As part of our international project activities, TeachSynergy conducted a series of online workshops with teachers from Karachi, Pakistan, in spring 2024. These workshops were developed and implemented in close collaboration with Prof Talat S. Rahman (University of Central Florida) and Prof Katharina Al-Shamery from the University of Oldenburg. The existing co-operation formed the basis for the expansion of project activities to Pakistan in order to test innovative approaches to science teaching under particularly challenging conditions.

Target group & participant structure

A total of 18 to 22 teachers from Karachi took part in the four workshops. The participants came from various schools and educational institutions in the region, with the common goal of familiarising themselves with experimental and resource-saving teaching methods that can be used directly in their own lessons.

Contents & methods

The workshops focussed on simple but effective experiments in the field of chemistry for primary school lessons, all of which were based on the overarching theme of teaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These were taken from the University of Oldenburg's ChemOL teaching-learning lab, translated and adapted to local conditions. The topics covered included

• Fire & fire protection
• Water and salt
• Carbon dioxide
• Air & atmospheric phenomena

All experiments were deliberately designed so that they could be carried out using everyday materials from the household or local supermarkets/ DIY stores - an essential aspect for implementation in resource-limited regions.

Procedure & interactivity

In advance, the participating teachers received a detailed script with step-by-step instructions and a list of materials, which was drawn up together with the Pakistani coordinators. They provided the required materials and distributed the scripts to the participants.

The workshops were divided into two phases:

1. Independent experimentation phase: in small groups, the teachers carried out the experiments themselves, noted observations and discussed initial results. All in a classroom to simulate the conditions in the school.
2. Interactive discussion and feedback round (via video conference): The German and Pakistani project managers then joined in to discuss the results together, place the experiments in the context of the SDGs and engage in a professional exchange. This was supplemented by brief inputs on linking sustainability and science in everyday school life.

Feedback & perspectives

The workshops were consistently rated positively by the participating teachers. The practical applicability of the experiments and the low material threshold were particularly emphasised. Almost all teachers expressed the intention to integrate the newly learnt experiments into their own lessons and to recommend participation to colleagues.

One important aspect that emerged from the feedback was the language barrier. In future, the scripts and materials will also be made available in Urdu to ensure even greater accessibility.

Significance and long-term goals

As one of the largest cities in the world, Karachi faces enormous challenges in the education sector. Despite government efforts and investment in the education sector, enrolment remains low and access to quality science education is limited. Projects such as TeachSynergy make an important contribution here by enabling innovative and sustainable educational approaches even under difficult conditions.

The long-term plan is to integrate the developed concepts and materials into the national curriculum in co-operation with the local education authorities in order to ensure the sustainability of the project and contribute to achieving the SDGs in Pakistan.

Outlook

Due to the positive feedback and great interest, a second series of workshops is already planned for May 2025.