Biologists, as life science educators, enjoy working with people and encouraging them to learn new things, whether in the classroom, in the university, in the research lab, in the field or in the museum. Biologists in the field of education are engaged in new and exciting ways of teaching biological concepts and new ways and approaches to biology education. Biologists in the field of education can work in Universities and Colleges, Secondary Education as well as in Non-Formal Education.
Universities and Colleges: University teachers teach introductory and advanced biology courses at the university and college. They can also advise and guide biology students on education programs and research programs. Many fuculties of Biology in colleges and universities perform their own research and write and publish scientific papers in reputable scientific journals. They are members of working groups of expert and advisory committees and develop research and scientific collaborations with scientists from other educational institutions.
Secondary education: Teaching lower school and high school students requires a general and comprehensive knowledge of biology as well as teaching and working skills with different types of students. Lower school and high school teachers often specialise in the teaching of biology, in classroom management and in education administration and leadership.
Non-Formal Education: Biologists in the field of education may also engage in Non-Formal Education, such as science and nature museums, zoos and botanical gardens, aquariums, parks and environmental education centers. Biology teachers in these environments can design exhibits and training programs in addition to teaching field and nature training programs. Often, these professionals are responsible for effectively communicating difficult biological information to the public, drawing up grants for funding new programs and reports, and working with Community partners to obtain funding.
Biologists in the field of education can deal with many specialties such as:
- All Biology specialties at University level
- Teaching of Biology
- Environmental education
- Teaching of the Natural Sciences
- Curriculum Biology
- Educational Leadership and Management
- and other areas
In the field of Education, many Biologists work in the following Services (indicative):
- Universities
- Colleges
- Environmental Centers
- Paedagogical Institutes
- Non-Governmental Organisations
- Natural History Museums
- Science Museums
- Aquariums
- Zoos
- Botanical Gardens