2006 Media Releases
Wednesday, 12 July 2006
Distinguished Professors Tackle Crisis in Science Education
Four internationally recognised Professors all working on research to increase student interest and enhance teaching and learning in Science will meet in Bendigo this Friday 14th July for a special education symposium.
La Trobe University’s Faculty of Education is hosting the symposium and is encouraging teachers, principals, students and others with an interest in science literacy and learning to attend.
Professor Larry Yore of the University of Victoria in Canada, Professor Professor Brian Hand of the University of Iowa in the United States, Professor Vaughan Prain of La Trobe University, and Professor Russell Tytler of Deakin University Melbourne will explore learning and literacies, particularly in relation to science.
Head of the School of Education at La Trobe University, Professor Prain, said Australia was facing a crisis with a shortage of science teachers and decline in student interest in science subjects and take-up of science careers.
'At a time when we have all this new technology before us and increased capacity for scientific development, the nation is facing a crisis in student interest in science subjects.
'There is a national priority on enhancing science teaching and learning and significant research is being undertaken to address this.”
Professor Prain is a national consultant on the $1.8million ‘Primary Connections’ professional development project to assist teachers to teach science funded by the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) through the Australian Academy of Science.
The project has just been funded for the next 3 years to enable continued expansion of this program.
Professor Prain said the symposium was an opportunity to bring together leading academics whose research is highly praised in the field.
'Each of the presenters is involved in different aspects of research aimed at enriching learning and providing effective strategies to make science more engaging and meaningful for students.'
Professor Hand, Professor Yore and Professor Prain were guest editors for the February 2006 special issue of the International Journal of Science Education, ‘Natural science, cognitive science and pedagogical influences on science literacy: empowering research and informing instruction’.
Professor Yore and Professor Hand were joint convenors of two NSF-funded Island Conferences on 'Language and Science Literacy' (2002), and 'Gold Standards in Science Literacy Research' (2005).
Professor Prain said while presenters will focus particularly on learning the literacies of science, the seminar had broader implications for literacy learning generally.
Professor Larry Yore will present a lunchtime seminar entitled,’ The Gold Standard for Educational Research - The Dog and the Tail Story’ between 12.30pm and 1.30pm in Room 320 in the Education Building.
The symposium, ‘Exploring Learning and Literacies: The Case of Science’ will be held between 2.30pm - 4.30 pm in room 320 in the Education Building at La Trobe University’s Bendigo campus on Friday 14th July 2006. All are welcome to attend.
For further information:
Professor Vaughan Prain, Tel: 03 5444 7314 Email:v.prain@latrobe.edu.au