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Science Teaching
WINNER - Issues and Inquiry
Tassie Science Teacher Doesn't Go By the Book
It has been the catchcry for generations of secondary school students when feeling bamboozled in the classroom: "Why do I need to know this? How will I use this stuff in the real world?"
They are questions you're unlikely to hear from the students of Tasmanian science teacher, Jane Hall-Dadson. A passionate advocate of curiosity-driven learning, this educator believes that for students to be engaged and excited when studying science, they need to see how it directly relates to and affects their own lives.
This approach is the basis for Ms Hall-Dadson's ‘Issues and Inquiry' science program at Exeter High School in regional Tasmania, for students in years 7 to 10. As the school's Head of Science, Ms Hall-Dadson teaches in a way that students gain an understanding of the scientific inquiry process - by asking questions, carrying out scientific investigations and interpreting their findings.
In recognition of her dedication, Ms Hall-Dadson has won the 2010 University of Technology, Sydney Eureka Prize for Science Teaching.
Ms Hall-Dadson doesn't shy away from showing her students how science relates to the big issues, including some of the most topical and confronting matters facing society. For instance, she has used the example of genetically modified food to teach about genetics; road trauma and brain injuries to illustrate the principles behind speed and forces; and pollution and acid rain as an introduction to chemistry. She is particularly committed to showing how important science is to human health, environmental management and sustainability issues.
Ms Hall-Dadson instructs her students to each develop a subject of investigation that relates to their hobbies, interests or life observations. Their research has focused on questions including "which beaches are most prone to erosion?", "which tae kwon do kick is most powerful?" and "how does the taste of chocolate relate to the fat content?" Despite being time-consuming and intellectually rigorous to monitor, Ms Hall-Dadson has made these investigations a cornerstone of her teaching method.
In fact, she often bases units of learning on topics which stir curiosity in her students. One example is a forensic science short course she created for Year 9 and 10 students, in which basic forensic skills are taught, hypothetical crimes are solved and a forensic expert shares their experience of working on real crime cases. Other science specialists to have visited her classroom include engineers, a crayfish expert, staff from the Bureau of Meteorology and Coastcare and Tasmanian Devil researchers.
Ms Hall-Dadson has received a number of teaching prizes, including the ANZASS award for excellence in junior science teaching, which she has won five times. An active member of both state and national Science Teachers associations, she urges her staff to undertake professional development and engage their own students in curiosity-driven learning. This year she was one of only three Australian teachers elected to attend NASA's Spaceward Bound program in the United States.
Accolades aside, there's little doubt that for this former medical microbiologist, career satisfaction comes from seeing so many of her students go on to pursue science-based studies at university and share her lifelong passion for science.
The $10,000 Eureka Prize for Science Teaching is awarded to a secondary school science teacher who has motivated and inspired students to become involved in student-centred investigation and whose work impacts the science participation and performance of students in their school. The prize is sponsored by the University of Technology, Sydney.
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Sponsor
The UTS Eureka Prize for Science Teaching is sponsored by University of Technology, Sydney.
Description
The UTS Eureka Prize for Science Teaching is awarded to a secondary school science teacher who has motivated and inspired students to become involved in student-centred investigation and whose work impacts on the science participation and performance of students in their school.
prize
$10,000
Purpose
The UTS Eureka Prize for Science Teaching is awarded to a secondary school science teacher who has motivated and inspired their students to become involved in student-centred investigation, where students seek answers to scientific questions posed by themselves and set in real world contexts.
The focus of this prize is on work undertaken by a teacher that impacts on the science participation and performance of students in the teacher's school.
This 'curiosity-driven learning' must be undertaken as part of the school's science teaching and learning program. It could be part of classroom programs or could include inspiring and encouraging students to pursue learning in science as an exercise in itself - through local community projects, industry or work placements, science enrichment program or entries for competitions.
While judges will consider activity by an entrant that has a wider impact among students generally, or that impacts indirectly on students through work such as curriculum development, the bulk of the entrant's submission should relate to activity that has had a direct and demonstrable impact on the students taught by the entrant at their school.
