Mary Immaculate College brought science to the Mid-West and Tipperary as part of Ireland’s National Science Week with a fun-filled programme of events enjoyed by pupils, teachers, parents and the public.
MIC’s involvement in Science Week is further evidence of the College’s continued commitment to STEM education. According to Professor Eugene Wall, President of MIC: “Our Department of STEM, brings together a wealth of expertise and innovative practice from Science Education, Mathematics Education and ICT/Digital learning. It is our shared goal to continue to prepare a STEM literate teaching profession who will foster relevant STEM skills and dispositions in schools and thereby contribute towards producing STEM literate citizens.”
Events in MIC Limerick were part of the Limerick Festival of Science in collaboration with the University of Limerick and Limerick Institute of Technology. The festival which was funded by Science Foundation Ireland saw over 2,300 pupils, from 54 primary schools, visit the MIC campus over the course of two weeks.
Simon Watt launched this year’s Science Week events in MIC with his LOOK UP! Show in the Lime Tree Theatre. This was followed by The Science of Movement: Enhancing our PE and Sport Experiences which was organised by the Department of Arts Education and Physical Education at MIC. The workshop saw an expert panel discuss the use of technology in elite sport settings, and explored how this might help in the development of children’s fundamental movement skills. Speakers included Scott Murphy (physiotherapist), international hockey star Róisín Upton and international hockey coach, David Passmore.
The Department of STEM Education and the TED Project (Transforming Education through Dialogue) at MIC joined up with St Anne’s Primary School, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, to host Dr How’s Science Wows’ Spectacular Science of Water show for primary pupils. While the popular Brainteaser Bandits Maths workshops was back for 2018 with their show The Return of the Brainteaser Bandits. These STEM workshops provided pupils with access to non-traditional problem solving and number environments through a variety of routes and experiences.
The School of Looking workshop saw 100 primary school students visit the MIC Campus to explore vision — human and animal — through an investigative and creative process with learners. While Navigating through the Health App Jungle looked at the complicated health app landscape. Yvonne Redmond, Director of Speakers and Content at the Websummit, shared her advice. While passionate foodie and author of the Delalicious blog, Sinead Delahunty, shared her kitchen creations and ideas for healthy, wholesome and real food with quick and easy recipes for all.
The Hands-On & Minds On Science Workshops ran over two weeks where visiting pupils from schools in Limerick city and county explored a variety of scientific concepts, activities and investigations. These workshops were delivered by MIC’s undergraduate B Ed students.
According to Dr Anne O’Dwyer, Department of STEM at MIC: “There was something to interest everyone; school pupils, students, teachers and the wider MIC community. Linking with colleagues in Physical Education and Arts Education as well as the Health Promotion Office has helped to expand the diversity of events this year, which is what communicating science is about during this festival.”
The Head of the Department of STEM Education at MIC, Dr Aisling Leavy, commented, “The success of the events this week are evidence of the close partnership between Mary Immaculate College and the broader community. It was a privilege to host children at the college and further develop our links with primary schools. It was wonderful to see children exploring, reasoning and generally enjoying science and mathematics. Moreover, this week would not be possible without the generosity and interest of our STEM Education faculty and our student teachers - their enthusiasm and initiative ensured that children had positive experiences of themselves as STEM-learners”
Mary Immaculate College also played a lead role in the Tipperary Festival of Science. The Festival which was organised in collaboration with Science Foundation Ireland, Limerick Institute of Technology and Tipperary County Council Library service, ran from November 11-17.
The week of fun, inspiring and engaging activities was aimed at both primary and second level school students and their teachers. Highlights included Slime, Rockets, Bubbles Science Shows and Go Fly Your Kite Workshops at MIC Thurles; Donal Vaughan’s Science Magic at the Source Theatre Thurles; Eccentric Energy Workshops at Nenagh Library; and Zap Crackle and Pop Shows which were held at the Excel Theatre, Tipperary Town. Events were held across the county.
The celebration of science came to an end on Saturday November 17 with a STEM Open Day at MIC Thurles which included a schedule of free STEM shows, workshops and lots more fun. Events on the day included the Exploration Dome, the Importance of Science in Art workshops where participants will make bridges and pinhole cameras;Look Who's Talking interactive STEAM presentations showing the different ways we can communicate with a computer and explore the different ways a computer can communicate with us through sound, light and movement; Eccentric Energy Workshops where the public will experience balls flying, sticks leaping, air pumping, fireworks flying, magnets powering and toilet rolls unravelling all over the place.
