Letters from Laos (Savannakhet, no. 4) – by Sitsanou Phouthavong (Erasmus+ participant)

Academic Research, All Posts, Partnership, Savannakhet University (SKU)

Hello! Everyone.

My name is Sitsanou Phouthavong, and I hope to fly out of Laos on 28 April so that on 30 April I will arrive in Karlsruhe on my first Erasmus+ Mobility, which was postponed from last year. Today the three of us, Ms Phetsavanh Somsivilay, Ms Somsanouk Xayyavong, and myself, we drove from Savannakhet to Vientiane to submit all our papers to the German Embassy in Vientiane to get our VISA approved. They told us to wait…

I am 33 years old and graduated in the Master’s degree in science and technology education from KhonKaen University, Thailand. I started work at Savannakhet University in November 2012 at the Faculty of Education, under the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES).

Now, I work with two duties under responsibilities teaching and administration. First I deal with office work and second a lot time I have taught students year I, II and III such as English 5 (English for Physics), Mechanic, fluid of Physics and Electrostatic-electrodynamics. But in the office my responsible is scores and syllabus. Recently, I was appointed Deputy Head of Academic Affairs of the Faculty of Education.

 

I like to teach using computer simulation teaching activities related to science and I like to surf the net to find new, interesting and appropriate lessons to make my class more exciting.

 

Including teaching material obtained from a donation by Fischertechnik organized by Mr Ralph Hansmann from the University of Education Karlsruhe, which Prof. Martin brought over and help me to practically teach about technology and to bring the subject closer to students. In easy electrical circuits, series and parallel connections, electronic connections with transistors, capacitors, resistors and LEDs. Step by step, this play-and-learn construction set will teach the basics of electronics. So the robot I made with Fischertechnik is help me understand more phenomena of electric circuit and make me more the basics of electronics understandable.

David Schrep and Rebecca Dengler were our tandem-teachers in SKU. So I know them, they are very great relationship with our colleagues and they showed us many new teaching techniques.

At the end of April, I will have the opportunity to participate in a training programme in Physics as well as English Department at Karlsruhe University of Education, Germany. I am very happy to be a part of this project in “Bi-directional teaching and learning“, which is coordinated by professor Doctor Isabel Martin.
Jun.Prof. Dr. Tobias Ludwig is my partner and host in my research and Lab course from the Physics Department, Hope to see you soon.
I have never been to Europe previously. Now I am so excited get to Germany to meet the lecturers, buddies, new friends and new experience.

I will spend my 2 months’ time in Germany to learn language especially English skill, culture, Physics, lab work and the new experiences in new places. I really want to be a part of the community there. If there is an opportunity, I would like to travel around Germany and visit many architectural landmarks.

 

Note from Jun.Prof. Dr. Tobias Ludwig
Everyone in the Physics Department is very excited about the arrival of Sitsanou Phouthavong. We cannot wait to learn how he teaches physics in Laos and hear more about his research. We plan to exchange ideas around teaching and learning physics education. Mr Sitsanou is also very curious about our physics projects in the large digitization related projects InDiKo and InDiKo-X at PH Karlsruhe.

See you soon!

 

Text by S. Phouthavong
Photos by S. Phouthavong (and unnamed photographers)

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