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SciFest. Establishing and Maintaining a Network of Science Fairs. ‘A scalable and exportable model ’. IS EF Educator Academy 2012, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 13-18. SciFest – Educator Academy Story of Success. Educator Academy 2005 Phoenix , Arizona. Action Plan Ireland - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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SciFest
Sheila Porter, SciFest, Ireland ISEF Educator Academy 2012, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 13-18
Establishing and Maintaining a
Network of Science Fairs
‘A scalable and exportable model’
Educator Academy 2005 Phoenix, Arizona
Action Plan Ireland
‘Use third-level colleges to host regional science fairs’
Action Plan Ireland Accomplished
SciFest – network of science fairs established at local,
regional and national level
Over 14 000 students have exhibited at SciFest science
fairs since 2006
Educator Academy 2012 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
SciFest – Educator Academy Story of Success
The Growth of SciFest 2005 - 2012
Year
Number
Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total
Projects 67 73 680 836 1097 1423 1795 5971
Students 170 220 1612 1980 2646 3419 4216 14263
Number of students and projects 2006 – 2012
06 07 08 09 10 11 120
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
ProjectsStudents
Founded by Sheila Porter & piloted in a 3rd level college 2006
Second pilot in 3rd level college 2007
Launched nationwide & hosted by nine 3rd level colleges 2008
Hosted by fifteen 3rd level colleges (SciFest@College) 2009
2 new levels of participation introduced:
National Science Fair (SciFest@Intel)
Regional Science Fairs (SciFest@College)
School-based local science fairs (SciFest@School)
2011
Timeline – Development of SciFest
SciFest now established and operating at three levels2012
SciFest 2012
Science fairs hosted by 15 third-level
colleges (Universities and Institutes of
Technology)
REGIONAL SciFest@College
Schools organize their own in-house
SciFest science fairLOCAL
SciFest@School
Best Project Award winners from each
regional venue compete at finals – one
project selected to represent Ireland at
ISEF
NATIONAL SciFest@Intel
2012 – SciFest affiliated to ISEF
SciFest@Intel winners compete at ISEF
INTERNATIONAL SciFest@ISEF
Open to all second-level schools
Online SciFest STEM fairs toolkit
Resources available to registered schools:
o Certificate of participation for each student
o SciFest promotional giveaways
Representative from SciFest visits on day of event
Innovation – Sharing Expertise:
o Panel of experienced retired teachers recruited to support
event, to judge projects, etc.
LOCAL SciFest@School
SciFest@College REGIONAL
One day science fairs hosted by 15 third-level colleges
Open to all second-level schools
SciFest@College
In each third-level college an organising committee is set up
An organising committee ideally consists of:
o Regional coordinator
o Third-level college staff – administrative, academic, technical
o ‘Active’ teacher/s from local schools
Organising Committee: College staff – administrative, academic and technical
Judges’ Database:
o Third-level colleges use a number of in-house staff as
judges
o Each third-level college also has access to a national
database of volunteer judges – over 60 judges from
academia and industry on database to date
Standardising Judging
Judges’ Information Pack containing:
o Judging at SciFest
(How to ask the right questions)
o Science and Technology project rubrics
SciFest@College - JUDGING REGIONAL
Downloadable from the websiteScience-by-Inquiry Booklet
Entry forms
Guidelines for entrants:
oProject report book
oVisual display & oral presentation
Sponsors & special awards
Volunteer support team of teachers
SciFest@College – ONLINE RESOURCES REGIONAL
SciFest provides each of the 15 venues with 9 trophies funded by sponsors from academia and industry
Awards given for best project / runner-up / communication / chemistry / maths / energy / space / use of data loggers / biology
Category awards supplied by college
SciFest@College – Awards REGIONAL
Sponsored by Intel in association with Young Scientists Tanzania AIM – To provide opportunities for Irish students to work cooperatively
with students in Africa on global issues relating to sustainability, e.g.
food, water, energy, etc.
