Environment ministry opens contest for hands-on biology teaching tools

The National Nakdong River Biological Resources Institute, under the environment ministry, said Wednesday it has opened its third biological experience teaching-tool development contest and will accept entries from Oct. 14 to Nov. 9, with 10 million won ($7,486) in total prize money at stake.

The contest seeks ideas for hands-on teaching tools that can be used in biology and environment education, covering fields such as biodiversity, ecosystem conservation, the climate crisis and carbon neutrality. Tools must be designed so that learners can take part directly or assemble and manipulate them themselves.

Anyone interested in biology and environment education may enter. Applicants must submit a tool description and a teaching and learning guide through the contest website, nnibr-contest.kr, during the submission period.

Entries will be judged on suitability, creativity, completeness and usability, and four winners will be selected. The top prize is the climate, energy and environment minister's award and 5 million won ($3,743), followed by one grand prize of 3 million won ($2,246) and two excellence awards of 1 million won ($749) each, all carrying the institute's director's award.

Winning ideas with high educational value will be made into teaching tools in 2027 and used in the institute's biology and environment education programs. The top entry in the second contest, BiodiverCity, has already been produced as a teaching tool and is provided to the public through a rental program.

"I hope the public's fresh ideas from this contest lead to teaching tools that are actually used in biology and environment education," said Yeo Jin-dong, head of the institute's exhibition and education office. He added that the institute will keep developing and spreading educational content that lets anyone understand the value of biodiversity easily and enjoyably.