NIHERST Community Science Weeks:
Being at Home With Science

NIHERST has devised a new strategy for making science and technology learning more accessible to rural communities. Starting March 17th 2003, with the support of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education and the Ministry of Education, NIHERST embarked on a novel outreach programme entitled "Community Science Weeks: Being at Home with Science".

The Community Science Weeks focus on topics and issues in science of interest and relevance to local residents. The programme aims to:

• make global and local developments in science and technology more understandable to the grassroots;

• provide a forum for communities to highlight their uniqueness from a scientific perspective, publicise indigenous knowledge, and express their voices on contemporary issues in science and development; and

• help teachers and students to better grasp scientific concepts, processes and issues that affect their daily lives through stimulating experimentation, demonstrations, workshops and exhibits.

The outreach programme was taken to three communities in 2003 namely, La Brea, Toco, and Tobago.  In 2004, Science Week was held in Mayaro and in 2005, the communities of Point Fortin and Barrackpore benefited from this initiative.  This year Science Week has so far shared this fun-filled and educational experience with the communities in Moruga (30th April - 4th May 2007) and Tobago (14th - 20th May 2007).  The next Science Week will be held in Blanchisseuse, January 15th-19th, 2008.

The general content of the Science Weeks include a mixture of interactive exhibits, workshops, lectures and entertainment designed to engage residents in a fun learning atmosphere.

Playful hands-on exhibits from the NIHERST/NGC National Science Centre (NSC) YAPOLLO exhibition illustrate a variety of basic and applied scientific principles.

Companies, governmental agencies, professional societies and NGOs (preferably from the community) are invited to showcase the science and technology behind their operations through the mounting of displays or by leading a discussion / seminar on a theme relevant to the community in which the Science Week is being held.

Our Teacher Creativity Workshops expose teachers to the use of creative problem-solving techniques as teaching tools to enhance instructional delivery. 

Primary and secondary school students are not left out, as they too benefit from one-day workshops on themes ranging from Music, to Creativity and Invention.

The Community Science Weeks also have a cultural component wherein we reveal the science behind some of our indigenous instruments by arranging workshops and performances for the edification and entertainment of patrons. There are also forums for local talent to take the spotlight.

The NIHERST Community Science Week programme aims to be exciting, relevant and responsive to the needs of communities. Each science week is therefore tailor-made and adapted for the targeted community - the content and features of one is never completely the same for another. This is achieved in part, by the participatory approach adopted by NIHERST in planning the event, with each Science Week being developed in collaboration with community stakeholders: Educators, Community Based Organisations (CBOs), and community elders. At NIHERST, we believe by bringing families, children, and adults together to learn about their world, we can encourage participants to become life long learners of science. 

To find out more about our Community Science Week series call the NIHERST/NGC National Science Centre at 642-6112 or 646-1911, or e-mail us at nscyapollo@niherst.gov.tt