More than 300 lessons are to be delivered at almost 100 schools across Poland by students who have received training from the staff of Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute. Selected mineral resources of Poland is the subject of the lessons.
The first lessons have been already delivered and the whole outreach programme is to be completed by June. The students are equipped with educational folders, presentations and geological specimens. The focus of the lessons is on lignite, halite, copper and other domestic mineral resources, as well as on environmental protection. They are delivered under the Surowce z klasą (Resources with a Class) initiative.
As a result of preliminary screening 24 students were selected to the initiative. The volunteers were selected in December 2016 in Gdańsk, Krakow and Warsaw. The candidates had to prepare a short film about themselves and deliver it to the Institute. Subsequently, their knowledge of geology and selected Polish mineral resources was tested. At the final stage of recruitment candidate lecturers were interviewed to present their knowledge, achievements, previous experience and areas of interest. Students selected to the initiative represent the AGH University of Science and Technology (Krakow), Gdansk University, Jagiellonian University (Krakow), Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznan) and Warsaw University.
A lecture on mineral resources is held at Heliodor Święcicki Comprehensive High School in Międzyrzecz
In January the young lecturers were given scientific training delivered by PGI-NRI experts – Dr. Jacek Kasiński, Dr. Grzegorz Czapowski and Dr. Sławomir Oszczepalski. Training in presentation and public speaking skills was provided by Dr. Paweł Pietrzykowski.
The initiative proved to be immensely popular. The list of participating schools had to be closed as the quota of lessons was reached after just a few hours of recruitment announcement.
Resource lessons held at Heliodor Święcicki Comprehensive High School in Międzyrzecz
A high popularity of this educational initiative was partly due to the success of the first cycle of the “Student Lecturer” outreach programme, as held by the Institute in 2015. At that time the lessons were on exploration and production of hydrocarbons from shale formations and related environmental aspects. More than 100 schools from 12 voivodships participated in that initiative. Over a period of almost three months university students previously trained by PGI-NRI delivered 312 lessons attended by almost 8,000 high school students. A huge interest expressed in the initiative and a high rating by academic experts encouraged PGI-NRI to continue the project.
A student lecturer and attending high school students at Heliodor Święcicki Comprehensive High School in Międzyrzecz
The Student Lecturer 2 initiative has been set up and delivered by the staff of PGI-NRI Geological Education Programme under the task “Educational activities for children, youth and students on mineral resources of key importance to the national economy”. The task is part of the project titled “Informational activities of Polish Geological Survey on the access to data on the occurrence and availability of mineral resources that are of key importance to the national economy”. The project is delivered by Polish Geological Institute – NRI and financed by National Environmental Protection and Water Management Fund.
by: Maja Kowalska
photos: D. Skrzypczak
