Uni project means more science on menu for students

Prof. Alister Jones: Waikato University-run website supports science curriculum.

A Waikato University project which connects science with teachers and students has hired extra people to cope with its growing popularity.

The Science Learning Hub was launched in 2007 and is an innovative website linking schools with scientists. It highlights current science research and shows students and teachers the relevance of that research to everyday life.

In December 2008 alone it had 30,000 visitors to the website.

The hub is the brainchild of Waikato University’s Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research, and Centre for Science and Technology Educational Research.

Government funding has now been rolled over to 2012 and the contract has been extended to include students in years 5-8 as well as years 9-10.

The NZ Science Learning Hub explores NZ’s world-class research, science and technology sectors and provides student and teacher resources to support fresh thinking in science teaching and learning in schools.

It has a multi-media approach with video clips of scientists, animations, demonstrations and up-to-date information – all based on the science curriculum and giving students a chance to learn about everything from future fuels to nano-science.

The site’s content manager, Di Hartwell, says the extra government funding means the team of 16 can expand and further resources can be developed.

An extra six writers for the site have been hired from backgrounds including teaching, environmental science and science and technology education.

The science sector and educators have helped develop the initiative which is funded through the ministry of research, science and technology. The CWA New Media company helps Waikato University’s School of Education to create and manage the site.

Ms Hartwell says feedback from teachers using the Science Learning Hub has been extremely positive, and that’s reflected in the growing numbers of visitors to the site.

School of Education dean Alister Jones says the website can help teachers engage students in science and to improve their learning of the subject.

The latest figures from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study project show year five students in NZ are placed about the middle of the 37 nations studied.

Achievement levels had increased between 1994 and 2002 but have now dropped back to 1994 levels, the report shows. However, 80 per cent of the nearly 5000 students surveyed said they would like to do more science at school.

Prof. Jones says teachers can use the Science Learning Hub to make an impact on those figures in the next four-yearly study.

“What makes our website unique is that all the content has been specifically developed to support the science curriculum in NZ,” he says.

“It’s focused on providing content at the right learning and interest level for students, as well as providing useful teaching tools for classroom teachers.”

The website can be viewed at http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/