Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Train-the-Trainer workshop

January 23-28, 2012

Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Train-the-Trainer workshop

The REO team attended the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Train-the-Trainer workshop held at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, Thailand from January 23-28.  The week-long workshop was another REO funded small grant program awarded to Thailand’s Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) which develops science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educators with the support of the GLOBE program.  The GLOBE program focuses on collaboration among student, teachers, educators, scientists, government officials and others around the world to improve education and attain better understanding of the earth system.

The workshop served as a unique opportunity for participants to become officially certified by GLOBE as national trainers qualified to lead teacher training in their respective countries.  GLOBE trainers promote collaborative research among students, teachers and scientists on Earth System Science.  The workshop qualified 60 trainers and 5 master trainers from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam.  The material covered at the workshop included atmosphere, hydrology, land cover and soil protocols. 

The LMI GLOBE workshop began with an opening ceremony where Rick Switzer, Regional ESTH officer, gave introductory remarks on the importance of science activities and environmentally sustainable development.  After the welcoming ceremony concluded, participants were split into two groups to begin training on the basic GLOBE protocols.  The first two days were dedicated to land cover and soil, while the remaining time was spent on atmosphere and hydrology protocols.

The break-out sessions were particularly useful and demonstrated several different teaching methods to keep the participants engaged.  The instructors utilized computers, textbooks, visual demonstrations and field work to help the participants fully understand the protocols.  A large part of the day was dedicated to practicing experiments outside on the beautiful campus.  Participants were able to get their hands dirty as they personally practiced the experiments in order to be better able to teach them in the future. 

The workshop was deemed to be a success by all involved.  As Dr. Sompong noted, “the goal of this program is to get your students to think about their environment in a different way and ask ‘why’.”  By instilling curiosity and the desire to learn about the environment in children at an early age, you promote thoughtful communities and help create adults that can make informed decisions.  Not only was this workshop a success for GLOBE science training as each country was able to increase their stock of qualified trainers, but it also served as a platform for LMI countries to network and share ideas.