RECSAM News_May-Aug 2021

2 RECSAM News Vol. 52 - No. 2 Virtual SEAMEO Centre Directors Meeting (CDM 2021) Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP): Integrating Technology to Promote Scientific Inquiry Learning THE SEAMEO CENTRE DIRECTORS MEETING (CDM) 2021 was successfully held on 20 & 21 July 2021. The meeting served not only served as a platform for SEAMEO Units to share updates on SEAMEO new policy directions and their achievements, operational concerned of each Centre, and the new SEAMEO Strategic Plan 2021-2030 but also to discuss how SEAMEO can expand its developmental programmes with new partners and strengthen the existing ones. A total of 32 (thirty-two) Working Papers, 12 (twelve) from SEAMEO Secretariat and 20 (twenty) from SEAMEO Centres / Network, were presented through ad-referendum. Some of the working papers presented by SEAMEO Secretariat are Report on SEAMEO COVID-19 Accessible and Responsive Education Support (SEAMEO CARES), SEAMEO-UNESCO-GPE Collaboration: Online Course for Teachers of Learners with Disabilities, and SEAMEO Inter-Centre Collaboration Programmes. Other highlights during the 2021 CDM were the back-to-back SEAMEO Integrated Operational Plan and Key Result Areas (KRAs) Workshop and the sharing sessions by the key partners on the topic ‘Reimagine the Future’, presented by UNESCO Asia Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, UNICEF EAPRO, and International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, ASEAN Secretariat, and the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (Thailand). The virtual meeting was organised by SEAMEO Secretariat and warmly participated by the Directors and Senior Officers of the SEAMEO units. Representing RECSAM were Dr. Shah Jahan Bin Assanarkutty, Centre Director and the Deputy Directors, Dr. Mariam Othman, Mr. Amran Bin Mahadi and Dr. Wan Noor Adzmin Binti. Mohd Sabri. During a special session on the presentation of SEAMEO Working Papers, the Centre Director presented a proposal on the establishment of “Space Science and Technology Education Centre” with the aim to provide more education opportunities and enhancing basic space and technology education and to expose learners to an intensive and more formal educational activities in the SEAMEO region. TWO BATCHES OF MALAYSIAN TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMME (MTCP) on “Integrating Technology to Promote Scientific Inquiry Learning” were conducted online by RECSAM on 19 May 2021 to 1 June 2021 (Batch 1) and 8 to 18 June 2021 (Batch 2) for two (2) groups of secondary science teachers and teacher educators fromASEAN, SAARC and AFRICAN countries. Six (6) participants fromASEAN and SAARC countries (Philippines, Thailand and Maldives) and five (5) fromAFRICAN countries (Ghana, Morocco and Mauritius) were nominated by their respective Ministries to join these programmes. This training programme was aimed to guide course participants to design a science lesson plan based on a scientific inquiry approach with integration of technology. These courses was conducted in synchronous e-learning with a combination of audio and video conferencing, chat and webinars to facilitate minds-on sharing, interactive talk and active participation on relevant topics conducted by RECSAM’s experienced facilitators. Over the duration of the course, participants were exposed to various theoretical knowledge and practical applications of Inquiry-based Science Education (IBSE) and the incorporation of ICT instructional technologies such as Flipped classroom, online digital apps and Web 2.0 tools and resources to enhance inquiry-based learning in science. This in-service training programme was supervised by Mr. Sharfuddin Bin Abdul Shukor and Dr. Loh Su Ling, both Specialists from Training Programme Division and was funded by Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP). Online meeting in progress Deputy Director (left) & programme supervisors from Training Programme Division Participants & RECSAM staff during the Opening Ceremony