Post-secondary education science faculty, fueled by the intellect and innovation of Albert Einstein, Marie Curie and Sir Isaac Newton, are exchanging experiences and ideas this week at a game-changing, international conference hosted by Western University.
The Western Conference for Science Education (WCSE) is designed to create and sustain an ongoing organizational structure that:
– enhances a science education community by enticing faculty and educational staff to venture out of their respective discipline-specific circles to meet, discuss, and collaborate with one another;
– promotes ongoing improvement in post-secondary science education through support of a range of scholarly approaches to teaching and learning;
– contributes to the professional development of science educators by providing access to educational leaders, resources, and training;
– promotes productive inter-relationships between educators and various private sector academic publishers, suppliers, technology providers etc;
– provides an avenue to share ideas, innovation, and research;
– ensures that conference proceedings are archived and accessible.
The WCSE organizing committee, which includes Western’s 3M Teaching Award winner Tom Haffie, recognize that the deep-seated challenges impeding significant steps forward in the delivery and development of scientific teaching and learning transcends disciplinary, institutional, and national boundaries and have invited speakers and presenters from around the world to address the fundamental issues facing the field.
A highlight of WCSE 2013 is a public presentation by Tony Bates on Wednesday, July 10 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the McKellar Room, University Community Centre. Bates, a Research Associate with Contact North and the author of 11 books on online learning and distance education, will share his thoughts on effective teaching strategies appropriate to the needs of today’s students, including the impact of emerging technologies such as massive open online courses better known as MOOCs.
For more information, including presenters, exhibitors and sponsors, please visit https://www.thewesternconference.ca/
