologies (KETs) , communication of the European Commission [COM(2009)512/3 “ priority to improve European industrial competitiveness ” [SEC(2009)1257] “the European photonics industry accounted for revenues of about 49 billion Euro in 2006 and is growing rapidly.” “ a shortage of skilled labour ” and a “[lack of] public knowledge and understanding” The commission therefore recommends that “ Natural sciences and engineering must achieve their deserved place in the education systems .”
T he Rocard Report on S cience E ducation [C serm ely, P. et al. 2007 ] � ‘ the origins of the declining interest among young people for science studies are found largely in the way science is taught in schools ’. � ‘ Teachers must remain the key players in the process of reform, but need better support that complements professional training and stimulates morale and motivation ’. � ‘ Improvements in science education should be brought about through new forms of pedagogy: the introduction of inquiry ‐ based approaches in schools, actions for teachers training […], and the development of teachers networks should be actively promoted and supported’ . � ‘action on improving science education from the bodies responsible for implementing change at local, regional, national and European Union level.’
O ur goals and m ethods in a nutshell Goal: To raise the interest of young people for S&E, esp. in photonics � More students and later more skilled workforce in the field Lasting impact on a European scale Method: Developing the Photonics Explorer Test, evaluate and refine the material Sustainable business model to manufacture and distribute kits Supporting teachers with free educational material
a com prehensive educational kit Photonics Explorer kit: Class set of experimental material; for 25 ‐ 30 students working in groups Guided inquiry based didactic framework ― Worksheet for students ― Teacher guide ― Fact sheet ― Multimedia Modular structure: 8 modules, for lower & upper secondary Easy integration and flexibility Editable
what’s in the box? Components in the kit 10 aluminium mirrors (7x7 cm) 10 colour filter sets (7x4 cm) including red, green, blue, cyan, magenta and yellow 10 LED modules with red, green and blue LEDs 10 sets of robust plastic lenses with the focal lengths 30 mm, ‐ 30 mm, and 150 mm 10 foils with slit and double slit for optical diffraction experiments 10 diffraction gratings 2 sets of diffractive optical elements 20 polarisers (7x5 cm) 5 m polymer optical fibre 10 eyesafe Lasers
experim ental m aterial for inquiry –based learning Simple Versatile Robust Safe
educational m odules Lower secondary level Light signals – the properties of light and its use in telecommunication Colours – colour perception, additive and subtractive colour mixing Lenses and telescopes – Refraction and imaging Eye and vision – Comparison between human eyes and digital cameras Upper secondary level A scientist’s job – encouraging esp. young women to pursue careers in science and engineering Making light – comparing different light sources, laser Diffraction and interference – Diffraction on (double) slit, spectrometry Polarisation – Applications in displays and life sciences
odules educational m
testing the Photonics E xplorer in E urope Translated into: Tested in: Bulgarian, Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish, Polish
developed by an international team of specialists Core developer team at B ‐ Phot Educational Advisory Panel 35 specialists in science education from 11 countries, including 10 professors in pedagogy, and 17 members experienced in training teachers. IPN ( Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education) Scientific evaluation team UBern research group specialized on gender sensitive science co ‐ education
Photonics E xplorer : key-stakeholders com bine forces to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers
together inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers
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