With its strong networks in the scientific and technological communities, the Royal Society is able to play a unique role in education and promotion. The Society is the only organisation in New Zealand which is able to encompass such a wide range of activity at so many different levels.
It has a broad perspective on science and technology education through the maintenance of a Science and Technology Education Advisory Committee, close links with the NZ Association of Science Educators and Technology Education NZ, affiliation with the other professional teacher associations in the Society’s sphere of interest, the Polytech Heads of Science and the University Deans of Science committees.
The Royal Society contributes to ensuring the provision of New Zealand’s future human capacity in research, science and technology by:
- encouraging young people to engage in scientific and technological practice;
- encouraging students to enter scientific and technological careers and supporting them in the early stages;
- demonstrating the value of sciences and technology in other careers;
- identifying promising individuals and providing opportunities to foster their growth and development in sciences and technology.
It manages a range of programmes which:
- provide opportunities for school students to engage in scientific and technological practice, e.g. Science and Technology Fairs, Young Investigators, the BP Technology Challenge;
- recognise and reward achievement by students (school and tertiary), such as the British Council Student Award to attend the London International Youth Science Forum;
- support students to attend international scientific conferences and schools, e.g. Singapore Science Research School and US Space Camp;
- recognise and provide professional development for teachers, e.g. NZ Science, Mathematics and Technology Teacher Fellowships;
- create linkages between enterprises and schools, providing powerful learning opportunities for students, teachers and professional scientists, technologists and engineers.
Science and Technology Fairs
Science and Technology Fairs are established, successful and high profile events which take place annually throughout New Zealand at classroom, regional and national levels. Science and Technology Fairs have been operating in New Zealand for over 30 years. Annually they involve at least 50,000 children from Year 7 to Year 13. There are 23 regional fairs.
The Royal Society of New Zealand distributes the funding to 16 of the 23 regional fairs, and regular communication is maintained with all regional coordinators throughout the year. Regional fairs are run by local committees of volunteers.
The Royal Society manages the National Science and Technology Fair, which features the best exhibits from each of the regional fairs. This is a high profile event, attended by many people and attracting extensive national media coverage. The Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (ECNZ) sponsored these fairs from 1992 until 1998. With the dissolution of the Corporation, the sponsorship passed to Genesis Energy Ltd.
The 1998 ECNZ National Science and Technology fair was held at Te Papa, Wellington, December 10-13. Twenty-six regional winners attended, as well as three guest exhibitors from Taiwan and the United States. Over 3000 people came to view the exhibits, a significant increase on previous years.
1998 ECNZ National Science & Technology Fair Premier Winner for Technology
Bryn Fenwick, Riccarton High School (attendance at the 1999 London International Youth Science Forum)
River Pollution Trap
From his study of stream morphology and flow rates in two Christchurch rivers, Bryn used engineering modelling to begin development of a trap to capture the debris floating on and in the water. His prototype had a high efficiency, minimal impact on stream flow and was environmentally inconspicuous. This model had innovations of relevance to hydro lakes. Bryn’s invention was a powerful piece of technology which showed a “phenomenal amount of work”.
1998 ECNZ National Science & Technology Fair Premier Winner for Science
Rebecca Moore, Matarau School, Northland
Who Done It?
Rebecca’s investigations into one of our native giant land snails, Paryphanta first required her to get a conservation permit for collection of their shells. Having discovered that wild pigs were probably their greatest threat, she had to check out the pig faeces to prove her hypothesis – certainly an example of her devotion to science. This was an excellent project with great investigative skills being shown.
The 1999 Genesis Energy National Science & Technology Fair was also held at Te Papa in Wellington from 7-12 December. Thirty regional winners attended and also three overseas guests from Taiwan and the United States.
1999 Genesis Energy National Science & Technology Fair Premier Winner for Science
Sarah Pepworth, Freyberg High School, Palmerston North
Piaget’s Conservation Paradigm
Do children acquire certain understandings at an earlier age than they did 60 years ago? Do earlier childhood experiences influence this? In repeating some of the investigations of Piaget, an educational philosopher, Sarah enlisted 80 young New Zealanders to investigate the understanding of conservation of liquids, number, substance, length and area. She found that they acquired an understanding at around the same age as their 1930s counterparts.
1999 Genesis Energy National Science & Technology Fair Premier Winner for Technology
Lisa Pedersen, Otakiri Primary School
School bus + flashing lights = safer children ?
Following the tragic death of a child leaving a school bus near Lisa’s home, she thought there had to be a way of preventing such an incident occuring again. She analysed 13 years of data relating to school bus accidents and trialled the placement of a flashing light on the rear of her local school bus. This resulted in a significant reduction in vehicle speeds passing a stationary bus. Lisa’s recommendation is that there be two flashing lights attached to all school buses in New Zealand.
