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Lab4U Talks. Episode 2: Building communities of practice while implementing Lab4U

In the previous episode, Komal spoke with Nathan about the achievement gap, and his experience as a teacher in the US and in Mexico. In this 2nd. episode we talk about how we could solve the problems in science education building a better future.

At Lab4U we are moving the needle to make sure students have access to quality science education. 

To make education accessible, Lab4U partnered with the US Embassy and CEMEX to launch a scholarship program for science teachers in Mexico, empowering them with tools to change the way they teach science remotely. 

Listen to this episode and learn how Nathan built a community of practice with science teachers making a difference in the lives of thousands of students during a pandemic. 

Episode Outline:

  • min. 01:30: Introductions
  • min. 03:00: How is Lab4U working with schools around the world
  • min. 05:30: Partnering with the US Embassy and CEMEX to empower the future of the workforce
  • min. 07:15: Lab4U scholarship program 
  • min. 08:40: Training and Professional Development 
  • min. 14:10: Communities of practice
  • min. 21:00: Building a better future and scaling a high impact program
  • min. 22:05: Learnings from this program and closing remarks

Technology is a means to an end, and not the object.

We believe in the power of technology to build a better future, but technology is a means to an end, and not the object.

In Ed-tech, between technology and education, education comes first where pedagogy and instructional design play a key role in this paradigm. 

Joining forces to empower the future of the workforce with CEMEX and the US Embassy

With the support of the US Embassy and CEMEX, Lab4U launched a program that sponsored a group of committed teachers from different states of Mexico. 

During the pandemic, a large number of teachers had to re-imagine the way they teach .

If teachers were overburdened before, during a pandemic with remote teaching and distance learning, teaching science or any other subject, just got more demanding. 

To support the teacher community in Mexico, 2 sponsors in collaboration with us, decided to help a group of teachers. Empowering them with tools so that they can teach science in an engaging way with technology and with a proper instructional design using inquiry-based learning. 

Lab4U Webinars

Lab4U provided different professional development sessions through webinars and Lab4Physics for their students.

With Lab4Physics students transform their smartphones into science labs, not just virtual labs through simulations, but remote science labs using the built-in sensors of smartphones and tablets. 

In This episode

Nathan Marks shares some inspiring anecdotes about teachers from different backgrounds and states of Mexico (some even from rural Mexico) who are currently teaching inquiry-based science to students through smartphone technology. 

App Lab4Physics

We know that many classes have gone online or hybrid, where technology plays a crucial role, however we understand that technology is not the silver bullet, because one can have a traditional theoretical class through Zoom or Meet or Google Classroom with the same powerpoint without the proper instructional design for an online lesson and expect a lot.

Nevertheless, we believe that pedagogy plays an important role in the learning process, be it in person, or online. 

At Lab4U we are supporting teachers to perform inquiry-based activities with their students as learning is much more significant, long lasting and meaningful when students have the chance to learn by doing. Nathan shares how even students from rural Mexico were able to experiment hands-on and take charge of their own learning. 

Nathan explains how the latter is achieved by hands-on experiments with a guided approach using inquiry-based learning, where we focus on the pedagogy as opposed to the traditional class. With this approach students lose their fear of making mistakes and that’s what experimentation is all about! At Lab4U we know there is pedagogical importance in uncertainty and error

In STEM areas there is generally a fear of these subjects being difficult, boring, and not for everybody and this is based on the traditional model that prevails in many schools, where students experience science as “second hand” where we learn about science, the work that others did. But they are not actually engaging in the scientific process themselves.

Building communities of practice

However, Nathan explains that despite the challenges of distance learning and not having a physical lab space, getting students the access to a smartphone that is now a lab has been useful in shifting mindset and changing paradigms, having students taking the initiative to work beyond Lab4U’s lab report and participating in science clubs. 

The second insight Nathan shared was around building communities of practice between teachers, where they shared their experiences and learnings between peers. Here Lab4U is fostering and moderating these spaces. 

Nathan shared an anecdote of one of our experiments: Moonwalk 

Picture Description: Students sharing their experience using Lab4Physics during the pandemic. All photographs are shared with parents permits through the teachers.

In conclusion, Nathan shares the importance of pedagogy and communities of practice.

And we share the impact that Lab4U’s implementations have in communities that need it the most.

