Abstract:     

                   With the move to the Essential Learnings based curriculum in Tasmania there is a need for the development of multi-disciplinary teaching activities within Tasmanian secondary schools.  However, the development of such activities requires input from personnel with expertise across a range of disciplines and an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in these disciplines.  As such, this expertise is most appropriately provided by university academics.

                   Also, there is a need to provide more encouragement to secondary students to undertake studies in science, and the teaching of science through relevant multi-disciplinary science-based activities will provide a more meaningful educational experience for students.

                   A number of projects are being planned or are underway within the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of Tasmania, to develop and/or facilitate the delivery of appropriate science-based activities into schools.  This SiMERR project is complemented by two other projects, in particular an ASISTM funded project (LeRoi et al., “Expanding Science Literacy in Tasmanian Regional and Rural Schools”) to develop and introduce a number of science-based activities into schools using postgraduate student presenters and a SiMERR application (LeRoi and Brown) to evaluate the activities developed under the ASISTM funded project.

                   This SiMERR application will specifically look at the development of an efficient and effective delivery mechanism for resourcing secondary science teachers in rural and regional areas of Tasmania through the use of WebCT.  The decision to develop/evaluate web-based technology is a deliberate attempt to minimise ongoing human resources needs, and thus provide a cost-efficient method of providing educational resources to teachers.

                   The questions considered as part of the project are the following:

                   1.  Is WebCT an effective medium for communication with and between secondary science teachers and university academics?

                   2.  Is WebCT an effective medium for the provision of background information and instructions for a number of multi-disciplinary science based activities?

CONTACT: Dr. John Kenny [John.Kenny@utas.edu.au] University of Tasmania

Other files are available about this project: