Citation
(2003), "Training programme for biology teachers", Education + Training, Vol. 45 No. 8/9. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2003.00445hab.009
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
Training programme for biology teachers
Training programme for biology teachers
The European Commission is providing 210,000 for a two-year initiative to create an ongoing training programme for biology teachers. A core element of the initiative – co-ordinated by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) in co-operation with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the European Federation of Biotechnology – is the organization of one international and eight national teacher workshops, during which training materials and teaching resources will be developed and disseminated.
The initiative aims to create a training programme that will bring teachers into laboratories for hands-on activities with qualified scientists in order to develop new resources for biology teaching. A dedicated facility will be set up at the EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany. The project will develop an online resource centre and archive that offers practical classroom materials to teachers and students. The resource centre will also address current ethical and social issues connected with the impact on society of advances in science, and suggest how these topics can be introduced into the classroom. Andrew Moore, EMBO science and society programme manager, said: “Improving the training opportunities for teachers is critical, and should occur increasingly at international level because of the vast benefits that can be gained by an experience of best practice between nations. As Europe becomes increasingly integrated at a scientific and economic level, it also has to become more integrated at the educational level. We believe this initiative will contribute significantly towards establishing a pan-European platform that will raise the standards of biology education through the exchange of best practice and the latest media aids. It will also strengthen collaboration between schools, scientists and companies to develop new teaching resources for science”.