BioEd 2008

Sustainable development, Ethics and Education for the 2020s :

what challenges for Biology ?

An international conference co-sponsored by

IUBS-CBE, UNESCO, LDES University of Geneva,

CIMEOS and Mission Culture Scientifique, University of Burgundy

Autun-Auxerre-Dijon (France) 24-28 June 2008

    Detail Information:  http://www.ldes.unige.ch/bioEd/bioEd2008.htm

           During the last thirty years, our knowledge of biological systems - molecules, organisms, populations, ecosystems, landscapes, the whole biosphere – has largely increased. In this period, biology has turned to be a major actor for most social matters - health, environment, sustainable development - at home, at school or at work. The capacity to understand biological concepts, processes and methods is today a quality required of any contributing member of society. « Biology for all » thus needs to be clarified, improved and developed in schools, laboratories, NGOs, administrations, communities and companies., since, over this same period, biological illiteracy has not declined.

          Although biological knowledge is more widely available thanks to the media and new educational methods, although biology is always clearly present in Science Centers and Museums, the gap between researchers and the general public is constantly widening, with students showing a lack of interest for this topic, as new technologies of communication change our relationships to knowledge and practices.

          Therefore, can we detect new perspectives for biology teaching ? As key issues will undoubtedly constantly shift, as research laboratories, companies, Society as a whole will have to face new needs and new challenges, what parts will biology, biology education, popularization and mediation play ? Will they shed new light on environmental, health and citizenship’ issues ? How will they contribute to sustainable development ?

          From another angle, how will the needs of other innovation-producing sectors, such as collectivities and companies, evolve ? What will be important or merging knowledge to be taught and why ? What questions will students or the general public ask ? What will their relationship be to biology ? What will the best strategies, the best educational approaches be ? What about cross-disciplinary approaches ? What form will the new tools or the new roles of teachers, mediators and journalists take ? How will schools, the media and museums working alongside other social bodies, be able to increase biological awareness and culture ?

          Following on from BioEd 2000 in Paris (National Museum of Natural History) and BioEd 2004 in Rio de Janeiro (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation), BioEd 2008 in Burgundy would like to address these questions through contributions based on innovations, empirical or speculative research, whose domain of application may cover a wide variety of sectors from education to popularization, from companies to universities, from NGOs to collectivities.

   Conference Goals

   The Conference BioEd 2008 aims to:

• explore the linkages among biological sciences, the environment, sustainable development and society;
• promote bioliteracy and education reforms that integrate biology, sustainability, health, wellbeing, ethics and citizenship;
• provide recommendations for improving education worldwide in support of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainability, adopted for 2005-2015.

  Conference Objectives

      The Conference will:

• prepare an agenda for biological education in sustainable development, ethics and citizenship;
• develop guidelines for implementing this agenda in developed and developing countries;
• involve leaders in science and society in the full range of the educational enterprise, from formal (intermediate and secondary schools, colleges and graduate institutions) to informal, including public education and training in environmental education, biological education, agricultural education, health education and engineering education;
• address the question of identifying essential knowledge about the environment, sustainability, health and wellbeing;
• address the roles of science and values in education, while exploring the use of new educational technologies and pedagogical methods;
• explore and evaluate the diversity of approaches and themes, encouraging participants to discover the shared ground of different themes and approaches;
• produce recommendations on how to develop bioliteracy towards sustainability, ethics and citizenship;
• develop a report and distribute it widely, via hardcopy, the Web, and through briefings and presentations to policy and decision-makers at national and international levels.

Participants

       The Conference will be under the patronage of IUBS-CBE, UNESCO, UNEP, LDES university of Geneva, SAPIENCE,.. Scientists, educators, philosophers, and political leaders will be invited to address the key issues and set the vision for the conference.

      The Conference will bring together approximately 200-300 scientists, biology educators, and teacher-trainers, policymakers, business people and media specialists, as well as philosophers, theologians, and ethicists. Participants from around the world will be invited to report on their research, experiments, and practical and empirical results, and demonstrate educational materials (posters, videos, exhibits, theatre...).

     The Conference will be organized in plenary and parallel sessions, with exhibits of posters and educational materials. Symposia and workshops will address the following themes:

• Biological education, health and well-being
• Biological education, environment and sustainability
• Biological education, agriculture, nutrition and food security
• Biological education in the modern age of information and communication technologies
• Biological education, ethics and citizenship.

Organizing Committee

                André GIORDAN, President of the Education Commission of IUBS

                Daniel RAICHVARG, General secretary of the BioEd 2008 Organizing Committee

                Talal YOUNÈS, Executive Director of IUBS

Scientific committee

Atchia, Michael - Mauritius & IUBS CBE/Former Chairman

Azzouna, Atf, Tunisia – university of Tunis

Babacar, Guèye, ENS Dakar, Senegal

Clément, Pierre - France, University of Lyon

Giordan, André - France/Switzerland, IUBS CBE Chairman, LDES university of Geneva

Grynzspan, Danielle - Brazil, Fondacao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro

Holtman, Lorna - South Africa, university of Western Cape, Bellville,

Jungck, John R. - USA, IUBS-CBE Vice-Chairman, Chairman of the IUBS Biology and Education program.

Kalali, Faouzia - Marocco, university of Caen

Marquez Valderrama - Colombie, Natnioal University, Medellin

Mohr, Adriana-Brazil, university of Florianopolis

Pei, Xinning - China, East China Normal University, Shanghai

Potyrała, Katarzyna – Poland, University of Kracow

Raichvarg, Daniel - France, University of Burgondy

Samson, Ghislain - Canada, University of Sherbrooke

Teppa, Sonia - Venezuela, University of Barquisimeto

Vohra, Faqir - Malaysia, IUBS CBE secretary (interim)


Younès, Talal - Lebanon/France & IUBS Executive Director

Registration

        The registration fee will be 240 Euros or 200 Euros for those who register before April 24. This will cover the cost of documents, tea/coffee during breaks and lunch and banquet June 26.

         Hotel costs and other living expenses will be at all levels. You will find a list of hotels here. Reservation on your own.

        For registration, click on the web registration form.

       For your proposal of presentation, click on the web submission form.

If those links above can not be opened, please register by:  http://www.ldes.unige.ch/bioEd/bioEd2008.htm

For any further information and registration : contact Daniel.raichvarg@u-bourgogne.fr

Detail Informationabout EioED2008:  http://www.ldes.unige.ch/bioEd/bioEd2008.htm

If you want to know more on Bioed, CBE, IUBS ant the preceding meeting (Bioed 2000; Bied 2004) click there...

¹Laboratoire de Didactique et d'Espistémologie des Sciences, University of Geneva
²Laboratoire CommunIcations, MEdiations, Organisations, Savoirs, University of Burgundy, Museums of Natural history (Autun, Auxerre, Dijon)