In August 2020, I was awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching. I was supposed to travel to the Netherlands from January to June, 2021. However, due to covid, our Fulbright experiences were pushed back a year. After lots of covid worries, changes in plan, and shuffling, I finally arrived in the Netherlands on February 7, 2022!
I spent most of February settling into my new home in Enschede, in the east of the Netherlands. There have been many logistics, including getting my residency permit (visa), bank account, BSN number (Dutch version of social security number), uploading my covid vaccinations into the Dutch system, and picking up my bike. I used this time to get familiar with Enschede, the University of Twente, and a couple trips to explore other cities. I visited Utrecht for a Fulbright dinner and visited Amsterdam to explore a bunch of museums.
The working title of my project is: “Using Technology to Build Bridges in Science Education Between School and the Community.” My goal is to examine how to better engage students in real-world science learning and data collection through citizen science projects and other community-based endeavors. I will observe at schools across the Netherlands, meet with science teachers, visit museums and science centers, and learn more about citizen science. Of course, covid adds complications, as teachers are extra Tired and it is more difficult to be a visitor in schools. No matter what, I will make the best of this experience and learn all I can.
Furthermore, as part of my project, I am also gathering some preliminary thoughts on science and scientists through this anonymous Science Perceptions Survey. I am hoping to gather data from a wide range of individuals. If you are comfortable, please share it with others, including family members, personal children, and students.
I will try to regularly post about my travels and learning opportunities on Instagram (@MsVenturino). Additionally, I created these Slides as a sort of research journal and scrapbook, and as a way to share with work colleagues and family outside of social media. I will blog monthly about what I am learning.
Mari Venturino 