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Meeting tackles falling science student numbers

July 14, 2004

watson.jpgScience education, at a time when a greater proportion of students than ever
before are opting out of science subjects, was the focus of an international
conference at the University of New England.
Fred Watson, Astronomer-in-Charge of the Anglo-Australian Observatory, who
gave the introductory address, said it was “fantastic” to be attending an
international meeting, in rural NSW, on such an important subject.

(The Australasian Science Education Research Association, ASERA, was holding its annual conference in a regional centre for only the second time in its
35-year history.)
During the conference, on July 8, 9 and 10, there were 75 presentations of research results on a wide range of subjects, all ultimately addressing the question: How can educators inspire students to continue with their study of
science? “The most important thing is to make them want to do science again
next year,” said one of the delegates, Dick Gunstone, who is Professor of
Science Education at Monash University.
The convener of the conference, Dr Debra Panizzon from UNE’s School of
Education, said one of the main topics of discussion had been the issue of
assessment. “It’s a hot topic world-wide,” she said. Professor Gunstone
explained that current methods of assessment, based on “outcomes”, were
causing problems because “the most important outcomes cannot be easily
measured”.
About 100 researchers and educators from the United States, South Africa,
Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand and New Zealand, as well as from around
Australia, attended the conference. Dr Panizzon said the meeting had “put
Armidale on the map” as a centre of science education practice, as well as
reinforcing UNE’s position in science education research.
Emeritus Professor Peter Fensham, Australia’s first Professor of Science
Education and the initiator of ASERA, was among the delegates. During the
conference, the current Managing Director of ASERA, Professor David Treagust
of Curtin University, launched Professor Fensham’s new book: Defining an
Identity: The Evolution of Science Education as a Field of Research, which
reports and analyses interviews with 75 prominent science education
researchers in 15 countries.
Media contact: Dr Debra Panizzon, School of Education, UNE, Armidale (02)
6773 5061 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE, Armidale (02) 6773 3049.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at July 14, 2004 11:40 AM