Science Centre News
A new approach to science education
MAYA HALEVY T
he way science is taught in schools is a
growing focus at the national, European and international levels. Why? Because evidence shows that science subjects are not capturing young peoples’ interest. T is raises serious con- cerns for how a future Europe will fare in the knowledge-based economy. Twenty-six institutions from 12 countries
are tackling this issue head-on under the new European Commission FP7 project, Engineer, which will introduce engineer- ing content and educational approaches to European primary schools. T e three- year project is coordinated by Bloomfi eld Science Museum Jerusalem in Israel. T e
“The Engineer project
will be a signifi cant step forward in advocating collaborations”
project is based on a successful American “Engineering is Elementary” program developed by the Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been run- ning for seven successful years. An estimated 27,000 children will have
the chance to approach scientifi c disciplines through the problem solving and planning lens of engineering. T ey will also learn about artifi cially-made artifacts relevant to their daily lives. Ten diff erent engineering challenges –
which will incorporate team work and be based on issues relevant to children and society – from 10 engineering disciplines will be developed and made available in 10 languages on the project’s website. Engineer will involve extensive training
of about 1,000 teachers. T e project will be a signifi cant step forward in advocating the benefi ts of formal-informal collaborations – particularly in learning strategies for science and technology – to ministries of education in Engineer’s 10 participating countries.
Maya Halevy, director, Bloomfi eld Science Museum Jerusalem, Israel
8 US$10m boost for Miami Science
Miami Science Museum (MSM) has received US$10m (£6.5m, €7.8m) challenge grant from the Knight Foundation towards its new building in downtown Miami, US. T e funding will be used to
help promote science educa- tion but will have be matched with an additional US$20m (£12.9m, €15.6m) in a bid to encourage further community backing. It is hoped that the Knight Foundation’s contribu- tion will engage local residents in exploring science, technol- ogy and the environment, along with thousands of Miami students. T e giſt takes MSM further towards its fund-
raising aim of US$100m (£64.6m, €78.1m) for the new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, which is to open in early 2015. Designed by Grimshaw Architects, the 250,000sq ſt (23,226sq m) complex will be
T e new building has been designed by UK-based Grimshaw Architects
structured around a landscaped indoor and outdoor “living core of terrestrial space”. A groundbreaking ceremony is due to mark
the start of construction work on 24 February, with a 600,000gal (2.3 million l) aquarium; a full-dome 3D planetarium; hands-on exhib- its planned.
March opening for Taguig’s Mind Museum
The Mind Museum, the Philippines’ fi rst “world-class” science-based attraction which is being developed in Taguig, is scheduled to open its doors to the public in March 2012 (for more see p46). Ed Calma of Lor Calma
and Partners has designed the new building, with its futur- istic and organic appearance inspired by cell growth and molecular structures. When complete, the total
covered floor space of the Mind Museum will span nearly 7,600sq m (81,806sq ſt ), with interior exhibition areas covering 3,560sq m (38,320sq ſt ). The museum will offer five galleries
T e Mind Museum will off er fi ve galleries across two levels
across two levels, including T e Story of the Universe; T e Story of the Earth; T e Story
of Life; and T e Story of the Atom. T e Story of Technology completes the line-up of gal- leries at the attraction, which will off er more than 250 interactive “minds-on” and “hands- on” experiences to visitors.
Science Museum to offer 3D face scanning
Visitors to the Science Museum in London, UK are being given the opportunity to volunteer to have their faces photographed with a 3D cam- era as part of a new installation. Me in 3D forms part of the attraction’s ongo- ing Live Science programme, which will allow
Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital
visitors to participate in real experiments by visiting scientists in the Wellcome Wing. Photographs will be taken using the lat-
est 3D technology and will form a database of facial images, which will then be used by researchers to study patterns in face shape.
AM 1 2012 ©cybertrek 2012
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