The Teacher In-Service Program in Trinidad & Tobago

September 2008Port of Spain, Trinidad

Douglas GorhamIEEE Educational Activities

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Program Background and Scope

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The Immediate Objectives

Train IEEE volunteers to train pre-university teachers, so that the teachers can be more effective in bringing engineering and engineering design into the classroom

Train IEEE volunteers to approach the school system in order to make the teacher training possible

Make this activity sustainable and long-term

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The Long-term Goals Empower Section “champions” to develop or

enhance collaborations with their local pre-university community to promote applied inquiry-based learning

Enhance the level of technological literacy of pre-university educators

Encourage pre-university students to pursue technical careers, including engineering

Increase the general level of technological literacy of pre-university students for many years.

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Why Participate in a Teacher In-Service Program?

Enhance the level of technologicalliteracy of:

TeachersStudentsThe local school community

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Why Participate in a Teacher In-Service Program?

Enhance the standing of IEEE and the engineering profession in the eyes of pre-university educators and students

Promote engineering as a program of study and career choice

Encourage IEEE member participation

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Have fun

Why Participate in a Teacher In-Service Program?

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TISP Presentations by Section (a partial list)

Chattanooga, TN Miami, FL Florida West Coast Santa Clara, CA Piura, Peru North Jersey, NJ Republic of South Africa Lima, Peru Central Indiana Jamaica Atlanta, GA Houston, TX Central North Carolina Malaysia

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Metrics To Date 80 presentations to date

More than 1813 pre-university educators have participated

Science, technology and mathematics educators

These educators represent 197,000+ students

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Metrics To Date

Over 90% of the respondents agreed:

They would use the concepts presented in their instruction

Doing so would enhance the level of technological literacy of their students

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$300 (USD) to $1200 (USD) per year will sustain a very active teacher in-service program in a Section

Counting the Cost

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Re-useable materials and hardware

Counting the Cost

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Counting the CostExpendables

Trinidad & Tobago Schools and TISP (1)

The Vision of the Ministry is to be”

“A pacesetter in the holistic development of an individual through an education system, which enables meaningful contributions within the global context.”

Trinidad & Tobago Schools and TISP (2)

The Mission of the Ministry is

“To lead the modernization and renewal of the system of education.”

Core values include “integrity and trust, respect, customer service, teamwork, love, loyalty and commitment”

Trinidad & Tobago Schools and TISP (3)

“The Healthy Citizen” (partial list) Is conversant with the demands of the 21st

century Is Technologically Aware Is functionally literate Has a strong work ethic Is responsible Is Creative Is productive

Trinidad & Tobago Schools and TISP (4)

The objectives of the Secondary Education Modernization Programme (1999) include:

The reform and expansion of the secondary school system that will result in five years of high quality secondary education

The creation of a curriculum that is relevant to the very demanding and dynamic world of work

The development of teaching technologies that will produce graduates who can adapt to the rapid changes being brought about through technological advances and globalization

Trinidad & Tobago Schools and TISP (5)

Sample curriculum areas in science: Matter and materials

Properties of materials Structures and mechanisms

Levers, pulleys and gears Forces act on structures

Energy Electrical energy First law of magnetism Series and parallel circuits Investigating an electromagnet

References

http://www.nationmaster.com/country/td-trinidad-and-tobago/edu-education

http://handouts.aacrao.org/am08/finished/T0130p_K_Trayte.pdf