Science: not just for nerds

Educators have an important role in supporting and embedding young students’ daily interaction with the natural sciences and technology. This was one of the primary points highlighted during the National Scientix Conference entitled New Perspectives on Early Years and Primary Science Education, which was held by the Department of Curriculum Management recently.

The initial encounter with science and technology at child-care, kindergarten and primary level represents a decisive pillar in the individual development of every child as an active, inquisitive explorer and discoverer. 

During the conference the participants were engaged in workshops related to the pedagogy used in the Little Scientist House project. The workshops run by science peripatetic teachers focused not only on specific scientific themes of content but also emphasised the learning process per se. Indeed the participants explored the metacognition and co-construction facets of learning.

In a constantly changing society it is vital to nurture young students’ competency to be able to reflect on the learning process, thus developing the child’s own learning and problem solving strategies, i.e. learning how to learn. The Little Scientist House pedagogy urges educators in Early Years and Primary schooling to promote metacognitive competencies – thus expanding the learner’s ability to address one’s own cognitive processes (thoughts, opinions, attitudes, ideas). This is achieved when young learners are engaged in investigations and experiments that originate in the child’s experiences and are embedded in complex contexts.

This process is further consolidated by co-construction, where children and educators jointly define the learning process. Children learn through working together with their peers, and with adults through guided participation but also through individual discovery and joint reflection. This specifically implies that educators work out ideas and plans of action in conjunction with the children. Such context provides children an excellent opportunity to learn together, exchanging ideas, challenging each other, testing their predictions, recording and communicating their findings.

Elementary school teachers generally agree that children love learning science and greatly enjoy practical hands-on tasks in science. However some class teachers are also hesitant to do science. This training opportunity addressed the common feeling among educators in early years and primary schooling that they lack the background knowledge, resources, training and confidence necessary to teach science effectively.  The Little Scientist House pedagogy promotes teacher enthusiasm and determination to engage young children in doing science through an enquiry based approach.

The Department of Curriculum Management is committed to provide further continuous professional development opportunities in relation to primary science, such that teachers gain the expertise, practical skills and confidence necessary to empower young students to become creative, inquisitive, confident young scientists.  Doing science in elementary schooling fosters young children’s perseverance, originality, cooperation, responsibility, curiosity, independence of thinking, self-reflection and open mindedness. 

Chemistry for tomorrow’s world

Chemistry continues to be an important area of science and technology. In fact it is regarded as one of the Key Enabling Technologies and in the EU’s Horizon 2020 descriptions it is clearly stated that: “Progress in chemistry will help the European economy society in becoming safer, more sustainable and ‘greener’. This requires breakthrough innovations and a successful European chemical sector – both in academia and industry. Hence the need for research and innovation.” The European Chemical Industry Council applauded Horizon 2020 with a number of opportunities for research and development in the area.

Speaking from an employment perspective, over the last few years, Malta has seen an increase in opportunities in the chemical sector. This has largely been due to the emerging pharmaceutical industry. Providing graduates in this area has been a major challenge for our University. In 2010, the Ernst and Young Report on the attractiveness of Malta stated that Malta needs more chemists. Subsequent reports have underlined the growth in the local pharmaceutical area.

True, there was a problem in 2013, when due to an international takeover, there was a loss of jobs as a result of restructuring. However, it is encouraging to see that more jobs in this sector will be created in Malta. Indeed, one company will be increasing its workforce from 60 to 150 with a number of graduates to be employed. Therefore it would seem that the country is still experiencing growth in the area and therefore training in chemistry will continue to be important. Employment growth in chemistry is not just in the pharmaceutical industry. Recently, other companies have made recruitment drives for chemistry graduates.

Sustaining an adequately large and skilful labour force for these foreign investments requires governments to invest in the human capital of the nation. The government funds student participation in the tertiary sector and also ensures that these students have facilities to learn skills which are required by industrialists in various sectors. In this regard, the recent investment through National and European funds has resulted in the strengthening of the infrastructure in a number of key areas of the Department of Chemistry.

The progress of the future economic climate shall require human resources with more advanced skills than those obtained from a first degree. We need to invest further in postgraduate training in order to nurture researchers. These will help sustain a knowledge-based economy. Something that my government is already doing.

This year, we will once again be offering scholarship schemes for post-graduate studies. There will be opportunities for both masters and doctoral programmes. These scholarship schemes will not just address needs for graduates to study full time; they will also provide opportunities for workers already in the chemical industry to improve their knowledge and skills, enabling them to acquire high calibre competence and flexibility.

Mindful of the fact that the European economy requires post-doctoral researchers, the government will also launch a scheme for local post-doctoral research. This, along with the previously mentioned post-graduate schemes, should be exploited to provide research funds for local researchers.

It would be foolish to think that we can build all that I have just delineated by merely increasing the funding of tertiary education. It is vital to foster interest in STEM subjects at an early age. This government is working hard to increase science awareness and its enjoyment.

The National Interactive Science Centre (Esplora) will provide an informal educational experience that is intended to popularise science. Of course, it is not enough just to enthuse young children about science. It is important to invest in facilities at schools and colleges and to have enough appropriately trained teachers. Should teachers need retraining, the government may provide a sabbatical year and scholarship for this purpose. 

The government has an important role to play in creating an environment for science and technology to thrive, for the benefit of the Maltese economy. This can only be achieved by having a long-term vision to ensure a skilled labour force in the area which can attract investment for years to come.