Royal Society Committee on Science and Technology Education

Report to RSNZ Council for period Jan – July 2005

NZ Science Mathematics and Technology Teacher Fellowships

We received 122 applications for 2006 and they have all been processed and sent to panel members. The number of maths applications is still low, but we have about equal numbers in the other panels this year.

All 2004 Teacher Fellows satisfactorily completed their Fellowship year, and reports have been received. One Fellowship required intervention during the year to bring back on track but this was achieved in collaboration with one of the host organisations involved. The split year Fellowship was satisfactorily completed in April 2005.

All final reports received demonstratethat Teacher Fellows increased their knowledge, skills and networks of useful contacts. Teacher fellows shared their enhanced knowledge and skills with:

colleagues through publication of resources, publication in professional publications and newsletters, provision of workshops/seminars at conferences, and involvement in professional development courses;
students through resources produced and classroom programmes;
the community through community newsletters and general media publicity for them and their projects.

The 2005 Teacher Fellowships commenced very satisfactorily with a markedly increased feeling of “fellowship” amongst the group. Monitoring visits have been made to most Teacher Fellows and hosts. One Teacher Fellowship was completed at the end of Term 2 (8 July). We have had to intervene significantly in three Fellowships so far this year. Two of these required changes in hosts – one a new host organisation and the other a change of research team within the host – due to unrealistic expectations on the part of the host personnel. These issues have been resolved satisfactorily. The third requiring greater intervention than normal is on-going and involves a Teacher Fellow proving to be challenged by the change in work-place culture. A tight monitoring and supervision regime was put in place in an attempt to resolve this, and we continue to monitor this Fellowship closely. We also intend to modify our procedures next year by requiring an additional interim report in March from Teacher Fellows in an attempt to gain earlier warning and evidence to assist in dealing with any emerging issues

The greater than target number of Teacher Fellowships awarded for 2005 has continued to have a significant impact on the amount of administration and monitoring required. It has also resulted in a great deal more unexpected requests and enquiries from schools of Teacher Fellows than previously experienced.

CREST

We received $15,000 from the ASB Trust to support the promotion of CREST in the Auckland region. We are still in the process of putting CREST online; launch date is now September. Two workshops have been given, one in Auckland during the July holidays to 15 teachers and the other in Pukekohe to the South Auckland Gifted and Talented group.We plan to run more workshops throughout New Zealand during the remainder of the year. A small venture capital fund has been established to which students can apply for support for their projects; this, and the scheme itself, are being advertised through the Education Gazette.

National Waterways Project

We received a very positive report from the monitoring visit by the MoE evaluator. We await release of the tender call from the MoE for the NWP and for Project GLOBE, a contract we do not hold but for which we will tender so that, if successful, we have a strong centre of environmental education within the RSNZ.

The latest newsletter is at http://nwp.rsnz.org/newsletters/newsletter19.pdf Two major pieces of work in progress are the preparation of a resource with WaiCare ( Auckland ), and a resource that develops the skills of Critical thinking within the waterways context.

Realise the Dream

Genesis Energy will again be the major sponsor, and we have two new sponsors this year, the Association of Consulting Laboratories and AgResearch. Planning is on track for a very successful event again.

Young Achievers

July has seen most of the international activities take place with students travelling to UK , China , Australia , Mexico , and the US . In the past year we have supported 62 students, ranging from Yr7 to Yr13, 24 female and 38 male, to 13 international science and technology events in 8 different countries.

Events attended by New Zealand students for 2004/05 were:

London Youth International Science Forum , England
The Hague International Model United Nations, The Netherlands
International Future Problem Solvers Competition, USA
Primary Asia Pacific Maths Competition, Singapore
International Chemistry Olympiad , Taiwan
International Biology Olympiad, Beijing , China
International Maths Olympiad , Mexico
USA International Space Camp , Alabama , USA
Biofutures, Brisbane , Australia
Harry Messels International Science School , Sydney , Australia
Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition, China
International Software Competition, Chennai , India
Fashion Design Workshop, Sydney , Australia

We also keep in regular contact with the 820 talented young New Zealanders on our database, providing them with information about science and technology activities of interest to them.

E=mc²

The two winning teams have completed their international trips. Further information is contained in the report by Glenda Lewis.

Olympiads

The Society has tendered to the Ministry of Education for support of the existing and emerging Olympiads in science and technology. These include chemistry, mathematics, biology, physics, geography, science, and earth science.

The 2005 Olympia ds recorded the greatest level of success for some years. The Mathematics team took 1 Silver medal, 2 Bronze and 2 Honourable Mentions; the Chemistry team took 1 Bronze medal; and the Biology team (in its first Olympiad) took 2 Bronze medals.

Alpha and Gamma

Alphas 122 Stonehenge Aotearoa and 123 Freshwater aquatic plants written by Tracey Edwards of NIWA and Gammas Global Warming and Tsunami have recently been published.

Code of Ethical Practice

The Animal Ethics Committee has its first meeting on 1 August. The committee took longer than anticipated to establish because it took the WRC took 3 months to not find a nominee. The lay nominee is from the Upper Hutt City Council, and is joined by nominees from NZASE (the code holder), NZ Vets Assn, RNZSPCA, and the research community..

Tertiary Study Pathways

This has been completed and supplied to MoRST who have contracted RSNZ to continue this in 2005 as well as extending it to Years 2 and 3 papers.

Supporting Māori/Pasifika into sciences

View the report from this symposium. The Education committee is continuing work from this and plans to case study examples of successful programmes.

BAYERBoost

A scholarship scheme to provide environmental holiday work for senior secondary and undergraduate students is being developed with financial support from Bayer NZ. We intend to have the scholarships operational for the 2005/06 summer holidays to provide paid work for up to 5 students studying environmental sciences.

BioTech Learning Hub Advisory Group

RSNZ has been contracted by MoRST to manage an Advisory Group for this project. The group will be chaired by Prof George Petersen; other members are Robyn Baker and Tony Brenton-Rule. Their first meeting will be in September.

Social Sciences Committee School Middle Management Symposium

A very successful symposium was held in Hamilton in July under the leadership of Mark Wilson of Hamilton Boys’ High School.

Partnership activities with Subject Associations:

NZASE

The NZ Science Teacher continues with Colin Walker as facilitating editor on a 0.2 part-time basis, and oversight of the NZASE Certificate in Science continues to be provided by RSNZ.