Ireland enrols superheroes to take science to children
[Date: 2006-11-21]
The Resistors!, a new animated series for young people which
incorporates elements of the science curriculum, was recently launched on
national television in Ireland by a public-private partnership.
In
action-packed 30-minute episodes, four young superheroes use their scientific
knowledge to defeat evil 'hackerdets', who have taken over their city, Cybernia.
Each of the character's skills - Luc (light), Sonia (sound) Amber
(electromagnetism) and Dig (information and communications technologies - ICT) -
correspond to areas covered in the Irish primary science curriculum:
The
aim of the new series is to make science more exciting for primary school
children in Ireland. It is also hoped that the depiction of strong female
characters will encourage young girls to consider science as a subject option.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin
spoke of new and exciting changes that were afoot in the science curriculum at
primary and post primary level in Ireland. 'Changes have been made, not only to
what is taught, but also to how it is taught. The launch of The Resistors!, a
new television series here today, is a further exciting and innovative way of
learning about science. I would urge the children to tune in and watch. Students
are continuously increasing their learning skills and testing their predictions
in the real world,' she said.
The Resistors! is broadcast at peak times
on a national TV station, and is available for free on the internet, along with
interactive games and experiments. The programme has also been converted into
formats which are compatible with PlayStation 2, Gameboy and third generation
mobile phones, the aim being to get as much 'schoolyard' take-up and exposure as
possible.
The animated show forms part of an educational outreach
programme developed by the Centre for Telecommunications Value Chain Research
(CTVR), a new €69 million national telecommunications research centre funded by
Science Foundation Ireland, the Industrial Development Agency (IDA Ireland) and
Bell Labs. CTVR intends to spend in excess of €500,000 over the next five years
on its long-term educational outreach programme.
'The initiative is a
response to the Irish Government's plans to develop a knowledge economy by 2010.
This will rely upon increasing numbers of science and engineering graduates. The
necessary increases at third and fourth level [graduate and postgraduate] will
only occur with a steady feed-through of science and maths students from the
preceding school years,' said Donal O'Mahony, Professor in Computer Science at
Trinity College Dublin and CTVR Director.
'Future PhDs of 2015 are
taking the Irish Junior Certificate exam this year. If we can encourage one
extra student in every Junior Cert class in Ireland to take science and maths to
third level we can assure the viability of the Irish hi-tech sector and the
knowledge economy in the future.'
For more information, please visit:
http://www.theresistors.com/
http://www.ctvr.ie/
Category: Miscellaneous
Data Source
Provider: Centre for Telecommunications Value Chain Research
(CTVR)
Document Reference: Based on information from
CTVR
Programme or Service Acronym: MS-IRL
C
Subject Index: Scientific Research; Social Aspects
RCN: 26687