Lifelong Learning Programme

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Teaching Resources

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TEACHING RESOURCES INFORMATION

TITLE OF TEACHING RESOURCE
Chemistry Support Service
IMAGE
NAME OF AUTHOR(S)
various seconded teachers
NAME OF PRODUCER
Second Level Support Service
DATE OF PRODUCTION
on-going
WEBSITE OF THE PRODUCT
TYPE OF PRODUCT
Web Site/Portal, Downloadable software, Downloadable material
LEVEL OF CHEMISTRY KNOWLEDGE
Medium, Advanced
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH
Peer education
SUBJECT AREA
Fundamental Chemistry, Life Chemistry, History of Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry
TARGET GROUP LEVEL
Upper Secondary School
LANGUAGE/S OF TEACHING RESOURCES
English
TUTORIAL SUPPORT
Yes
DESCRIPTION
SLSS was the Second Level Support Service for all curricular subjects in Ireland. Each subject team comprised a number of experienced teachers who became trainers of other teachers and offered on-going professional development opportunities to their peers. This has now converted to the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST).
The website contains a wealth of information including the teachers reference handbook for chemistry, course schedules, courseware, syllabi, practical materials (invaluable in a country where most teachers don't have technical support for practical preparation), safety documents, other teaching resources linked to specific syllabus areas and exam materials.
It also includes information about network meetings and the outcomes of those meetings.
iChemistry is a spin-off from this material but requires registration with an Irish school roll number.
The aim of the support service is to provide teachers with continuous professional development.
Further support is offered through the online magazine 'Physical Sciences'. A consultation service is also available by fax. phone or email.
COMMENTS
The Second Level Support Service (SLSS) was established in 2001. A new cross - sectoral service, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) was established in September 2010. The PDST subsumed much of the work of the SLSS.
However, the PDST has recognised the value of the work accumulated by the SLSS and the resources, materials and functionalities of the website will continue to be available.
NAME OF THE REVIEWING ORGANISATION
Limerick Institute of Technology

Comments about this Publication

Your comments are welcome


Date: 2013.02.03

Posted by José Ángel Ruiz García (Spain)

Message: It is a good-level and comprehensive resource. The website is really complete; you can easily get access to the information needed and it offers a wide range of contents available. Moreover, once registered, it allows downloading as well doing courses on very interesting teaching experiences. For instance, the experience on dissolutions seemed especially worthwhile to me. Furthermore, supporting pictures help to make complex concepts understandable. It is a very innovative and highly recommendable educational proposal. To sum up, I would describe it as remarkably useful and interesting.

Date: 2012.10.03

Posted by Gamze ÖZBEK (Turkey)

Message: I think that Chemistry support service resource would be useful for both students and teachers. Chemistry support service is a website which includes descriptions, applications, examinations, laboratory safety tests topics about chemical teaching. However, it offers a support training set which is broadcasting at certain times of the day. To work with this kit, it is required membership details of users. After you have been member, you may participate these courses, update the chemistry knowledge, improve your information and make your learning more effective and richer at regular intervals. The understanding of abstract concepts may be facilitated through with several images. As well as this can be achieved the prevention of misconceptions. I have some doubts whether this type of education can increase students' interest. The source of my doubt may be comparing and assembling chemistry support service with the other name of "second level support service, SLSS", with distance education system. These sets undermine communication skills and collaborative learning, and they cause monotonous lessons. Considering in this sense, the interest of the student can be setback. However I think that the use of an additional tool would be helpful and enhances interest with material out of class environment. As a result, SLSS can be defined a tool which is outside of formal education and it can increase motivation and interest, as distinct from classroom instruction. It is a known fact that the use of ICT in education often accelerates both teaching and learning. In this context, students’ learning’s more effectively and efficiently can take place these types of instruction, such e-based learning. I think utilizing SLSS in teaching is useful. This type of application is not a new approach although there are not examples in particular branches like chemistry, biology, geology. However, it is an innovative approach to the integration of the classes for branches, because this type of application is often used in distance education.

National Reports on successful experiences to promote lifelong learning for chemistry The national reports on chemistry successful experiences to promote lifelong learning for chemistry are now available on the related section of the project portal. The reports presents examples of successful experiences in the partner countries and the results of testing of ICT resources with science teachers.

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