ICASE
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International Council of Associations for Science Education
ICASE
United Kingdom
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ICASE is an umbrella NGO organization linking national professional science teacher associations around the world, with a secretariat in the UK (Hatfield, Herts, UK). It has links to national associations in Europe and through the local associations, to enthusiastic classroom teachers of science subjects. The main role of ICASE is coordination between the national associations and as such, it, itself, has only a 15 person elected committee. The Executive members have considerable experience in science education as illustrated by the fact that a third of the executive are University Professors. However it draws its greatest expertise and manpower from the national associations and their members. In this manner the local associations effectively function as ICASE in their respective country and carries out joint projects by mutual consent. ICASE plays a key role in the supplying of teaching/learning materials, helping the testing of exemplar materials and especially in the wider dissemination of the outcomes via its contacts with member organizations in Europe and the rest of the world and through its online international journal, Science Education International and monthly newsletter. ICASE has had experience over its 30 years of existence in coordinating between member associations, holding world conferences, seminars and workshops. ICASE has been involved in EU Leonardo projects and the FP6 PARSEL project related to innovative teaching materials and in working with organisations such as CEFIC (European Industry Association’s Council) and UNESCO on projects and jointly running conferences. ICASE will link to the project via its President, Dr Jack Holbrook.
Dr. Jack Holbrook as a previous secretary of ICASE for 25 years, has strong personal links to science teacher associations worldwide having worked with them on previous research and evaluation projects linked to the development of scientific and technological literacy especially through the development of appropriate teaching/learning materials. He has an extensive background in science education, having worked in this field in the UK, Tanzania, Hong Kong and Estonia and has undertaken specialist consultancies in education and ran workshops on promoting scientific literacy among students in many European, African and Asian countries. His main area of research is linked to philosophical developments, although he has had extensive experience in curriculum development and in assessment (both formative and summative). He has published textbooks, edited and written journal articles in the field of science education as well as supervised M.Ed and PhD students in the science education area. Through involvement in PARSEL, Dr Holbrook has been largely responsible for the theoretical underpinning of the teaching model developed for science teaching materials and the manner in which these materials have been adapted to create modules for relevance science teaching in the classroom. Dr Holbrook is a member of science teacher associations in the UK (ASE), Estonia (EACT), HK (HKASME), Bangladesh (BASE) and science education research associations (NARST-USA; ESERA-Europe).
Dr. Declan Kennedy is the European representative for ICASE and is based at the University of Cork, Ireland. He is a science educator and has experience in develop teaching materials in science and in writing chemistry textbooks. He has coordinated an evaluation study between CEFIC and ICASE on industry developed science teaching materials. He has published textbooks and a book for teachers on writing learning outcomes in science education. Dr Kennedy is an active member of the Irish science teachers association and the ASE and will spearhead the ICASE involvement in teacher networking across European, linking partners and national science teacher associations.