New Award introduced in 2012
SciFest Global Citizenship & Sustainability Award
SciFest@Intel NATIONAL
SciFest affiliated to ISEF in 2012
Celebration of Excellence in Science and Launch of following year’s
SciFest takes place in Intel each October
Each of the Best Project Award winners presented with an Intel
Excellence in STEM medal
Best Project Award winners from each of the 15 regional venues
compete for Grand Award – to represent Ireland at ISEF
SciFest Grand Award Winners 2012
Ciarán Cannon TD, Minister of State for
Training and Skills at the Dept of Education and
Skills with Ruairi O’Neill and Eoghan Flynn
SciFest is primarily funded by Discover Science and Engineering
(government body)
Corporate support is provided by Intel Ireland in collaboration with a
variety of other corporate sponsors, e.g. Abbott, BT,
PharmaChemical Ireland, Dairymaster Ireland, Ericsson
SciFest regional fairs are hosted by third-level colleges
SciFest links industry, government and academia
Effective Collaboration SciFest
SciFest – The Key Stakeholders
1. Government
2. Industry
3. Third-level
Colleges
4. Second-level
Schools
Third-level colleges
Government Industry
Second-level schools
4
21
SciFest
Third-level colleges
3
1. GovernmentDepartment of Education and Skills (DES)
SciFest
Supports government strategy to build partnerships and
understanding between education and enterprise
Supports DES science curriculum inquiry-based approach to
teaching & learning of science
Supports Project Maths
(new maths curriculum)
SciFest
Encourages skills to support
knowledge-based economy
2. Industry
SciFest
Strengthens industry’s links with third-level
colleges
Provides insight into educational structures and student standards
Facilitates collaboration with
local schools
SciFest
Promotes science and engineering
pipeline
Provides marketing
opportunity
Promotes corporate social
responsibility
3. Second-level Schools (students)
SciFest
Enables students to grow in confidence by exhibiting in a small student-friendly
environment
Encourages an interest in science
through inquiry and hands-on activities
Gives all students the opportunity to
participate in a science fair
Links science to students’ everyday lives and society
Lowers barriers,bringing the talents of
diverse populations into the innovation pipeline
SciFest
3. Second-level Schools (teachers)
SciFest
Promotes a sense of community and a
feeling of ownership
Supports school visits by SciFest representatives
Provides resources to help teachers implement inquiry-based strategies
Facilitates a community of educators with similar
goals and ideals
Provides support for teachers SciFest
4. Third-level Colleges
SciFest
Links second and third-level education
institutions
Encourages collaboration with
local schools
Links third-level colleges and
industry
Encourages students to continue with their study of science into
third-level
SciFest
Encourages students to visit their local third-
level college and view the facilities and courses available
SciFest - A Scalable Model
All second-level schools – Students and Teachers
Judges
Websitewww.scifest.ie
One Project Manager
SciFest@College SciFest@IntelSciFest@School
SciFest
Partners and Sponsors15 Third-level colleges (15 Regional Coordinators), Industry, Government
SciFest – Critical Success Factors
1. Easily scalable model
2. Centrally coordinated but workload divided:
• One project manager
• Regional coordinators (volunteers) in each third-level college
3. One website www.scifest.ie
4. Locally based, sense of community, feeling of ownership
5. Open to students of all ability and all entries accepted
6. Highly cost effective:
• Partially funded from National SciFest sponsors
• Each third-level college covers cost of hosting the event in their own
college and canvasses for sponsorship to help cover running costs
7. Buy-in from Government, industry and education
Dare to Dream
• 4k participants
• National fair +15
regional + 12 school-
based fairs
• Continuing to grow
• Developing brand
• Supports national
science and maths
curricula
• Mass participation
• Multiple 3rd level colleges &
schools engaged
• Well known national brand
• Easily scalable model
adopted by other countries
• Working closely with the
Dept of Education & Skills
and National Council for
Curriculum and Assessment
• Low cost high ROI model
Today The Future
SciFest – Growth Proposal
Sheila Porter, SciFest, Ireland ISEF Educator Academy 2012, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 13-18
Recruit new partners to deliver the goal
A coalition of equal partners shaping, funding, co-owning the brand/product and providing the expertise to enable the SciFest of the future
Partners with an equal passion for science and an interest in promoting the 21st century skills required to enable industry and provide jobs
Organise by region / geography
Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible
St Francis of Assisi 1182-1226
GO RAIBH MÍLE MAITH AGAIBH
THANK YOU!
For further information contact: [email protected]
www.scifest.ie
SciFest
Sheila Porter, SciFest, Ireland ISEF Educator Academy 2012, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 13-18
Additional Information
Educational Environment – Republic of Ireland
3 levels:
First level: 510,000 pupils
Age level: 5 – 12 years
Duration: Junior infants
8 years Senior infants
Classes 1 – 6
Second level: 356,000 students
Age level: 12 – 18 years
Duration: Junior Cycle (Years 1 – 3)
6 years Transition Year
Senior Cycle (Years 5 – 6)
Third Level: 162,000 students
2.
3.
1.
Other Science Fairs in Ireland
• Held in Dublin in January each year. 48 years in existence. Standard very high. ISEF affiliated
• More than 1700 one-page project proposals submitted each year
• 550 projects accepted for exhibition
• Financial support from Department of Education and Skills and substantial commercial
sponsorship
• Held in Belfast in June each year. Standard very high. ISEF affiliated
• Entries, mainly from Northern Ireland but an increasing number of students entering from
the Republic
• Number of entries – Approx 40 science + 65 engineering projects
• Mainly supported commercially
• Regional fair for the Big Bang held in London in March
1. Republic of Ireland – BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition
Two science fairs – no local or regional fairs
2. Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland Young Scientist Competition / Seagate Young Innovators (Young Engineers for Britain)
SciFest@College 2012 Venues
1. Athlone
2. Blanchardstown
3. Carlow
4. Cork
5. Derry
6. Dublin
7. Dundalk
8. Galway/Mayo
9. Letterkenny
10. Limerick
11. Sligo
12. Tallaght
13. Tipperary
14. Tralee
15. Waterford
Testimonials“It is the inclusiveness of SciFest and the encouragement of all participants that sets SciFest apart. It recognises how important it is to build a rapport with students across a diverse range of demographic backgrounds. SciFest also puts heavy emphasis on positive encouragement and it is a really lovely accessible day out, a great resource which should be supported.”
Jennifer Dixon, Science Teacher, St David’s CBS, Artane
“SciFest is a fantastic example of industry, the education sector and government partnering together to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). The 34% increase in participation in last year’s competition is a clear sign that SciFest is going from strength-to-strength and reflects the growing interest among students in pursuing STEM related courses at third level.”
Ciaran Canon TD, Minister of State for Training and Skills at the Dept of Education and Skills
“Abbott sponsors SciFest because it inspires future scientists in Ireland, engages our employees and aligns with our business. It is a valued partnership."
Katherine Jensen CSR Manager Abbott
“It was an experience I will never forget. I learned a lot that I wouldn’t have in school. Everybody was friendly and the judges were nice. I had a brilliant time and would love to participate again.“
Student Dublin IT