Schools in Alice Springs have been blessed this week with a series of free earth science programs.
Australian Earth Science Education, a not-for-profit based in Western Australia, bring their program to the Northern Territory bi-annually and plan to continue.
Braitling Primary, Sadadeen Primary, Ross Park Primary, Amoonguna School, Gillen Primary, and Larapinta Primary were given a full-day with the group to work with real-life scientist and NT STEM hero of the year, Lachlan Hallett.
CEO of Australian Earth Science Education Jo Watkins says students and teachers often miss out on the STEM resources found on the east coast.
“We’re particularly keen to support students in the NT and Alice Springs because interest in science and STEM is key to our future,” she told EducationDaily.
Supporting equitable STEM education
“We find like our regional centres in Western Australia [Australian Earth Science Education was founded in Western Australia], are, unfortunately, quite under-resourced and we wanted to make sure that we engage with students and tried to sort of put some equity in there for those students.”
Australian Earth Science Education has a wealth of free online resources teachers can use.
After their visit schools, they encourage teachers to take advantage of those tools so students can remain engaged with earth sciences well their experience.
Ms Watkins says creating that engagement isn’t hard when the topic is so enriching.
“It’s about getting them excited and piquing their interest in a range of topics like fossil formation and rocks – how UV light works and all sorts of things,” she says.
“As soon as you engage students with that hands-on way of thinking and getting curious about the world around them, they actually really enjoy it too.”
