Cooperation : International education for schools
Judith Lanka is the regional representative of Globe, an international educational programme for primary science education, and lecturer in Subject-Specific Biology Education at PH Zurich. As part of a cooperation between Globe and PH Zurich, she supports teachers with advanced training and individual advice. In an interview, she provides information about the programme.
Judith Lanka, what makes the Globe programme so special?
Globe offers well-developed, practical and curriculum-compliant courses for teachers to promote primary science education in extracurricular learning environments. One focus of the courses is on science outreach, i.e. pupils gain an insight into current research on climate change, biodiversity or human influences on nature. Many renowned women scientists are involved in the Globe programme. In the “LERNfeld” programme, school classes study the topics of biodiversity and climate change directly on a farm near the school, provided by Globe. Accompanied by young researchers, they practise scientific methods. The pupils analyse and discuss their own results together with the farmers and researchers. They gain primary experience on the farm and expand their scientific skills. The teacher accompanies the pupils’ learning and receives technical support from the farmers and researchers.
What does it mean to be a teacher in the Globe programme?
Globe’s materials can be used free of charge. The programme’s advice and continuing education services are also free of charge for teachers and school teams. The content and duration can be adapted according to individual needs. Interested schools can also register as a Globe school and get access to lots of exciting data. As a Globe school, they can network globally and maintain contact with international scientists, such as those at NASA. The second Globe contest will take place in Switzerland in June 2025, a competition in which all Swiss schools can take part. Interested pupils will use methods provided by Globe to research current environmental issues and create a poster for their research project. Those who carry out the best research will be invited to a national conference in Bern. For teachers, the contest is an opportunity to motivate pupils concerning environmental issues and to exchange ideas with colleagues from all over Switzerland.
To what extent do pupils benefit from the Globe programme?
As part of the Globe programme, pupils can collect data in Switzerland and around the world, exchange experiences and observations, and learn to understand the complex changes taking place on Earth. This helps them develop their skills in the natural sciences, in the use of new media and in the sustainability of their own actions. The Globe programme promotes objective, action-oriented competencies through problem-oriented and exploratory research approaches (knowledge, skills, attitudes) at every school level, making it unique in the environmental field in Switzerland. It also contributes to systemic thinking and education concerning sustainable development by strengthening important cross-disciplinary skills.
