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SciFest Using Third Level Colleges to Establish Science Fairs

SciFest Using Third Level Colleges to Establish Science Fairs. Sheila Porter Dublin, Ireland. Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 11-16 May 2008, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Science Fairs – Ireland. One Science Fair in the Republic of Ireland

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SciFest Using Third Level Colleges to Establish Science Fairs

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  1. SciFest Using Third Level Colleges to Establish Science Fairs Sheila Porter Dublin, Ireland Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 11-16 May 2008, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

  2. Science Fairs – Ireland • One Science Fair in the Republic of Ireland • BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (YSTE) • Held in Dublin in January each year • 44 years in existence • Standard very high • Nearly 2/3 of projects not accepted • due mainly to lack of exhibition space • In 2008:  Record number of entries - 1416 projects •  500 projects accepted for exhibition • Financial support from the Department of Education & Science and substantial commercial sponsorship • No local or regional fairs

  3. Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition

  4. Science Fairs – Ireland 2007 • One science fair in Northern Ireland • Northern Ireland Young Scientist Competition/ Seagate Young Innovators (Young Engineers for Britain) • Held in Belfast in June each year • Entries, mainly from Northern Ireland • but an increasing number of students • from the Republic • In 2007: 34 science project •  65 engineering projects • Standard very high • Mainly supported commercially • Regional fair for the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA) CREST (Creativity in Science and Technology) Awards which is held in London in February

  5. Northern Ireland Rep. of Ireland Educators Academy 2005Phoenix Arizona • Ireland 2006 and 2007 • Many students still denied the opportunity to participate in a science fair Ireland - Action Plan- Goal ‘Use third level institutions to host regional science fairs’

  6. SciFest 2006 Institute of Technology, Tallaght 67 projects, 170 students 15 teachers, 14 schools SciFest Initiated a local Science Fair, SciFest, for the Dublin region in September 2005 SciFest 2007 Institute of Technology, Tallaght 73 projects,220 students 15 teachers, 16 schools

  7. 3 levels Primary (5 – 12 years) Secondary (Post-Primary)(12 – 18 years) Third Level Northern Ireland Rep. of Ireland Third Level Colleges/Universities • Institutes of Technology • Programmes offered at masters, bachelor, and higher certificate levels in a wide variety of subjects • Majority run postgraduate and degree programmes to PhD level, both taught and by research Educational Environment - Rep. of Ireland

  8. Why Third level Colleges? • Form links between second and third level education institutions (students, teachers and lecturers) • Encourage students to visit their local third level college and view the facilities available • Increase the number taking science at third level (majority of students exhibiting are interested in science) • Third level colleges in all areas, accessible, no travel expenses, SciFest a one-day event, all entries accepted and no entry fee • Build the students’ confidence by exhibiting in a small student-friendly environment • Spread the cost and workload. Once SciFest is established each third level college will canvas for sponsorship in their own area and be able to sustain their own fair

  9. The Partners Corporate Sector Second Level Education Third Level Education SciFest

  10. Letterkenny Northern Ireland Sligo Dundalk Republic of Ireland Dublin Tallaght Athlone Blanchardstown Dun Laoghaire Galway/Mayo Carlow Limerick Tipperary Tralee Waterford Cork Third Level Colleges/Institutes of Technology • Athlone • Cork • Dublin • Dundalk • Galway/Mayo • Carlow • Sligo • Tallaght • Tralee • Waterford • Letterkenny • Limerick • Blanchardstown • Dun Laoghaire • Tipperary Institute

  11. Timeline Sept. 2006 – May 2007

  12. Timeline Sept. 2007 – May 2008

  13. Components of a Science Fair • Organising Committee • Institute staff – academic, administrative, technical + ‘Active’ Teacher/s • Budget • Date of exhibition • Judges • Internal - Institute + external - industry and other third level colleges • Guest Speaker/s • Exhibits and Hands-on Activities • Visits to Institute labs, demonstrations, ‘Science on Stage’…….. • Sponsorship • Many science-based industries are anxious to support science Event Promotion Post event on www.science.ie, www.ista.ie, ISTA Newsletter and Journal, IOP, personal email, by hard copy……..