Check out Lab4U’s impact in its longitudinal study, a Randomized Controlled Trial published by the Inter-American Bank where the reports shows that students increase their interest to pursue a STEM related career

“What is this for?” publication iadb.org

Highlights of this episode: 

  1. Importance of inquiry-based learning during a pandemic 
  2. Building communities of practice with empowered teachers
  3. Inspiring students to love science and overcome their fear of making mistakes. 

Lab4U knows that STEM jobs are in demand, we need today’s youth to be tomorrow’s changemakers to solve humanity’s challenges.

We expect our work to transcend, supporting teachers and students to build a better future. 

So we want to thank all teachers, students, parents, and sponsors like the US Embassy and CEMEX for being part of this mission. 

To learn more about us. You can listen Lab4U Talks in: Spotify, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast  or you could listen to Lab4U’s YouTube Playlist

Visit us at: www.lab4u.co. You can also write to us at: [email protected] 

This episode was recorded in our homes, so working remotely.

Audio Production: Jose Ferrada, Lab4U. Distribution: Más Más

Music Credits: Cool Intro – Stings by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Anchor.

Science education in times of COVID-19

COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, is an emerging, unprecedented, rapidly-evolving situation. It’s of concern to everyone because of its high level of transmission and risk of serious illness and death to those who contract it.

The virus can be serious, regardless of their age: even previously healthy, young people have gotten seriously ill and even died from COVID-19. But statistically speaking, the virus is dangerous for the elderly and for those with certain underlying medical conditions,

In a matter of months, COVID-19 has led to drastic changes to many aspects of day to day life. To try to mitigate the spread of the virus and to protect the most vulnerable.

Given the complexity of this issue, the public health and economic impact, the role of individual actions in determining collective outcomes. And the ever-increasing knowledge about this previously unknown viru. It’s clear that this is serious and complex issue for individuals to navigate, as well as for governments and health authorities to plan for.

Science education and science literacy as a tool to ensure individual safety

But at Lab4U, we believe it’s especially important to consider the impact of this pandemic on educational communities around the world. And to shine a light on the importance of science education and science literacy as a tool to ensure individual safety in situations. Like the one we’re currently living, and to combat misinformation, keeping us all safer and accelerating the end of the pandemic.

In the last few months, we’ve been bombarded by information—some of it true, some of it misleading. But much of it shifting as experts learn more about this novel virus.

To understand this situation, and how best to react, it’s important to think critically. To responsibly consume and share information, and to understand how the scientific process can lead to changing recommendations from public health professionals.

child-with-face-mask-back-at-school-after-covid-19

For example: the use of masks in public spaces. Early in the pandemic. The advice from WHO and health authorities was that individual use of masks is not recommended.

The WHO and health authorities do not recommend the individual use of masks

In part, this was due to a lack of evidence about the effectiveness of mask use at curbing spread among individuals outside of hospital settings. But it was also intended to avoid shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) that doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals depend on to stay safe on the job due to a run on these products due to panic buying by individuals.

Later in the pandemic, the advice of public health officials changed. The US CDC and others encouraged everyone to use non-medical-grade masks in public spaces.

Why did guidance change?

Why did guidance change? For a variety of reasons. Yet for some, the seeming about-face has led to mistrust. Those with an understanding of the process of scientific research and discovery may be more tolerant of these shifts. Because they understand that the shifting guidance reflects the scientific process and an ever-evolving understanding of the virus:

  • Its risks
  • Transmission pathways
  • And other factors. 

While it will take time for all of the impacts of this ongoing crisis to become clear. One of the most important takeaways is a renewed focus on the importance of science literacy. A well-informed population, is a population that’s prepared to successfully navigate a challenge like the one posed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

At Lab4U, we want to be a part of this change

  • Helping students and teachers around the world become more scientifically literate.
  • As always, Lab4U is concerned with increasing access to a quality science education for everyone, promoting inquiry and experimentation.
  • As part of this commitment, we’ve organized dozens of webinars and special opportunities for science educators, to bring innovative tools
  • Contact us when you need tomknow new ways of working remotely
  • Our team of science experts would be happy to help. Our email is [email protected]

We also invite you to check out this list of communications strategies and tools to enhance scientific literacy (NIH).

Original Blog in Spanish: Educación Científica en tiempos de COVID19