Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Problem-Based Learning in science
Problem-based learning scenarios used at the University of Leicester on an Integrated Science course include building the pyramids of Egypt (and using them for astronomy), mock court cases, film productions, and preparations for the 2012 London Olympics. These are used to teach subjects such as space science, nanotechnology, biomechanics, and quantum teleportation says Derek Raine of the University of Leicester's Physics Department in an article 'Much of What We Were Doing Didn't Work' in the journal Science (6 July 2007:Vol. 317. no. 5834, p. 68)."Working in teams, students are given a real-world problem to research, solve, and then explicate to the class. One exercise casts students as the crew of a cargo plane that has crashed on a desert island and asks them to construct some sort of beacon to communicate their position."
It is a shame that the reason behind the change is the desperate attempt to recruit more students to the physical sciences, but a good thing that innovative approaches like Prof Raine's are now given free rein. (sorry about the pun...)
Labels: physics, problem-based learning, science
posted by Helen Whitehead 11:41 AM
Friday, 29 June 2007
Gordon Brown's changes in Education responsibilities
OK, I'm trying to get my head round the changes that Gordon Brown has wrought in the people and agencies responsible for Education in the Government.
John Denham is now the head of a new department - the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills, responsible for:John Denham left Tony Blair's government in protest over Iraq which is one thing in his favour (although let's not get into the pros and cons of the war - I believe that Tony Blair sincerely believed in the presence of WMD in Iraq). He was born in 1953 and was educated at Woodroffe Comprehensive School, Lyme Regis and Southampton University and has three children. So far so good.
- Universities - teaching and research
- Science (formerly of the DTI)
- Innovation (formerly of the DTI)
- Skills sector
In his ministerial statement to the Commons, Gordon Brown said: "The new department will be responsible for driving forward delivery of the government's long-term vision to make Britain one of the best places in the world for science, research and innovation, and to deliver the ambition of a world-class skills base".
The one thing that puzzles me (and others, apparently) is that FE Colleges will be covered by both departments - 14-19 provision by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and HE courses and skills-based courses by this new Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills.
In another interesting move, Gordon Brown announced that funding for 16-19 education - which includes a range of academic and vocational training - would in future go to schools and colleges via the local authority education budget.
I guess the FE sector will have the most to do to catch up on what this all means for them - and the implications for actual funding levels won't be known for some time.Labels: education sector, FE, Gordon Brown, Government, HE, Innovation, John Denham, lifelong learning, policy, science, skills
posted by Helen Whitehead 9:48 AM
