By Samira Larbie
Accra, Nov 24, GNA – Mrs Olivia Opare, the Director of Science Education Unit, Ghana Education Service, has asked Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers to embrace the new teaching methodology to whip up interest among pupils and students.
She described the ASEI-PDSI methodology as good, saying it ensured that every STEM education was A – Activity oriented, S – Student centered, E – Experimental, I – Improvised, and could thrive if it was well P – Planned, to ensure they D- Do, S- See and I – Improve on it.
Mrs Opare who was closing a three- day STEM workshop on Arduino Programming, organised by Experimento Ghana LBG in partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES), therefore, urged the teachers to consider that methodology in teaching.
Arduino is an open-source electronic prototyping platform, which enables users to create interactive electronic objects.
It is innovative, user-friendly, easy to understand, and a great way to start learning more about electronics and robotics.
The training was organised for 60 teachers selected from six districts in Greater Accra to enhance STEM teaching and learning in basic schools.
The workshop sponsored by Siemen Stiftung saw participants introduced to the Arduino software to enable them read inputs to explore natural phenomena and technological developments.
Mrs Opare speaking on the significance of technology and innovations, said STEM education had come to stay globally, adding “it is important that Ghanaians embrace it for change”.
She said STEM was not what one knew, but what one could do with the knowledge and expressed appreciation to Experimento Ghana LBG for providing the needed tools for the training.
Each participating school was given six Arduino programming starter kits to effectively give students the practical learning they require.
The Director of Science Education, receiving the starter kits, promised that all would be put to good use for positive outcomes.
The training would be scaled-up to other regions and districts to ensure others also benefited, she added.
Notse Prof Nii Nortey Owuo IV, the Chief of Osu, in a speech read on his behalf, said with digitalisation, the inclusion of programming, electronics, and engineering in the curriculum was not just a profound choice, but a strategic investment into the future.
“Together, let us embrace this opportunity, not just as a workshop, but as a collective stride towards a brighter, more technologically advanced future for our Motherland,” he said.
Ms Ivy Boatemaa Danso, the Coordinator of Experimento Ghana LBG, called for more support to enable them enhance STEM education in the country.
Experimento Ghana LBG is a non- governmental organisation that identifies STEM related courses and trains teachers with experience in Science and IT to enable them solve problems in their schools and homes to make life easy.
GNA