  14. Budget • Exhibition stands • Main expense is hire of exhibition stands • 70 stands approx €2,000/$3,000 • Prizes • 2 crystal trophies @ approx. €100/$150 each • Many prizes awarded-multiples of tokens worth €25/$40 • Prizes, e.g. robots - donated • Postage • 3 mailings per teacher • 1. Information about science fair • 2. Acceptance of entry, display details and programme • 3. Follow-up letter • Lunch • For exhibitors, teachers and judges – optional • Token thank-you gift for judges • e.g. pen with college logo

  15. Partners and Sponsors

  16. The Website – www.scifest.ie • Links:

  17. Who Can Enter SciFest? SciFest is open to all second-level students • Age Category • Junior - 1st Year and 2nd Year • Intermediate - 3rd Year and 4th Year (Transition Year) • Senior - 5th Year and 6th Year • Project Type • Individual • Group - (Max. 3 students per group – all group members must be in attendance at the exhibition) • Project Category • Physical Sciences • Life Sciences • Technology

  18. PROJECT REPORT BOOK • Title Page • Introduction • Background Research • Experimental Methods • Results • Conclusions and Recommendations • Acknowledgements • Appendices • References Project Report Is the viscosity of oil affected by heat? Jessica Dee Mary Jones St Anne’s School Co Limerick A Completed Project Must Contain 2. SUMMARY (included in Report Book) 3. VISUAL DISPLAY

  19. Sample Programme 9.00 Registration and Set-up 9.45 Opening 10.00 Judging 12.15 Lunch for Competitors and Teachers 13.00 Science Talks – one of: 1. “CSI Dublin - Forensic Science in Ireland” Liam Fleury, Forensic Science Laboratory 2. “The Origin and Fate of the Universe” Noel Gorman, ITT Dublin 3. “Bugs – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly” Mary Costello, ITT Dublin 14.00 Science Demonstrations in Laboratories 15.00 Prize giving ceremony 15.40 Closing Address 15.40 Take Down Posters

  20. SciFest – Links and Promotion • Third Level Education institutions • Second-level schools School visits to motivate students • Discover Sensors Project Special award to encourage use of sensors Athlone Community College • Irish Science Teachers’ Association (ISTA)SciFest promoted on website • Articles in ISTA journal ‘Science’ in October ’07 and March ’08 • SciFest exhibition stand at AGM ofISTA in April

  21. SciFest – Links and Promotion • Intel SciFest exhibition stand at YSTE in January ‘08 • SciFest information posted on various science websites Junior Science Support Service (JSSS), Senior Level Support Service (SLSS), www.science.ie, www.sciencespin.com, and community tile of www.skoool.ie • SciFest promoted during JSSS inservice days. SciFest wikispace set up by coordinator of JSSS • Launch of National SciFestby the Minister for Education , Mary Hanafin TD, at the new Science Gallery in Trinity College, Dublin on 11 April 2008

  22. Letterkenny Northern Ireland Sligo Dundalk Republic of Ireland Athlone Dublin Tallaght Blanchardstown Dun Laoghaire Galway/Mayo Carlow Limerick Tipperary Tralee Waterford Cork SciFest Nationwide 2008

  23. SciFest 2008 Exhibition Dates

  24. SciFest ITTallaght – The Numbers Number of project entries per year Number of student entries per year

  25. 800 projects 2000 students SciFest 2008 SciFest has gone nationwide so BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIG

  26. Continue to work with the 9 participating ITs to ensure that SciFest becomes established as an annual event Secure participation of remaining 4 ITs Set up grand final which will rotate around the ITs Collaborate with JSSS. Add material suitable for Junior Science to website (similar to the Transition Year module ‘Science by Inquiry’ Visit more schools promoting participation in SciFest (support both students and teachers) Increase number of teacher mentors – SciFest wikispace – interaction Set up panel of judges Canvass for more sponsorship Future Plans - SciFest 2009

  27. Abbreviations and website addresses SciFest – www.scifest.ie YSTE – BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (www.btyoungscientist.ie) ITs – Institutes of Technology – Third level Colleges awarding internationally recognised qualifications to PhD level (IOTI - Institutes of Technology Ireland: www.ioti.ie) SLSS – Second Level Support Service-Department of Education & Science-supports the professional development of teachers in second level schools. (www.slss.ie) JSSS – Junior Science Support Service – Department of Education & Science - offers school based support, staff development programmes, regional cluster based support and modular courses (www.juniorscience.ie) DES – Department of Education & Science (www.education.ie) DSE – Discover Science and Engineering - an integrated national science awareness programme developed in association with DES, FÁS and engineers Ireland. Operated by Forfás (www.discover-science.ie) Forfás -National policy and advisory board for enterprise, trade, science, technology and innovation. (www.forfas.ie) FÁS- Ireland's National Training and Employment Authority (www.fas.ie) HETAC - Higher Education and Training Award Council - qualifications awarding body for third-level educational and training institutions outside the university sector. HETAC also sets and monitors standards at all levels of higher education and training up to PhD level (www.hetac.ie) ISTA – Irish Science Teachers’ Association (www.ista.ie)

  28. GO RAIBH MÍLE MAITH AGAIBH THANK YOU! www.scifest.ie For further information contact: sheilaporter@iol.ie

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