'Since arriving in Ireland, I have had many excellent experiences on the Education Outreach programme...'

Since arriving in Ireland, I have had many excellent experiences on the Education Outreach programme. On the 26^th of April, I attended a science education workshop by Dr. Gerry Jeffers. This gave me an opportunity to get to know the approach and methodologies that are used in science teaching training in NUI Maynooth, Ireland.  In this particular lecture, the problem of excessive heat and food spoilage in Sudan was the main focus and the student science teachers were encouraged to be innovative with emphasis on developing of problem solving skills. The students appeared to be conversant with the approach and were thus quick to identify a number of possible  scientific solutions to the problem. The workshop then concluded with the introduction of a technology that has been used in the design of a traditional refrigerator called the Zeer pot.

Later the same week, I travelled to Colaiste Lorcain School in Kildare where I met young second level students who were working on their science projects for the annual SciFest showcase. It was amazing to see the young students speak so confidently about what they had done in their projects. All the projects were excellent and well researched. One group of students had tested the efficacy of probiotics in the management of HIV/AIDS and developed a highly nutritious pro-biotic bar for use by people living with AIDS. On the 5^th May, this particular project won the top prize at their regional SciFest showcase.

I also met Thomas Dunne a young exceptional student. Thomas won the best prize for the senior biology category at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition 2010 for his project on the Malaria genome. I have gained a lot of knowledge about the innovative approaches used in the teaching of science subjects from working with this school. I hope to see such technology and approaches used  in my own country. 

In Colaiste Lorcain with the students doing their science projects and their teacher Mr Sylvester McVoey

Colaiste Lorcain is one of  the many schools that is part of the CDPC school outreach programme. I am happy  to witness the teaching of science in schools in Ireland and in particular in this exceptional school. The science teachers here make use of a most excellent technology called Lab Quest that allows for the testing of various theories and the collection of data at hand on the screen of the device. It is an amazing technology that gives the students an opportunity to investigate a number of parameters and observe the data as the experiment progresses. The students in this school have been able to make use of this technology under the guidance of their science teacher Mr. Sylvester McEvoy.

On the 5^th of May, I attended the Young Social Innovators showcase in Dublin which was such a big event. I was able to observe a number of projects  by young people from schools all over Ireland. This event was an eye opener to me and I highly look forward to borrowing from the event for the development of a similar show case in my own country.

In Colaiste Lorcain School with Thomas Dunne and Mr Sylvester McVoey At the Young Social Innovators Show Case in Dublin. During the same month, I attended  a video conference between Maynooth University and Ulster University geared at dissolving boundaries in Schools within the Republic of Ireland and the Schools in Northern Ireland through the use of ICT. This project, called “Dissolving Boundaries”, is a forum through which schools in the two regions have formed partnerships with each other with the goal of integrating the use of ICT and the development of a mutual understanding through cross border links. This was a very good opportunity for me since I was able to observe how the whole concept of Dissolving Boundaries works in the two regions towards the integration of ICT in the school curriculum in a meaningful way.

Having seen the Lab Quest sensor device, I wanted to have some first hand experience on how it really works and I was privileged to be hosted in Colaiste Lorcain School again on the 27^th of May where Mr. McEvoy devoted his own time in to helping me learn how to test various parameters with the device. I realised this technology could be of enormous benefit to Africa.

On the 1^st of June, I had a meeting with Vincent English, CEO of the company that makes the sensors. Vincent presented me with a Lab Quest and sensors. This was a fantastic generous gesture by the company as I would now be able to use Lab Quest Device with Various sensors and take this knowledge and technology to Kenya.

Myself in company of Idel Mulvihill and Padraig Kenny both of Vernier Europe Moments after my Training Session on the use of the Labquest

Myself in company of Idel Mulvihill and Padraig Kenny both of Vernier Europe Moments after my Training Session on the use of the Labquest

I believe it will have a great impact on the transformation of the teaching of science subjects in both teacher training colleges and schools. To date, the resources that I have gathered for the initiation of development education and the transformation of the teaching of science subjects in my own country are my greatest achievement for having participated in the Education Outreach Programme.