Call for better use of local educational research

A lecturer at the university's Department of Mathematics, Science and Technical Education has called on the ministry of education to invest in the dissemination of the best dissertations produced by the department's B.Ed (Hon) students - instead of letting them "go to waste".

"Considering the high quality of these projects, it is a pity and a waste of local resources that their fate seems destined to be forgotten among the shelves of the library of the university," said Dr Paul Pace, a former head of the department, which falls within the Faculty of Education.

"Year in, year out, these dissertations are making a valid contribution to the development of local educational research that is invariably going to waste.

"The need for the ministry of education to invest in the publication and dissemination of these projects has long been felt - but to date very little has been done to make full use of these invaluable resources."

The best research projects of the B.Ed. (Hons) 1997-2001 group were recently presented at a Dissertation Showcase organised by the department.

Carried out under the supervision of experts in education research, the projects addressed various aspects of current local educational issues particularly those related to the National Minimum Curriculum.

The vast majority of them concerned the production of educational resources aimed at providing teachers with innovative ways of teaching particular subjects.

Besides being trial tested in local schools, these resources were developed in a way that their adoption would not conflict with the schools' normal curriculum.

The projects presented included a physics textbook about forces, energy and waves; teaching packs about IT applications (word processing and the internet) and for teaching hardware topics for SEC computer studies; multimedia CDs in religion, environmental education and home economics; and a resource pack about housing for home economics teachers.

Another innovative project concerned the development of a programme of physical activities for the elderly.

Other topical research areas addressed included: ethical consumerism among post-secondary students; formative assessment in algebra; the evaluation of maths software packages in the primary sector; and the impact of home economics on male students.

Another project, looking into ways of developing community belonging in children, makes a case for the development of community-based environmental education projects.

This suggestion was taken up by two other projects that proposed a set of educational walks around San Gwann and a set of trekking opportunities around Gozo. Both were utilised in their localities, the exception to the rule.

This year's Dissertation Showcase was sponsored by the Communications Office of the University of Malta, Indigo Bookshop and the university's RICTE programme.