The UTS Eureka Prize for Science Teaching is designed to reward activity by secondary school science teachers that is in accord with the National Professional Standards for Highly Accomplished Teachers of Science developed by the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA) - in particular Standard 6 relating to Professional Practice. This Standard relates to how teachers develop knowledge of science and scientific thinking skills through engaging students in active scientific inquiry. These scientific thinking skills include:
- • curiosity and an openness to new ideas
• scepticism and the demand for reason
• honesty and objectivity
• acceptance of the tentative nature of scientific knowledge.
Judging Criteria
Entries should specifically address how the teacher's work meets the following judging criteria:
1. Excellence in design and delivery of a science learning program
a) Describe the methods used by the teacher to engage students in curiosity-driven learning. What principles underpin these methods and how are these principles manifested in these methods (ie. what is the "design" behind the science learning program)? How was the learning program(s) developed and implemented?
b) Describe how and why the methods used by the teacher are innovative.
c) Describe the extent to which the teacher's methods integrate science teaching with other key learning areas in the school's educational program.
d) Explain the extent to which the science learning program provides an external interface to real world science (eg through local community projects, industry or work placements, addressing social and ethical issues raised by science, participation in science competitions etc).
2. Effectiveness in encouraging and developing scientific thinking in students
a) How effective has the teacher been in encouraging and inspiring students to develop scientific thinking (ie how have students responded)?
b) To what extent has the teacher provided effective guidance and feedback to students?
Conditions of entry
This prize is open to all secondary school science teachers.
Entries involving more than one teacher are not eligible.
Entrants must be currently employed as secondary school science teachers.
The work entered in this prize must have been undertaken in Australia by an Australian citizen(s) or Australian resident(s) no more than five (5) years before the closing date for entries.
Teachers can either enter themselves or be nominated by others. If nominating a teacher, please ensure that they have the opportunity to provide input to the documentation provided in support of their nomination.
You must submit an online entry form including all supporting documentation by midnight AEST Friday 7 May 2010 to be eligible for this prize.
Entries with insufficient sets of supporting documentation will not be considered. Submitted material will not be returned.
Any entries received after midnight AEST Friday 7 May 2010 will not be considered.
Hard-copy applications will not be considered.
The activity entered/nominated for this prize may not be entered/nominated for another Australian Museum Eureka Prize.
The deliberations of the judging panel remain confidential. All recommendations and decisions taken are binding and final and no correspondence will be entered into on such matters.
Information provided by the entrant(s) in relation to the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (including photos), may be used by the Australian Museum for promotional and publicity purposes. This may include, and is not restricted to, the information being used on websites, social media, printed material, advertisements, press releases etc.
Personal information provided in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes will be used only by the Australian Museum and only in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
How to enter
1. You must prepare and attach the following supporting documents to your online entry form. (Please clearly label your attachments as per below.)
a. Judging Criteria: a brief description of the teacher's activities, including an outline of their objectives and results to date. This description should address each of the points under the judging criteria above in order to explain how the teacher has shown excellence in design and delivery of a science learning program and effectiveness in encouraging and developing scientific thinking in students (four page maximum)
b. Assesor Reports: a maximum of four (4) short written reports addressing the judging criteria from people who are familiar with the teacher's work (2 page maximum per report). NOTE: Judges rely on these reports to provide additional perspective and informed opinion on the teacher's work. Assessors could be fellow teachers, a Principal, a parent or a student.
Supporting documentation can be uploaded in Microsoft Word (.doc), Adobe Acrobat (.pdf), Microsoft Excel (.xls) or JPgeg (.jpg). Collectively, attachments can be no larger than 5MB.
2. Submit an online entry form by midnight AEST Friday 7 May 2010.
Complete the online entry form which must include all your supporting documents and submit by midnight AEST Friday 7 May 2010.
If you require further information or help, please call the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Unit on +61 2 9320 6483 or email eureka@austmus.gov.au
