vidubiology Workshop at Chester Zoo

Invitation & Registration

The European vidubiology Erasmus plus project is very happy to hold a workshop for science and biology teachers at Chester zoo on Tuesday 9th October, 1.30pm till 4.30pm . This will include working within the zoo and making videos of the huge variety of animals in one of the finest zoos in the country.

The vidubiology workshop will take place at Chester Zoo due to the very kind support of the Discovery and Learning department of the zoo.

Please note: places are limited for this event and registrations will be taken on a first come basis. The registration form is at the foot of this invitation.

Who is the workshop for

The vidubiology workshop is for school teachers and others that are involved in the teaching of KeyStage 3 biology and science. Many parts of the workshop are also suitable for KS2 and 4 teachers as well, but the curricular area specifically covered will be KS3.

About the project

The European funded Erasmus plus project vidubiology – creative video for Biology is an Erasmus plus KA2 large-scale project to improve the teaching and engagement with Biology and science, for students at school (10 – 14 years).

Student video from Bulgaria

vidubiology offers exciting and effective ideas how video and media can support biology learning by providing clear examples of Biological themes suitable for the curriculum of students, and great ways that students can use cameras autonomously and collaboratively to enhance their learning.

Partners in the project are:

  • Kulturring in Berlin (Coordinator & Media education)
  • University of Kassel, Germany (FLOX) (teacher training in biology)
  • University of Iceland teacher (training in biology)
  • National Management School, Sofia, Bulgaria, (School support)
  • Kindersite, Chester, UK, (technology in learning)

About the workshop

The European funded Erasmus plus project vidubiology will be holding a workshop for teachers of Biology and Science of Key Stage 3 students at Chester Zoo on 9th Ocotober between 13.30 to 16.30. The workshop will include working inside the zoo and an attached classroom where partners from the project will describe:

  • the vidubiology project and how students from across Europe have used the project as part of their learning
  • How your students can use video and photography as a tool of learning
  • You will be replicate the tasks that your students can be set by:
    • Being assigned a task that relates to the KS3 Biology curriculum
    • Forming small groups
    • Being shown how to use video cameras or the ones on your phones
    • Going in to Chester zoo to carry out your tasks
    • On return to the classroom, deciding on what images to use and editing
    • Showing your resulting work to attendees
    • Reflection and feedback

You will be supported in all phases of the workshop by partners in the project who have already carried out vidubiology workshops. It is helpful if you can bring digital cameras and laptops but not essential.

Further details will be sent to participants nearer the day.

What you will learn from the ‘Learning by doing’ workshop:

1.Specifically : How video and photography can be used to teach evolution, variation and adaptation to the environment as part of the KS3 Biology Genetics and evolution, Inheritance, chromosomes, DNA and genes part of the curriculum, including:

  • how organisms affect, and are affected by their environment.
  • the variation between individuals within a species being continuous or discontinuous.
  • the variation between species and between individuals of the same species showing how some organisms compete more successfully, which can drive natural selection

2 Generally : How creative video and photography can be used by students as a tool for learning in multiple subject areas of biology and science, such as

  • Photosynthesis
  • the interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem
  • Other areas of science