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National survey to look at science, maths in country schools

March 03, 2005

Lyons Parnell Pegg.jpgTeachers and communities will soon have an opportunity to have their say about issues in science, mathematics and ICT education in rural and regional Australia.

SiMERR Australia, the new national centre at the University of New England, has received funding of $250,000 from the Australian Government to conduct one of the largest surveys of teachers ever undertaken in Australia.

Teachers and parents from 5,700 schools throughout the country will be invited to complete the survey at the beginning of April, and their answers to the questions will help researchers understand the factors that contribute to the overall lower achievement of country students (in comparison to city students) in mathematics and science.

The survey is a significant new national project of SiMERR (the National Centre of Science, ICT and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia), which was established last year to support primary and secondary teachers in non-metropolitan schools in their efforts to improve their students’ results in these subjects.

The Director of the SiMERR National Centre, Professor John Pegg of UNE, is leading the survey team. “It is critical that we have accurate information about the issues facing teachers, students and communities in these subject areas if we are to address the disadvantage of students in rural and regional Australia in a coordinated way,” Professor Pegg said. “This National Survey is a vital first step. It will inform policy decisions about how to attract teachers to rural and regional schools, and how to support their efforts to help students achieve results in mathematics and science comparable to those of their city counterparts.”

UNE’s Dr Terry Lyons, the Project Manager for the National Survey, said: “Year after year, city students dominate the Year 12 high-achiever lists out of all proportion to their number, particularly in mathematics and science courses.”

“In our survey, every primary and secondary teacher involved in science, ICT and mathematics education in non-metropolitan schools will be invited to have their say on a range of issues, from the benefits or disadvantages of teaching in country schools, to the availability of resources and professional development opportunities,” Dr Lyons explained. “In order to provide data for comparison, a large number of city schools in each State and Territory (750 altogether) will also be invited to participate. The success of the study will depend greatly on the support of school principals and community leaders, who will be asked to distribute the surveys and to encourage participation. We hope that principals and teachers in all parts of Australia will see the survey as a unique opportunity to express their views on a critical issue.”

Teachers and community members will be encouraged to complete the survey online through the SiMERR Web site. Paper versions of the survey will also be available.


Media contact: Dr Debra Panizzon, Deputy Director of SiMERR, UNE (02) 6773
5061 (or mobile: 0418 633 152) or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.

The photograph displayed here, showing (from left) Dr Terry Lyons (Project Manager), Anne Parnell (Project Officer), and Professor John Pegg (Team Leader) is available. Please contact Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at March 3, 2005 03:18 PM