Objective
The European Initiative for Biotechnology Education (EIBE) seeks to promote skills, enhance understanding and facilitate public debate through improved biotechnology education in schools and colleges throughout the EU. Founded in 1991, EIBE has become ar active European multidisciplinary network of experts in biotechnology education drawn from 20 centres in 12 countries. In the proposed new Concerted Action 28 centres from 17 countries will be involved. In the past EIBE activities have been centred around the development of EIBE units for in-service teacher training (INSET) and initial teacher training using scientific anc technological subjects in association with relevant economic and societal issues, anc a range of teaching media and materials. The main feature of the proposed new Concerted Action will be dissemination, implementation and evaluation of existing EIBE materials and involvement of a wider target audience in a broader range of actions than hitherto possible. Dissemination activities to be addressed include: extending procedures for wider distribution of EIBE material, e.g. improving accessibility of the EIBE web site, improving ways of duplication and distribution of an EIBE CD ROM; extending co-operation with other organisations through wider networking; broadening the national representation among EIBE membership, especially with countries from Southern and Eastern Europe; greater involvement with teachers of non-science based subjects (e.g. to expand the range of school subjects and disciplines which are exposed to biotechnology by adaptation of EIBE materials for the humanities, languages and drama); to broaden both the present target audience (science teachers) and other groups (especially nonscience teachers, colleges involved in teacher training, parents, visitors to exhibitions) by organising workshops and developing of a special museum exhibition based on existing EIBE materials. Implementation will be supported by increasing the use of an expanded range of media for dissemination. Furthermore implementation of education materials on biotechnology will be supported by making them available in more different languages, by adapting them to local cultural contexts and by representing materials adequately in syllabuses including those of non-science subjects. EIBE will make a comparative study of syllabuses and laboratory safety regulations. Evaluation will be an integral part of dissemination and implementation. All new activities will undergo scrutiny by the procedures which have been established by the EIBE Evaluation Focus Group. It is proposed to review the relationship of EIBE activities to the outcome of Eurobarometer and corresponding national surveys and consider what account should be taken of the information in framing future activities.
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
24098 Kiel
Germany