Interviews
"Explora VA Camp! It makes us fall in love with our vocation and empowers us."
- January 20, 2023
- Publicado por: ACCDIS
- Category: ACCDiS & Society News
Accompanied by the warmth of summer, The good vibes and excitement of getting back to Find in person, For five days 30 education professionals, herself let them be enchanted by the Explora VA Teacher Camp! Which began on Monday January 16 and ended this Friday, January 20, 2023.
After a period in complete virtuality, This year the Explora VA Teacher Camp! "Didactics of science for sustainable development", organized by the Regional Associative Project Northern Metropolitan Region, Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and innovation, returned to its face-to-face format. For three days, The participants developed various theoretical workshops- practical in the Faculty of Sciences, Chemists and Pharmacists of the University of Chile and then moved to Cuncumén, in Valparaiso, where they managed to connect with nature and continue with the development of activities.
"For the third consecutive year, This week we met again with teachers from various disciplines. During this time, It had the collaboration of more than eight institutions, who through theoretical and practical workshops gave tools to teachers to teach and work pedagogically on their disciplines, with a focus on sustainable development, critical thinking and skills", explained Dr. Mario Chiong, Project Director, researcher at the Centre for advanced chronic diseases (ACCDiS ) and academic of the University of Chile.
Within the activities developed, the workshop led by Professor Mario Quintanilla was found, academic of the Faculty of Education of the PUC, Director of the Science Education Research Laboratory (Greece), which aimed to introduce theories based on research in science teaching and problematize in relation to scientific knowledge, The meaning of teaching. Later they carried out a practice and did the exercise of materializing it in the classroom, applying tools such as question design and activity design, commented Professor Quintanilla.
On the other hand, professionals from the Center for Sustainable Urban Development also participated (CEDEUS), who through a workshop called "Active citizenship as an educational proposal in the classroom" worked on the concept of sustainability and the paradigm of education regarding this issue, Then they were given various didactic elements so that they can apply them in their classrooms and not only focus on project-based learning., Alicia Santi Vargas highlighted, Program Manager.
83% of the participants in the Explora VA Teacher Camp! are women
With the aim of continuing to recognize the work carried out by women in science and various disciplines in general, this year and for the first time the Camp for teachers had the participation of 25 women and 5 men, Among them was a nursery educator who commented, "From the earliest ages, It is where we must initiate and sow critical and reflective thinking., They are the basis for forming future citizens who are more aware and more protagonists in being agents of change", said Sonia Aguilera, educator of the Captain Daniel School Rebolledo.
In this context, the closing activity was directed by Professor Johana Camacho, who gave a talk on non-sexist science education, "The objective of this talk is for the professional to identify fundamental aspects of gender perspectives (non-sexist) to relate them to science classes in a sensitive way", explained Professor Johana.
Objectives achieved
Within the objectives of the Camp for teachers, There is an opportunity to create collaborative networks among participants, purpose that was achieved according to the testimonies of many attendees, who highlighted the opportunity to dialogue and learn about the work of other colleagues "to be reunited with this team, It made me feel like there are still teachers rowing to the right side of teaching.", said Yubely Madriz of the Desireé School of Colina.
Professor Francisca Paredes of the Polyvalent School Professor Guillermo González Heinrich of Providencia, He also congratulated the motivation of all the teachers, "I recently graduated and am currently in my first job as a chemistry teacher., It is really inspiring the dedication and good energy they transmit, I would like to bring them all together and work together (between laughs)”.Viviana Tapia, professor of basic education at the Sister Maria Goretti School, I also take this opportunity to confess that it is the first time, during her extensive career as a teacher, that he shares with so many quality people and professionals from many areas. "Generally the sciences, We always teach them from theories, But something was always missing, What is doing the practice of teaching. I find these activities very good, because they taught us many tools that can be applied from an early age to middle school students and achieve more practical learning".
Among the participants was a teacher who lived the experience of the last face-to-face camp held in 2020, Gustavo Cisternas of the Liceo de Adultos Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez, who referred to these meetings as a wonderful experience, "This time as in the previous, I was nourished by many tips and not only by the speakers, but also by the experiences of my peers, which motivate me and have helped me consolidate things that I did not have so sure before".The activities were led by the following collaborating institutions: Diego Portales University, Greece Laboratory of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, National Program of Scientific Inquiry for Science Education (ICEC), Inquiry-based science education (ECBI), Scientific Infomurals, Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CEDEUS), Ideo Maker, Advanced Center for chronic diseases (ACCDiS ), Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities of the University of Chile and the Explora RM Norte team.