The British Council’s 4th Thai-UK Education Festival
concluded on Thursday 12th February. Over a two week period a number of
different and informative events took place in the North.
British
Council Director (6th from front with necktie) belongs to the Dream Team or
better still, Dreams and Teams, at the Chakkham Secondary School fun games
in Lamphun.
The launch was held in the gardens of the British Council
in Chiang Mai and was attended by over one hundred UK visitors and alumni.
Entertainment in the form of dancers and drummers was provided by the Yes
Good Idea troupe, followed by the launching of the Education UK kom loy (hot
air balloon).
The
annual Education UK exhibition involving 36 exhibitors was held at the Lanna
Hall at Central Airport Plaza. The exhibition included LearnUK workshops on
a range of topics connected with study in the UK including IELTS and a
Mobile Phone Logo, Ring-tone and Animation workshop.
DNA
Science Camp at the Faculty of Science, CMU.
Later in the week, twelve UK School Heads arrived in
Chiang Mai to visit seven secondary schools in the area, including Prince
Royal College, Montfort College, Yupparaj School and Chakkham Secondary
School in Lamphun. During their stay there were many opportunities for the
Head teachers to exchange ideas with local school Directors and staff
concerning education reform, particularly in terms of leadership issues, as
well as explore the possibility of establishing links between Thai secondary
schools with counterparts in the UK.
Exhibit
at the Education UK Exhibition.
Another activity was a DNA Science Camp for 70 secondary
school students from the North that took place at the Faculty of Science,
Chiang Mai University (CMU). The camp was facilitated by staff from National
Science Museum who had been trained in creative science teaching techniques
during earlier visits to Thailand by British Lecturers Mark Windale of
Sheffield Hallam University and John Scholar of Reading University.
Contributors
at the Policies for Effective School Leadership
Dreams and Teams - a project to develop leadership skills
- was launched at the Chakkham secondary school in Lamphun and the opening
was presided over by Dr Saisamorn Poomsaard, Director of the Bureau of
Innovative Development in Education. For four days leading up to the event,
15 secondary students from Bangkok and their teachers joined 10 students
from Chakkham to prepare a sports festival. The project is a British Council
initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Education to develop
leadership skills among secondary level students, who then train and mentor
primary level students through the medium of sport. The project will
eventually extend to include students from schools in the North.
A
relaxing and fun reception in the beautiful gardens of the British Council
The festival concluded in Chiang Mai with a seminar at
the Rydges Hotel entitled “Wired Communities - ICT in Teaching and
Learning - Experiences from the UK”. The seminar explored ways in which
ICT can be more effectively integrated into education and link the classroom
to the wider community. It featured keynote presentations by three UK
speakers with backgrounds in the public and private sector - Grace Kempster,
Director for Information Services at the British Council in Manchester;
Marion Brooks of Cambridge Education Associates and Neeta Patel, Director of
the Internet Business Development Group at the British Council in London.
The panel discussion which followed was chaired by Charoenrit Sanguansat,
Chief of Administration Support and Coordination Division. The panelists
included Dr Noppasit Jakpitak, Director Institute of ICT, Chiang Mai
University; Dr Pornchai Jitnavasathien, Managing Director Chiang Mai
Education Centre and Poatawat Wilaihongsa, Managing Director, Lanna Computer
Supply.
The event was part of a series of Leading Edge seminars and was opened by
the British Ambassador to Thailand, H.E. David Fall, as part of his first
official visit to Chiang Mai.
Marg
and Marvin
Ricky
and Aaron at the Golden Triangle supporting David Brown.
Beautiful
flowers at the Royal Project. Torrin, Suzanne, Aaron, Ricky, David Brown,
Jennifer Grant, Mr. Yadt, Max Shao Wei.
Daily
journal work and homework was part of the trip.
All
the High School being entertained at lunch by Pichai Taveeapiradeeviroj
(centre), Aaron’s father at Yong Thai factory, Chai Prakan.
Everyone
was in a good mood.
Rita
and Holm Gustafsson.