Earth & Environmental Science course industry-schools partnership links

The new Earth & Environmental Science course reached a milestone with the launch of the industry-schools partnership initiative at Woodvale Senior High School in February.

 

Strong industry support has been generated by Earth Science Western Australia (ESWA), a consortium of eminent geologists, industrialists and scientists engaged in high-level geoscience education and research in WA.

 

The objective of the industry-school partnership is to establish direct links between sponsoring resources companies and schools.

 

Dr Jim Ross, chair of Earth Science WA, said the group’s vision was for the uptake of the course by most secondary schools in the state. He said industry and institutions had backed that vision with funding of $500,000 to date, as well as in-kind support.

Darin Carter, a teacher development centre coordinator for Earth & Environmental Science based at Woodvale Senior High School, said 30 students were enrolled in the course across years 11 and 12 at his school.

 

He said the new Earth & Environmental Science course had undergone significant changes since it replaced the former TEE Geology course and those changes had broadened its appeal.

 

“The new course introduces a more environmental and holistic view of the earth as a system and includes topical subjects such as climate change, sustainability, biodiversity, algal blooms and dry land salinity,” Mr Carter said.

 

“The course has even been embraced by staff in departments outside of science, with a number of society & environment teachers delivering it as well.

 

“To me, the biggest strength of the new course is this broadened appeal. Some teachers have been concerned about the apparent watering down of the geology component within the course, but I believe there is more benefit to having a large number of students learn a little geology than having an extremely small number learn a lot of geology.

 

“The course still needs work, as the 2008 version lacks enough detail in its description to provide teachers with clear directions as to the depth of study required.

 

“In many areas, the content description is vague, but these issues are a remnant of the old OBE design guidelines and will hopefully be addressed by the new course revision due to be used in 2009.”

 

Mr Carter said Woodvale SHS’s partnership with mining company Newmont had only just begun, but the company had agreed to a number of ways in which it could support the school.

 

That support could include investigating the possible sponsorship of a field trip to Kalgoorlie to see Newmont’s operations at the KCGM ‘super pit’ and other local areas of interest; supplying the school with a number of their surplus binocular microscopes; providing prizes for high-achieving or hard-working students during the year; and, providing suitably qualified guest speakers on topics of interest throughout the year.

 

The Curriculum Council’s Earth & Environmental Science course project officer, Bernie Hunneybun, said the 2009 syllabus has been finished and the content description is more in-depth.