Research Goals
1. To support Stages 2 to 6 teachers in remote NSW to actively engage students with authentic learning opportunities integrating Sustainability, Statistics & STEM concepts.
2. To introduce Sustainability, Statistics & STEM concepts to school teachers and young audiences from low SES culturally diverse and remotely-located schools in a fun, educational and interactive manner via a project-based learning activity, drawing upon the successes of experienced tertiary educators.
This will encourage and inspire young minds towards increased:
It will encourage and inspire teachers towards an increased:
3. To produce teaching and learning material from this research activity to then roll-out this project
to remote schools Australia wide in 2018 and beyond.
2. To introduce Sustainability, Statistics & STEM concepts to school teachers and young audiences from low SES culturally diverse and remotely-located schools in a fun, educational and interactive manner via a project-based learning activity, drawing upon the successes of experienced tertiary educators.
This will encourage and inspire young minds towards increased:
- connection/affinity with, and participation and interest in, the sciences and environmental sustainability pursuits (perceived value and interest);
- confidence in having an audience and their views being heard;
- participation and interest in investigations surrounding environmental sustainability and/or statistics in any field of interest;
- confidence in being able to contribute to the development of scientifically-rigorous sustainability pursuits (identity, student voice, and belief and access and connection);
- aspiration towards higher education pathways surrounding Sustainability, Statistics & STEM;
- collaboration with culturally-diverse people and beliefs, and the value of such collaboration (teams, collaboration);
- understanding of the role of statistics in developing valid, reliable and valuable studies; and
- belief that such activity and the surrounding disciplines of statistics, sustainability and the science are of interest and ‘accessible’, within their reach --- connection with statistics and as accessible.
It will encourage and inspire teachers towards an increased:
- understanding of the role of sustainability, statistics and STEM in practice, and how to incorporate statistics within teaching the syllabus;
- set of resources to assist with their teaching of the various syllabi;
- connection with higher education;
- belief that support exists and integration of statistics and STEM is achievable; and
- projects connect and integrate local environmental projects/solutions.
3. To produce teaching and learning material from this research activity to then roll-out this project
to remote schools Australia wide in 2018 and beyond.
Research Questions
1. Is such an activity perceived by students as enjoyable and educational?
2. Does such an activity positively contribute to students perceptions about environmental sustainability, statistics and STEM? In particular, does it increase students’:
3. Does such an activity encourage students to pursue careers in the sciences with a view to developing solutions for the legacy of global problems left by previous generations?
4. Is such an activity perceived by teachers as enriching, valuable and educational, for students, and for themselves?
5. Does such an activity positively affect teachers? In particular, does it increase their:
6. Has the SSSTEM project been effective in:
2. Does such an activity positively contribute to students perceptions about environmental sustainability, statistics and STEM? In particular, does it increase students’:
- connection/affinity with and interests in the sciences, statistics and environmental sustainability pursuits?
- perceptions that their voice (their ideas) can be heard and they may contribute to scientifically rigorous environmental sustainability pursuits;
- participation and interest in investigations surrounding environmental sustainability and/or statistics in any field of interest;
- aspiration towards higher education pathways surrounding Sustainability, Statistics & STEM;
- perceptions and attitudes surrounding statistics, science, collaboration and environmental sciences as valuable, practical, interesting and accessible pursuits; and
- understanding of the cross-disciplinary nature of statistics and Sustainability and its value to students personally?
3. Does such an activity encourage students to pursue careers in the sciences with a view to developing solutions for the legacy of global problems left by previous generations?
4. Is such an activity perceived by teachers as enriching, valuable and educational, for students, and for themselves?
5. Does such an activity positively affect teachers? In particular, does it increase their:
- understanding of how to integrate statistical methods and environmental science into the their delivery of the curriculum?
- confidence in developing meaningful and practical delivery of key curriculum concepts?
- confidence in engaging students? (eg Gifted and Talented Students); and
- belief that they can connect with higher education in a meaningful and beneficial manner.
6. Has the SSSTEM project been effective in:
- introducing SSSTEM concepts to remote schools in NSW;
- changing the perspective of teachers and students about teaching and learning SSSTEM;
- engaging and documenting teacher and student perspective on SSSTEM and Project Based Learning at the various stages of the project; and
- creating a demand for these types of teaching and learning modules to be extended to remote schools in NSW and Australia for a highly literate society that is equitable.
- gauging teacher interest and capacity to integrate SSSTEM concepts into classroom teaching for schools; and
- identifying teacher preference on Project Based Learning activities in teaching and learning modules for both primary and high schools in comparison to traditional classroom teaching.