The “2nd Applied Science Education Course” in the Scope of the TÜBA Science Education Program has Taken Place
TÜBA held the “2nd Applied Science Education Course”, a course for basic sciences teachers to contribute to activating a more inquiry based and basic science education in the scope of the TÜBA Science Education Program within the framework of the protocol signed with the Ministry of Education; between August 31 and September 4 at the Erzurum Atatürk University.
105 teachers from 15 different provinces
105 teachers were chosen by the NME from 15 different provinces to participate in the second Program, for which the first course was organized in May at the Gazi University. During the educational program that lasted five days, 33 academicians specializing in their own fields in addition to TÜBA Science Education Task Group Member and Associate Member Prof. Dr. Hayrunnisa Bolay Belen and Academy Principle Member Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Sarıoğlu, Associate Member Prof. Dr. İlhami Gülçin gave the courses.
In the opening speech made by TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar he emphasized the recent lack of interest in basic sciences in our country is an important problem and added: “Not just in Turkey but in many other countries in the world, the demand for these fields is dropping dramatically. Every few years, a lot of information loses its validity so our teachers are in the position of having to update their information constantly and the fact that the Ministry of Education and other institutions need to provide the necessary resources and conditions to enable this is a subject we all agree on. We intend to continue this program as long as we can, thereby carrying out the national responsibility that falls on us”.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Yılmaz, the Ministry of Education Teacher Education and Development General Manager said that after the feedback from the 1st Science Education Course organized at the Gazi University they had decided, along with TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, to organize a second event.
An investment made in teachers is an investment made in the country
The MoE’s motto is: “People are raised in the shadow of other people”. If we want to raise a good quality work force, teachers are key in this process. We organize these types of meetings to provide our teachers with the necessary laboratory techniques and update scientific developments to prepare them as needed currently.
After Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yılmaz, Erzurum Atatürk University Assistant Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer İrfan Küfrevioğlu took the stage and expressed how honored they were to be hosting the TÜBA Science Education Program, which has been continuing since 2002. Prof. Dr. Küfrevioğlu, who is also one of the chemistry teachers in the program, said they would be performing eight experiments in the scope of the course.
The ‘applied form of science’ for 5 days
Many teachers of science, chemistry, biology, mathematics, social sciences and physics from 15 different provinces received applied training from assistant associate professors, associate professors and professors.
The courses provided under a number of different titles such as ‘the Nature of Science and the Elements of Scientific Information, Argumentation Method Applications in Teaching Physics and Super Conductivity’ started at 8:30 each morning and finished at three every day.
Speaking at the closing of the 5 days of courses, TÜBA Principle Member, TÜBA Science Education Task Group Executive and YÖK (Higher Education Council) President Advisor Prof. Dr. Mustafa Safran said “the Applied Science Education Program is one of the projects that TÜBA places great importance on. I hope the teachers who have participated in the project leave with more than what they came with, because this is exactly our greatest objective” and concluded his speech by thanking everyone who made the course happen.
