Successful Projects in Round 2

Bringing Scientific Research to Life aims to provide students with opportunities to engage in real world science through the dissemination of online information and resources from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. These activities will complement the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and the Victorian Certificate of Education principles. Teachers will work with students and scientists to develop flexible, powerful, dynamic and interactive online learning materials. These materials will be made widely available for use by teachers and students. The project will include a summer school to enable students to interact with scientists from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and raise awareness of potential career paths in science.

Coordinator: Melbourne Girls Grammar School (South Yarra)

Collaborative Virtual Education: Creating an Online Teaching and Learning Environment aims to provide an engaging context for students to collaboratively develop and undertake activities related to the mathematics curriculum through a virtual reality environment. A unique online environment will be provided for teachers to adapt their existing skills and enhance innovative teaching practice to enable students and teachers to create online products. The project will increase student engagement and participation in mathematics and information and communication technology.

Coordinator: Brighton Grammar School (Brighton)

Creative Minds in Science, Technology and Mathematics aims to develop a toolbag of thinking skills for teachers and students in science, technology and mathematics. The project will be facilitated by the de Bono Institute and will contain the foundation basics for productive thinking, creativity, collaboration and innovation. Project participants will learn techniques that explicitly model, scaffold, motivate and develop the underlying skills for managing and reflecting on their thinking. This will increase student retention, and improve students’ outcomes in science, technology and mathematics. It will provide intensive professional development in creative and critical thinking for primary and secondary teachers and improve their capacity through collaborative forums and professional learning teams.

Coordinator: Canterbury Girls Secondary College (Canterbury)

Customising Mathematics Instruction in Innovative Ways Based on Clinical Numeracy Interview Data aims to improve learning outcomes in mathematics and increase positive attitudes to mathematics learning and teaching. Supportive structures will be implemented to assist teachers to develop and implement innovative practices that are responsive to each student’s learning needs. This will lead to improvements in learning outcomes, enhanced student and teacher engagement and increased interest in learning and teaching mathematics. The involvement of preservice teachers in the project will further encourage the attraction and retention of mathematics teachers.

Coordinator: Catholic Education Office Ballarat

Educating for a Sustainable Future aims to develop a model integrating mathematics into studies of environmental sustainability for primary and secondary schools. You Yangs Learning Community cluster will work with Victoria University and other environmental sustainability education agencies to develop a framework for schools to work with community partners. A range of educational materials will be created for a number of different environmental sustainability topics using a Working Mathematically approach to these studies. This will lead to an increase in students’ knowledge, values, skills and social action as well a greater understanding of natural resources in schools.

Coordinator: You Yangs Learning Community

Equity in Technology-Based Mathematics aims to improve the mathematics and information technology learning of students. Teachers at each cluster school will collaborate to develop mathematics curriculum to ensure that students use technology in each component of the curriculum. This will involve the trial of integrated curriculum models and the use of software tools and digital learning objects for exploration and consolidation of mathematical concepts and for problem solving. Samples of students’ work and teachers’ curriculum materials will be published online. Preservice teachers from Victoria University will work with teachers and students on the project.

Coordinator: Victoria University, School of Education

Goulburn River Catchment Carers and Sustainable Schools Initiative aims to integrate environmental education as an interdisciplinary component to enhance the teaching and learning of science, technology and mathematics. The cluster schools will facilitate innovative teaching and learning strategies to engage students in authentic learning tasks. Activities will include professional development for teachers, participant forums, and science and mathematics focused student activities. It will empower students and teachers with life-long skills and transferable knowledge which will have a lasting impact on environmental sustainability, and promote exemplary skills and positive attitudes towards the specialised fields of science, mathematics and technology .

Coordinator: Murchison Primary School (Murchison)

Hastings-Monash School-Community Science and Technology Challenge aims to pilot and implement an innovative school-community science and technology ‘challenge’. Students in primary schools will explore and photograph their environment, and produce, disseminate and display postcards containing challenges around the theme of science and technology. Following evaluation and refinement, a kit will be produced which will enable the challenge to be widely rolled out in schools and after-school programs. The challenge will be affordable and sustainable, providing an evidence-based, best-practice program that will promote ongoing student and teacher engagement with science and technology in the schools and the wider community.

