Dow Thailand Celebrates ‘Dow Chemistry Classroom 2018’ Success

Empowering Teachers Nationwide to ASEAN with STEM Education

Bangkok - September 21, 2018 - Dow Thailand Group, in collaboration with the Chemical Society of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of Prof. Dr. H.R.H. Princess Chulabhorn Walailak and the National Science Museum (NSM), has trained over 400 teachers across Thailand on small-scale chemistry laboratory techniques through the “Dow Chemistry Classroom (DCC)” project. DCC underlines Dow Thailand’s commitment to empowering science teachers nationwide through hands-on experiments in order to improve standards in science education specifically the availability of laboratories, equipment, chemicals, and curricula.

In 2018, ‘Dow Chemistry Classroom’ joined with Science Caravan by NSM to organize training sessions on small-scale chemistry laboratory techniques for teachers in 7 provinces including Bangkok, Songkla, Rayong, Ubon Ratchathani, Phichit, Sa Kaeo and Krabi. 445 teachers were educated on lab equipment utilization through various topics including ammonia dissolution, ammonia chemical formulae, copper dissolution with electrochemical agents, acid rain, chromatography, gas diffusion, capability of carbon dioxide, pH indicators, strong acid and strong base titrations, capability of oxygen, and volume of gas. Simplified techniques were tried along with materials accessible within a reasonable budget and safe for both the teachers and students. The teachers found the small-scale chemistry laboratory techniques useful and a practical solution to important challenges in education system. Teachers who participated in the program agreed that Dow Chemistry Classroom should continue organizing the mobile activities around the country every year.

Poranee Kongamornpinyo, Public Affairs Director of Dow Thailand Group, said “Science is the foundation of innovation and is essential to the development and the overall growth of Thailand. Dow Thailand Group places great importance on STEM education and empowering teachers with knowledge and skills. Dow Thailand Group has fostered knowledge of small-scale chemistry laboratory techniques in order to help teachers and students overcome obstacles to availability of laboratories, equipment and materials which together influence learning opportunities and outcomes.”

In addition, Dow Thailand Group and the Chemical Society of Thailand also enhanced teachers’ learning and enlarged their international network by sending role-model teachers from ‘Dow Chemistry Classroom’ to share knowledge of using small kits for science experiments with other Southeast Asian teachers. The sessions received very positive feedback from a total of 300 teachers in Myanmar, Cambodia and Indonesia.

Prof. Dr. Supawan Tantayanon, Immediate-Past President of the Chemical Society of Thailand and Director of “Dow Chemistry Classroom”, stated “We firmly believe that science is the bedrock of greater innovative potential in Thailand. Teachers play a major role in applying knowledge from the experiments to the students’ daily lives. That’s why we are committed to expanding the small-scale chemistry laboratory techniques to teachers across Thailand who are facing challenges including inadequate and costly laboratory and equipment, timely experiment preparation and evaluation, and safety issues. With ‘Dow Chemical Classroom’, the small-scale chemistry laboratory is a win-win solution for Thailand’s dedicated educators and promising young learners. The positive feedback from the activities organized in the sixth year of our project has enriched our confidence pleasure in taking part in pushing Thailand’s science education closer to sustainable prosperity.”

Over the past 6 years, the ‘Dow Chemical Classroom’ project has been expanding knowledge of small-scale chemistry laboratory techniques through various activities. Since the beginning, more than 1,260 teachers from 617 institutions and over 60,000 students have benefited.

Activity 1

Small-Scale Chemistry Laboratory Technique Training for Lecturers Batch #4

• February 8-9, 2018 at Faculty of Science, Songklanakarin University, Amphor Hat Yai, Songkla Province
• 47 participants

Participating teachers at the Faculty of Science, Songklanakarin University

Activity 2

Small-Scale Chemistry Laboratory Technique Training for High School Teachers Batch #5

• May 31, 2018 at Room 202/1, Maha Mongkut Building, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University
• 209 Participants

Participants at the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University

Activity 3

Small-Scale Chemistry Laboratory Technique Training for Primary School Teachers Batch #2

• June 19, 2018 at Golden City Rayong Hotel, Rayong Province
• 76 Participants

Activity 4

Small-Scale Chemistry Laboratory Technique Training for High School Teachers in collaboration with NSM Science Caravan : Ubon Ratchathani

• June 7, 2018 at Audiovisual Room 1, Floor 1, Dejudom School, Ubon Ratchathani Province
• 47 Participants

Participants in Ubon Ratchathani taking a group photo together

Activity 5

Small-Scale Chemistry Laboratory Technique Training for High School Teachers in collaboration with NSM Science Caravan : Phichit

• July 5, 2018 at Audiovisual Room, Building 4, Taphan Hin School, Phichit Province
• 33 Participants

Participants in Phichit using equipment during the training

Activity 6

Small-Scale Chemistry Laboratory Technique Training for High School Teachers in collaboration with NSM Science Caravan : Sa Kaeo

• July 26, 2018 at Room 1404, Floor 4, Burapha University, Sa Kaeo Campus, Sa Kaeo Province
• 14 Participants

Participants in Sa Kaeo taking a group photo together

Activity 7

Small-Scale Chemistry Laboratory Technique Training for High School Teachers in collaboration with NSM Science Caravan : Krabi

• August 3, 2018 at Thai Music Room, Khlong Thom Ratrangsan School, Krabi Province
• 19 Participants

Lecturer and participants in Krabi

About Dow Chemistry Classroom Project

Dow Thailand Group is committed to bolstering science knowledge in young people by collaborating with the Chemical Society of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of Prof. Dr. H.R.H. Princess Chulabhorn Walailak. The “Dow Chemistry Classroom” project was initiated with the intention of supporting chemistry classes in schools through the use of a small-scale chemistry laboratory techniques which are effective and safe experiment methods that simplify chemical experiments while reducing chemical waste. Students can obtain hands-on experience from conducting the experiments themselves not just from listening to lectures. The “Dow Chemistry Classroom” project aims to enhance teachers’ and students’ capabilities through studying science, particularly chemistry, through small-scale chemistry laboratory techniques. The method is recognized by UNESCO and practiced internationally in chemistry classes around the world including the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, China, and Cambodia. This is considered to be the first time that the private sector has adopted the small-scale chemistry laboratory methods for use in the Thai educational system.

About Dow Thailand Group

Consisting of Companies of Dow Chemical Thailand and the SCG-Dow Group, Dow Thailand Group, the leading science group of companies in Thailand, is the largest manufacturing base of Dow Chemical in the Asia-Pacific region and a leading importer of chemical products for diverse industries in Thailand, including those for agriculture and household pesticides. The group is committed to developing science-driven innovations and strives to form effective collaborations and networks to bring about sustainability for its business as well as society.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from material, polymer, chemical and biological science to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 180 countries and in high-growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture. In 2015, Dow had annual sales of nearly $49 billion and employed approximately 49,500 people worldwide. The Company's more than 6,000 product families are manufactured at 179 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

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