Promoting enthusiasm for STEM subjects
The SimplyNano 2 project aims to foster enthusiasm among high school youth for STEM subjects. The SimplyNano 2 cases contain materials and documentation that allow students to conduct exciting experiments on nanotechnology and experience it as an interdisciplinary everyday technology. The project also aims to build a bridge between school and professional practice. For this reason, the introductory courses for teachers are always held at interesting company locations. Victorinox AG provided an extremely exciting setting for holding the continuing education course on April 26, 2023.
Apprenticeships with a passion for technology and crafts
In keeping with the Victorinox philosophy of “challenge through encourage,” Toni Blaser, head of the apprenticeship department at Victorinox AG, provided comprehensive information about the various apprenticeships. Victorinox AG trains 56 apprentices in 11 different professions. On a tour, the participants experienced the most diverse manufacturing techniques for knife production. Here, apprentices have the unique opportunity to get to know all production steps from start to finish directly on site. In addition to the technical professions, e.g. polymechanic, automation technician or plant operator, professions of the traditional crafts are also close to the company’s heart. Toni Blaser is passionately committed to ensuring that the valuable knowledge of the knifemaker’s art can be passed on to the next generation in a sustainable manner. As Switzerland’s largest knife manufacturer, Victorinox AG trains one of four apprentice cutlers in Switzerland, thus helping to ensure that this craftsmanship is not lost. The presentation of these and other job profiles met with great interest among the participants.
How does a smoke detector work?
The teachers were then able to carry out individual experiments from the SimplyNano 2 experiment kit independently in a post run. The air-cushion-forming plant Salvinia molesta was enthusiastically examined, or the adhesion of a cell phone to the gecko pad was tested. A smoke detector was used to explore the Tyndall effect. According to feedback from those present, the simple but illustrative experiments were found to be extremely exciting. With little material effort, the SimplyNano experiments can get students excited about inquiry-based learning. Experiments with “wow effects” or “”top materials” were feedbacks from the participants.
Successful start of the “Simply Nano 2” project in the canton of Schwyz
The continuing education course was the first of a total of three courses in the canton of Schwyz. The remaining two course dates (06/14/2013 and 06/21/2013) are also attracting widespread interest, but there are still spots available for those interested.
As part of the “Schwyz Project”, all secondary schools in the canton of SZ are being equipped with class sets of a total of 200 SimplyNano 2 experiment cases. The project is funded by the Asuera and Dimitris N. Chorafas Foundations. Schwyz is the first canton in central Switzerland to equip all schools with experimental kits.
Source: Innovation Society
Image source: Innovation Society