Activity Report of Open Application Program 2021 vol.3 (Alternative Online)
Training Program for the Implementation of Science Experience Event in Vietnam
Report from Mie University
The Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Vietnam, which is an partner school of Mie University, has implemented the Sakura Science Exchange Program five times from 2015 to 2019 thereby deepening exchanges. In 2015, participating students established the Sakura Club. Sakura members conducted science awareness activities at primary, junior and senior high schools in Ho Chi Minh City. This program aims to develop the next generation of science workers by contributing to the development of science awareness activities on both sides.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was impossible to implement in 2020 and was difficult to invite people in 2021, so we hurriedly planned for an online program. Because the situation where home study is a necessity during the coronavirus pandemic is the same, we planned a program under the theme of "How to promote online science experiments in elementary and junior high schools.” We implemented five sessions at 10:00 to 12:00 (Japan time) every Wednesday, from October 20 to November 11 and 17.
Participants included 10 students selected for this program, about 30 faculty and students from Sakura members of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, and 8 faculty members of the Faculty of Education from Mie University. Among the Sakura members, students who went on to the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, the United States, Russia, France, and Taiwan also participated.
The first session included opening ceremony, and introduced an overview of the GIGA school concept in Japan and the practice of simulation experiments under the theme of the "updates on STEM education in Vietnam and Japan." Vietnam introduced the STEM Education Center at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education. Students studying science education in the United States, France, Russia, and Taiwan reported on STEM education and science classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second session was aimed at exchanging information on online science experiments that are useful for classes. The session introduced digital content utilized in Japan, introduced hands-on experiments on-line, and Vietnam reported on the status of remote classes and how to support students and parents in online learning. Furthermore, there was an introduction to the science activity library built by Sakura members.
The third session focused on microscopic observations using a mobile microscope developed at Mie University. Participants were sent a mobile microscope in advance and were asked to think about how to use it. Four faculty members from Mie University introduced the development concept and observation cases and gave advice on observation reports from Vietnam.
The fourth session featured an introduction to river education utilizing drones, by Professor Maeda from the Mie University School of Education attached elementary school, and observed the lesson using a video. This is a groundbreaking classroom record where the lesson in a fifth grade classroom showed a record of children learning in a video that was captured using a 360-degree camera. This allowed viewing the video in a way as though they were actually present in the classroom. After each participant watched freely, Professor Maeda explained the classes and introduced a system for sharing the learning record of children. Later, the children came to the classroom and there was interaction with the children along with learning by looking at the river using VR goggles.
In the fifth session, 10 students selected to participate in the program gave a presentation on what they learned. They said that they were happy to participate in the program and would like to be active as a Sakura member. Relevant people summarized the program, and each individual was awarded a certificate of completion by Professor Goto Taichiro, a specially appointed professor.
All participants shared that their mutual efforts have resulted in a new style for science education exchanges. The following words, spoken by one of the students at the presentation, illustrate the results of the exchanges to date.
“Unite Sakura members, Spread Sakura spirit, to be great teacher and great educator”
