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46% of getS.E.T.go! readers think that the most important benefit of South Africa’s recent participation in the Shanghai Expo, will be the raising of our country’s science & technology profile on the global stage. |
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38% opted for “sharing of international best practices in maths & science education”; and 15% for “building an international network of contacts”. |
Almost 21 000 learners from around South Africa and SADC countries participated in the Science Olympiad this year.
Science and technology is full of innovation - and the manner in which we communicate it should be as well. Fortunately, advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) make this both possible and relatively easy.
SAASTA’s latest exhibit - the Women in Science touch-screen kiosk - is an excellent example of how new media tools can be used to make education both interactive and entertaining.
The computer-based kiosk incorporates video clips of interviews of successful women in science, as well as information on qualifications needed. It is also programmed to send students, upon request, email with additional information.
SAASTA’s Science Communication ICT Coordinator, Nick de la Hunt, who has been working on improving the exhibit, firmly believes in its informative and educational power.
“Each time a participant navigates to information the machine saves this data,” he says. “This will be used by SAASTA to determine which careers are the most and least popular. The information can then be used to plan educational activities geared at increasing interest in the least popular fields of science.”
The touch-screen kiosk, which targets both learners and university students, was developed specifically with young women in mind, encouraging them to take up careers in science and persevere in their studies.
It shows career opportunities for women in science and technology, and allows students to view the study courses in their fields of interest at different South African universities. It profiles successful women working in different fields of science, stressing that working conditions for women in these fields are changing for the better, and also contains information on funding for studies.
The exhibit will be tested at various sites at the University of Pretoria late in 2010 and early 2011. SAASTA aims to eventually give students at all South African universities’ science faculties the opportunity to use the innovative Women in Science touch-screen kiosk.