ABE Teacher Community Continues to Grow!

Following our online welcome meeting on July 16, ABE Phase I Izmir Teacher Training was held with 21 new teachers from Afyonkarahisar, Ankara, Denizli, Izmir, Kirklareli and Manisa at Karşıyaka Aydoğan Yağcı Science and Art Center on July 20-21, 2024. We came together with new teachers in order to bring the excitement of scientific discovery to their classrooms with innovative educational approaches and to provide professional development support to these teachers.

The program started with a warm conversation over breakfast and continued with a warm-up activity among the participants. Teachers discovered the importance of conceptual learning by creating concept maps with the relationship networks they established on topics related to biotechnology and DNA. In the later parts of the training, discussions were held on critical topics such as the molecular structure of DNA, DNA isolation and genetic engineering.  Teachers experienced the basic concepts in a laboratory where they isolated DNA from bananas.

The second day started with discussions on the metric system and micropipette. The training, which continued with the micropipette laboratory implementation, was enriched with information on the areas of use and techniques of gel electrophoresis. The participants had the opportunity to put into practice what they learned with the gel electrophoresis laboratory implementation. ABE teachers Gamze Çetin and Ayşegül Aydoğdu, who have been carrying out ABE implementations in their classes for more than three years, took part in the teacher training as part of the ABE Türkiye Team to share their experiences. The training ended with face-to-face evaluations and sharing the processes awaiting teachers.

After two face-to-face days in which the teachers reached professional satisfaction, an online meeting was held on July 29 to discuss the gel electrophoresis results and the points to be considered during the kit packaging process. The training was completed with the wish that the teachers have a good holiday by thinking about the ABE classroom implementations they will carry out in the upcoming academic year.

When the teachers’ opinions about the training were examined, it was seen that this training program was productive, pleasing and inspiring for the participants. The training provided teachers with significant benefits in terms of both individual and professional development. We are very excited that our new ABE teachers will bring the excitement of scientific discovery to many new students with their ABE classroom implementations.