Coordinator: Monash University, Faculty of Education

Interstate School Research Teams in Primary Industry Science aims to connect isolated and remote schools located in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania into two science research team networks. Students will be able to take control of their learning by developing their own team structure and research program. The research teams will identify and research a relevant scientific topic in the livestock or horticulture industries. They will seek guidance from local industry scientists and teachers. These research activities will be designed by teachers to sit within the current curriculum framework. Each research team will present an environmental scan of their locality which will be compared and contrasted with other schools and used as a meaningful basis for dialogue. They will use online interaction, video conferencing and will develop a common website. Teacher Associates will work with student research teams and provide role models for students who are aiming for a career in industry or research science.

Coordinator: University of Tasmania

Professor Gizmo’s Robots aims to combine practical and theoretical challenges, innovative design and construction tasks to engage students in teamwork, planning, problem solving and communication. Years 7-8 students will investigate simple machines and the application of these principles to more complex machines including the design and construction of remote controlled robots. Years 9-10 students will focus on alternative energy sources for the production of electrical power for the robots. Collaboration between teachers and engineers, and contacts between students at all levels will provide role models in education and industry and lead to an increase in science, engineering and teaching as career options.

Coordinator: University of Ballarat

Systems Technology aims to improve teaching and learning and student outcomes in science, technology and mathematics in a cluster of primary schools in the Northern Metropolitan Region of Victoria. The project will involve the development of a curriculum for use across the cluster schools. Partners in the project will include science and technology organisations, universities, business and industry who will work collaboratively with teachers in the development of science, technology and mathematics curriculum, and support teacher professional development. Students will have the opportunity to apply their scientific and technological skills and knowledge towards positive solutions to community issues.

Coordinator: Ivanhoe Primary School (Ivanhoe)

The EIC Model - A Wetlands Learnscape aims to enhance engagement in science, technology and mathematics by student participation in the joint restoration of a wetland at Whittlesea College. This will involve schools working collaboratively across year levels with research scientists and community members to conduct water quality tests, propagate Indigenous seeds and monitor the biodiversity of flora and fauna. The project will include professional development with the Thinking Curriculum, team teaching and student and teacher mentoring. The production of interdisciplinary learning units will be shared through the Victorian Department of Education and Training Knowledge Bank for use by schools outside the cluster.

Coordinator: Whittlesea Secondary College (Whittlesea)

The Impact of Human Habitation on Darebin Creek aims to enhance the teaching and learning of science, technology and mathematics, and improve the skills, knowledge and environmental literacy of both students and teachers. Teacher Associates will work with students from Years 4-9 to research the history of Darebin Creek and make visual, photographic and video observations of the plant and animal life, water colour and level of pollution. They will use assorted scientific probes to measure the temperature, pH and flow rate at different sites along Darebin Creek. The project will create a learning environment which encourages scientific thinking and the use of modern technology to collect and analyse data.

Coordinator: Northland Secondary College (Northland)

The Sustainable Cities Challenge aims to provide Years 5-8 students with an engaging and practical application for science, technology and mathematics. Students will plan, design and build a scale model of a future sustainable city or sustainable house. This will promote innovation, creativity, research skills, problem solving, teamwork and leadership. The project will apply Victorian Essential Learning Standards to achieve real and authentic learning and will also introduce students to the concepts and practical application of sustainability. A modified program will be developed for students in special education settings. The project will create strong community links and will encourage students to continue with science, mathematics and technology related subjects in senior secondary school and to investigate possible careers in these areas.

Coordinator: Gould Group

Train the Trainer-Students as Teachers aims to improve teaching and learning of science, technology and mathematics by using the expertise of experienced information and communication technology students from each cluster school. These students will train other students in all aspects of multimedia and will be used as a resource and support for teachers who will be up-skilled in the use of multimedia. The project also focuses on science and technology graduate teachers who will develop an environmental education curriculum that is rich in the multi-disciplinary aspects of science, technology and mathematics and will be trained in delivering real projects that are motivating and inspirational to students. All learning will be shared in an online forum, using webpage and multimedia tools .

Coordinator: Southvale Primary School (Noble Park)

Water Exploration Think Tank aims to build a collaborative team of students, teachers, tertiary institutions, government agencies, the local community and water industry specialists. Students, with the assistance of teachers, Teacher Associates and professional consultants will investigate the characteristics of local waterways and compile chemical, physical and biological data on a regular basis to enable this data to be used as a benchmarking and monitoring tool to encourage effective teaching and learning. Cross-age tutoring skills with be fostered with primary and secondary students working together on data collection and information gathering. The project will foster leadership skills and assist primary school students with transition to high school.

Coordinator: Daylesford Secondary College (Daylesford)