Summary of SyMETRI meeting September 26, 2023 by Qiaochu Xu

Presenter/Guest Speaker: Mohosina Sabin Toma from Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, UBC
Date: September 26th, 2023
Host: Dr. Cynthia Nicol

In the SyMETRI meeting on September 26th, 2023,

Mohosina shared her research on the Pedagogical Opportunities of PhET Interactive Simulations in Secondary Science Education in Bangladesh. Bangladesh, being a developing country, faces numerous educational challenges, particularly in science and mathematics, such as limited access to labs, outdated teaching strategies, and a high student-teacher ratio.

PhET ((Physics Educational Technology) Interactive Simulations, a research-based, non-profit open educational resource project based at the University of Colorado Boulder, creates and hosts explorable simulations for science and mathematics. Mohosina’s study delves into the role of PhET Interactive Simulations in addressing the challenges faced by Bangladeshi teachers and students, aiming to cultivate heightened student interest in science and mathematics.

Mohosina’s research extends to teachers’ challenges in learning and integrating PhET into their teaching practices. To overcome these challenges, she proposes recommendations for the development of teachers’ professional development (PD) programs. Tailored Teacher PD workshops were designed and implemented for this study, with the specific goal of encouraging Bangladeshi science teachers to incorporate PhET simulations into their teaching methodologies.

Her findings reveal that teachers recognize the potential of PhET simulations as a valuable supplement to secondary science education in Bangladesh. Teachers believe that PhET simulations have the potential to bring revolutionary changes to how Bangladeshi students learn science.

Here are some slides from her presentation:

Symmetry members inquired about the design and methodology of Mohosina’s research. Some expressed interest in the development of educational technology and how it enhances learning while supporting teaching. Drawing from their own experiences, they engaged in discussions about pedagogical approaches that are feasible for today’s classrooms and students.

Bio

Mohosina is a first-year PhD student in Science Education at the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of British Columbia. She has recently completed her MA and has chosen to continue her studies at UBC.