Innovative Programs to Promote Interest in Tertiary Education

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

S&T in conjunction with Rotary Club

Students entering Year 10

3 days  January annually

Hands on experiments; students exposed to a range of sciences and live in college

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

S&T, input from ERS and BCSS

Years 7 – 10 + teachers

1 day August annually coinciding with National Science Week.

Hands on activities that show that science is fun, interesting and challenging.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

SiMERR and the New England Mathematical Association

Year 8 students from across the region

1 day annually

Up to 300 high-achieving students attend the day which is the largest competition of its type in Australia. The focus of the day is to encourage students to work together to solve a diverse range of mathematical problems as well as interacting with students from other schools across the region.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

S&T in conjunction with the School of Education, Rotary Club and University of Newcastle

Years 5 - 6 and
9 -10 + teachers

2 days April annually, 1 day for Primary students and 1 day for High schools.

Students working in teams solve Engineering challenges – eg build the lightest and strongest bridge, the most accurate catapult, design and build a hovercraft that can be manoeuvred through a range of obstacles. The winning high school competes at the Super Challenge in Newcastle

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

S&T in conjunction with University of Sydney

Year 5 and 6, Science teachers and general community (also HSC program as well listed below)

Annually 2 days July

Physics show for Primary students

Science teachers’ physics workshops
Public lecture

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

ERS in conjunction with  Primary Industry Centre for Science Education

Year 11 talented science students. Pilot program involved Tamworth Schools being expanded this year to other local schools

Annually 1 week in December plus follow up in January and through the year.

Science teacher enrichment days and a week long talented students’ camp. These are designed to demonstrate the connection between primary industries and science

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

S&T, SiMERR, Education in conjunction with Australian Mathematics Trust and universities in other states. Collect and organise judging of entries from most of NSW.

High school students – northern NSW

Annually with state and national winners

Poster competition. Encourages students to experience learning and decision making through the collection and analysis of data. Provides secondary school students with an understanding of the diversity of statisticians’ work, and awareness of some of the diverse areas where statisticians are employed.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

Zonta Armidale and  SiMERR

Year 10 girls

Annually 1 day in May

Hands on activities including problem solving and development of a presentation. Provides information about careers in Information and Computer Technology from women currently working in the industry.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

ERS, S&T and Education in conjunction with CSIRO

Science teachers and students

On-going as required

Aim is to create and support long-term professional partnerships between
scientists and teachers. Partnerships are completely flexible; the scientist and teacher are encouraged to work together to develop a program that suits them. Six staff currently registered with the program.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

S & T in conjunction with RACI

Year 10 - 11 students and teachers

Annually 1 day in July

Local students compete on campus in the National competition. Gives students an idea of what chemistry can be like at University.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

Education

Series of Workshops for Talented and Gifted

The TalentEd Enrichment Program seeks to increase opportunities for gifted students (and their teachers and parents) in the New England, North Coast, Hunter Valley, and North West regions of NSW by accessing a variety of enrichment activities and/or professional learning in creativity, mathematics, science, and information and communication technology.

The final of the Tournament of the Minds will be hosted by the University of New England on 31 July.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

BEPP
Mentor Dr Peter McClenaghan

SIFE is an international organisation that encourages students to apply their academic learning through teaching business practices in their local and regional communities

Ongoing

One very successful project was to promote and potentially sell the unique products sold at the monthly Armidale markets on a cooperative website. SIFE also conducted seminars in Accounting, Marketing and Information Technology to assist the stallholders in the growth of their business, and learn how to manage and make their business more successfully

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

School of Education SiMERR

Teachers from Schools around Australia

January 2008

UNE was solely responsible for the Mathematics Summer School and the Science Summer School and was involved in the management of the Literacy and Numeracy Summer School under the leadership of Wollongong University.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

ERS and S&T in conjunction with Rotary

Year 12 talented science students

Annually 1 day in January

Local students who applied for the National Youth Science Forum. Introduces these students to science at UNE through hands on activities and information sessions.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

ERS and S&T

All years

Regular and on-going

These include individual school visits to Schools at UNE for a variety of activities and staff talking/providing science activities at individual schools. Eg Education week activities at Armidale Public School; Macksville High school being shown Agronomy and Animal Science research activities combined with a talk on study in Agriculture and possible careers and a campus tour; Emmanuel Anglican College Ballina, chemistry lab activities and talks

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

Run by Orpheus Music in Armidale

January

Music staff provided instruments and support

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

Education with support from Arts

January

Lectures and instruments

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

Individual staff

January

Staff become living books

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

Arts, Humanities and BCSS

All years

Regular and on-going

These include individual school visits to UNE for a variety of activities and staff talking/providing activities at individual schools. For example Language days.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

School of Rural Medicine

GPs and members of local area health services

The School of Rural Medicine has established a ‘Friends of the School of Rural Medicine Group’ to facilitate links with the community.

The School is also

• developing links with community based Boards to build teaching capacity in Gunnedah and Armidale.  The School has good links with Divisions of GP and other organisations
• developing a community body donation program where people can donate their body to science.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

School of Education
Frances Alter

Entry is open to all students living in NSW, from both government and non-government schools,

Annual

Students can submit two-dimensional art works in the form of digital art, photography, mixed media, assemblage or collage, painting (acrylic, oils or watercolour), graphic work, two-dimensional relief sculpture, jewellery, or textile work. About 50 art works are exhibited in NERAM for about a month.

UNE School

Participants

Time

Description

School of Education
Lyn Everett

Any school-age playwrights

Annual

Students submit a piece of drama and the three winning pieces are performed at the awards ceremony.