The Educational Research and Development Programme (ERDP) of the A. M. Qattan Foundation (AMQF) organised a three-day workshop via videoconference between Ramallah and Gaza. Supervised by Samar Kirresh, Senior Researcher at the ERDP Science Studio, the workshop brought together teachers involved in the Professional Development Programme in Gaza.
The workshop addressed tinkering, science and arts in the context of preparations for the Science Days Palestine (SDP) Festival 2017. This year, the SDP will have as its theme the Anthropocene age. In the workshop, Kirresh presented a set of activities, which teachers could apply with their students.
Teacher Maysarah Abu Shu’eib stated that activities were attractive to children, taking them to another world and away from the official curriculum. The activities were environment-friendly and could expand the horizons of teachers themselves.
Teacher Ghadeer Ilayyan said that the workshop was particularly beneficial because the materials used were simple. However, the phases through which the students go while they implement these activities will enrich the process of learning until the final product is made.
According to teacher Samah al-Halabi, the “workshop is beautiful because it allows us to communicate with our colleagues in Ramallah through all possible means. It also encourages dialogue between teachers. It has been interesting and opened up new horizons for us.”
The SDP 2017 seeks to design specific activities associated with the Anthropocene theme. These will not only involve scientific experiments, but will also transfer the theme to broader frameworks, including field visits, design of interactive scientific exhibits, etc.
Participants will take part in several subsequent preparatory workshops before the SDP is organised. The Festival will be launched on 17 October and last until 17 November 2017. In partnership with several local organisations, the SDP is organised by the AMQF, Ramallah Municipality, Al Nayzak Organisation for Supportive Education and Scientific Innovation, Goethe Institut and Institut Français.