Media Release
November 9 2006
Giving sciences a secondary spark
The
University of South Australia is leading the way in developing
innovative and effective science, technology and mathematics teaching in
SA schools.
Yesterday’s announcement of the third funding round of the Federal Government’s Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics Project showed UniSA was a partner in six of the state’s 12 projects to win funding through the $33.7 million initiative designed to help invigorate science, technology and mathematics classes in Australian schools.
Pro Vice Chancellor: Academic, Professor Peter Lee, says the projects are a measure of UniSA’s commitment to improving the teaching of science, technology and mathematics in schools and its engagement with the community.
“If we are to address the shortages in maths, science and information technology skills in the community, universities have an important role to play in showing students at high school level the application of these skills” Professor Lee says.
“These projects play a vital role in helping students envisage future careers in which sciences and mathematics are applied. We are also strengthening schools’ capacity to deliver maths, science and IT education that excites, nurtures and encourages students.”
The six projects, involving schools from across the state, are:
Active Mathematics and Science through Sport Makes Students
Smarter (AMSSSS)
By creating links between sport and science to engage Indigenous
students, this project aims to address issues of student retention and
attendance, poor health and nutrition, and a lack of positive role
models for Indigenous students in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
Electronics Professional Development for Science and Technology
Teachers
This project aims to provide easily accessible professional development
and resources to a broad range of cross-sector technology and science
teachers to enhance their understanding and confidence and to encourage
them to include more electronics technology in the curricula. The main
innovative feature of this project is the use of the TAFE electronics
bus - a mobile electronics classroom - at 20 schools.
Getting to the Heart of the Mathematics
Non-specialist middle-school teachers who are expected to teach
mathematics will be immersed in the investigation of several topics from
the mathematics curriculum as a way to improve expertise in mathematics
teaching.
H2O Critical Catchment Enquiry
Students from four schools sited along the Onkaparinga River will
investigate the hypothesis that water quality varies throughout the
Onkaparinga Catchment. The collected data and its analysis will be made
available on a shared innovative website created by students.
Making it Deadly! Indigenous Students Learning in Mathematics,
Science and Technology
This project uses film-making and multimedia as a vehicle for R-12
Indigenous students to demonstrate their mathematics, science and
technology learning and involves Indigenous people who excel in science
to provide Indigenous perspectives.
Working Together Towards a Healthier Community
Students and teachers will become familiar with the use of statistics in
community data collection and analysis in this project which aims to use
issues of personal and community health to engage and empower students.
Outcomes for the project include improving students’ knowledge of health
science, applied maths and information and communications technology.
Full details of these projects can be found at www.asistm.edu.au
Media contact
- Vincent Ciccarello office (08) 8302 0578 mobile 0434 603 457 email vincent.ciccarello@unisa.edu.au