As Manitoba students and teachers settle into the new school year, schools across the province are engaging in programs to improve student engagement and experience. Some of these programs will happen outside the four walls of the classroom and one of them is being facilitated by Bioscience Association Manitoba.
From September 23rd to 27th, Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) will be joined by biotech companies and associations from around the world to celebrate this year’s Global Biotech Week. Global Biotech Week is an annual event that raises awareness of the biotech industry and its global significance. Each year, BAM organizes academic field trips for students to tour biotech facilities across the province.
This year’s field trips will involve over 300 students from 6 school divisions in our province. The students will be visiting 6 facilities including Fort Whyte Alive, Oak Hammock Marsh, Bruce D. Campbell Farm & Food Discovery Centre, Composite Innovation Centre, The Winning Combination and the Youth BIOLab Jeunesse at the St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre.
Dr. Anju Bajaj, a Grade 8 teacher with Holy Cross School and 2018 BAM Outstanding Science Educator of the Year, is one of the many teachers who will be going on the tours with her students. Having participated in the field trips in past years, Bajaj is excited that her students will once again be able to learn directly from professionals in the industry.
“You can’t learn everything in the classroom.” Bajaj said, “This is a great opportunity to provide 21st Century skills to our students. They will get to hear from practicing scientists and learn some social skills too. It was beneficial to them in the past and I’m certain that it will be beneficial for them this year too.”
The goal of BAM’s Global Biotech Week programming this year is to raise awareness about careers in bioscience. Munroe Junior High teacher Rachel Kramchynsky believes this goal will be met as the field trips will encourage students to explore career opportunities in the industry and gain an appreciation of scientific advancements in our province.
“At the Bruce D. Campbell Farm & Food Discovery Centre, students will be learning about genetics, robotics, food safety, animal ethics and welfare and all the research that is being done at the University of Manitoba. The information that will be learned at the Centre can be applied to the classroom and used as a starting point for inquiry-learning projects.” said Kramchynsky.
To learn more about Global Biotech Week, visit http://globalbiotechweek.ca/