SELB Science Technician News

You can find news here or check our School Documents site on www.selb.org/schooldocuments/index.htm September 25th 2009 Anyone attending the CLEAPSS Practical Skills & Techniques in Chemistry on September 30th will have been informed of the date change to Friday 2nd October. Check regularly for new course details on School Documents.

September 23rd 2009
Look out for CLEAPSS Bulletin No. 136 which will be sent in SELB Schools' Post this week.

August 24th 2009
Don't forget to fill out the ASE Science Technicians' survey (members and non-members) at: https://survey.slcs.ac.uk/nitech The first major survey of science technicians was carried out in 1990 by the Association for Science Education. The results were published in 1992 as "Technicians - an Invaluable Asset". A further survey was carried out in 2000 jointly with The Royal Society and two reports published in 2001.
The purpose of this survey is to collect information on how the 2000 survey has affected the role of the science technician, if at all. ASE then want to use this information to lobby Government in Westminster and Local Assemblies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to go further than recommendations and strive for the creation of a nationally recognised and implemented qualification and career structure for science technicians working in education.
The questionnaire is in two sections: Section A for all technicians is about working conditions. Section B for senior technicians is about the school background. A final report will be prepared and made available at ASE Annual Conference 2010. Summary reports will also be available. The survey takes approximately 30 mins to complete.

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Upcoming Science Events 2009-2010

These will be a number of Science Events taking place this year.

• September/October CLEAPSS Practical Skills and Techniques in Chemistry in NEELB, SELB and WELB. SELB venue is St Patrick's HS Keady on Friday 2nd October.
• January 7th - 9th 2010 the ASE Annual Conference University of Nottingham with International Day on Wed 6th "Science Without Frontiers"
• March 12th - 21st National Science and Engineering Week; the theme will be ‘Earth’.
• March Primary Science & Technology Challenge heats in SELB area schools
• May - CCEA practicals Chemistry th (or th); Physics th (or th)
• June ASE Northern Ireland Biennial Conference Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th
• June Young Innovators and Primary Science & Technology Challenge final, W5 Belfast
• July ASE National Technicians’ Conference and Training Day in NSLC York

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NI Science Technicians Conference 2009 at QUB

Sixty-three technicians from all over NI attended this conference on 15th June 2009 in the School of Chemistry at Queens University Belfast.

See more photos of this event:

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Primary Science and Technology Challenge 2009

SELB Regional Challenge heats were held in early May with sixty-two schools taking part over one week. From this 5 schools with the higest points went forward to the NI final in W5 on June 18th.

The theme was based on space as 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy (IYA).






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NI Science Technicians Training in York

Five technicians from each ELB together with their advisory technicians attended an excellent two-day training course at the National Science Learning Centre in York.

The course entitled Technicians as Demonstrators: The Practical Expert in the Classroom was held on June 29th and 30th 2009.

See more photos of this event:

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The ASE Annual Conference

Mrs U. McNulty and Mrs B. McConville from St Paul’s High School Bessbrook, Mrs B. Forde and Mrs G. Doherty from St Colman’s College, Violet Hill, Newry, represented two of the science specialist schools from SELB at the Association for Science Education Annual Conference at the University of Reading in January 2009.

Twenty teachers from schools in Northern Ireland and their science advisers enjoyed access to a vast range of courses, exhibitions, resources, debates and presentations in a wide range of diverse science topics. The conference lived up to its promise to be “informing, invigorating and inspiring” for science education in our schools and all teachers expressed the wish to return next year.

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Science Events 2008-2009

These will be a number of Science Events taking place. The year starts off with a CLEAPSS Health & Safety Day for our Heads of Science.

• Jan 09 CLEAPSS H&S for Heads of Science. SELB venue St Patrick's College Dungannon on 16th.
• April Irish Science Teachers' Association (ISTA) Conference at the Strand Hotel
• May CCEA practicals Chemistry 11^th (or 15^th); Physics 13^th (or 14^th)
• May 12, 13 and 14th CLEAPSS Chemical Safety for Technicians in NEELB, SELB and WELB. SELB venue Dromore HS on the 13th.
• June 10th EasyDatalogging in The Clounagh Centre
• June 15th QUB Chemistry for NI Science Technicians
• June 18th Young Innovators, W5 Belfast and Primary Science & Technology Final
• June 22nd Interim Radiation Protection Supervisor training in Clounagh
• June 28th - 30th NI Science Technicians course in National Science Learning Centre, York: "Technicians as Demonstrators - The Practical Expert in the Classroom" 30 places.
• July 3rd ASE National Technicians’ Conference and Training Day, University of Manchester
• Sept 29^th and 30^th and Oct 1^st Advisers planning CLEAPSS Practical Skills and Techniques in Chemistry in NEELB, SELB and WELB.

Visit http://www.ase.org.uk/ and http://www.cleapss.org.uk for more details.

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