BP Technology Challenge
The BP Challenge is an extraordinarily successful programme. The Challenges are great fun and provide opportunities for students to develop essential skills such as problem solving, team building and social skills. Essentially, it is a group activity where solutions need to be found to given problems. Students are usually given a scenario and are provided with simple materials such as paper, string, straws, sticky tape. They then set about developing innovative solutions.
These activities can be held in the classroom or as a school or regional event. A regional challenge is when a number of schools come together in the district and work in school teams. As many as 600 students participate in such events. This involves many hours of organisation, which is carried out by a regional co-ordinator.
The Society entered a partnership with BP in March 1998 and now manages this programme. Over 200,000 students have participated in school events and then selected teams have gone through on to regional challenges. In 1999, the number of participants increased to over 250,000 and over 80 regional challenges took place throughout the country.
Royal Society and BP Oil staff attend a significant number of these events.
Educational resources
Alpha series
In 1989, the Royal Society continued the DSIR ALPHA public information series, which was used to showcase New Zealand science. The Society has continued the series to ensure close links to the school curriculum and to maintain an excellent resource for school students. Alphas highlight current
sciences, mathematics and technology in New Zealand, and provide career information for young people. Each issue sold to schools is accompanied by activity sheets for classroom use.
Titles produced in 1998/9:
- Alpha 95: Wind Power
- Alpha96: Laura is a Research Biologist
- Alpha 97: Sibling Rivalry
- Alpha 98: Cardiovascular Disease
- Alpha 99: Whale Research.
- Alpha 100: Radiation
- Alpha 101: Pets or Pests?
- Alpha 102: New Zealand Hoki
- Alpha 103: Limestone
We acknowledge the support of the NZ Association of Science Educators.
Delta series
The Delta Technology Series has been developed in association with Technology Education New Zealand and the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand to support the implementation of technology education in primary and secondary schools. Teachers and technologists are brought together to plan and implement a unit of technology education, which is then written up as a case study.
The specific aim of each unit is to give teachers and students access to technological knowledge and examples of technological practice. Each case study incorporates reflective comment from the teachers and students involved, comment from the technologists on the knowledge and experience they brought to the task, and comment from a reference panel of experienced technology educationalists.
The published case studies provide those teachers who are just starting out in the process of developing their classroom technology programmes with an insight into the thinking of others who have taken positive first steps. More experienced teachers will be able to reflect on the experiences and views of others as they work to refine their own programmes.
Case studies published in 1998/9:
- Build Me a Home
- Exhibition of the Future
- Sweet Treats
- Coming in Loud and Clear
- Clean Me
- Swimming Bags
- Video for a Time Capsule.
Gamma series
Emotive and unbalanced media coverage of an important issue led to the Gamma series, which presents the science behind the news. The series is available on subscription and is available from many public libraries and schools.
1998/9 topics were:
- El Nino
- Mercury fillings
- Sun, skin and cancer
- Cosmic collisions
- Asian tiger mosquito
- Water, water everywhere
- Asthma
- Tattoos and body piercing
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
Young Investigators Club
This programme for 10-12 year-old students continues to be offered to individual subscribers to the Helix magazine as well as to selected schools. It is designed to reinforce positive attitudes towards science and technology in Year 7 and 8 students (Forms 1 & 2).
Although this programme is designed for 10-12 year old children to encourage their engagement in scientific activity at home or as part of a science club or extension activity at school, it is also being used with younger children, often as young as 5-6 years, with parental assistance. Children receive a monthly package of activities on a particular topic and they are encouraged to return their work to the Society. Topics covered in 1999 were as diverse as fungi, the weather, levers, astronomy and chemical reactions (based on kitchen substances).
The programme has been very successful with the number of children involved increasing through the year. A number of parents and teachers are searching for such activities to supplement or extend children’s learning at school.
Representation
The Society has the role of increasing public awareness of the value of science and technology. Activities centred on the development and delivery of the the Science and Technology Promotion Programme, which also involved the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, the Foundation of Research, Science and Technology and the Health Research Council of New Zealand. This Programme developed the Wow! It’s science branding, and the WOW website.
Teacher associations
The Society continued to act as secretariat for the New Zealand Association of Science Educators (NZASE). Technology Education NZ (TENZ) was supported through the provision of administrative and accounting services. Other professional associations – history, geography and mathematics – were supported in a variety of ways, for example, the Society hosted the Young Historian Awards in 1998, at which three secondary students were honoured and presented with their awards.
Workshop for science communicators
A one-day workshop for New Zealand science communicators was organised, bringing together some of New Zealand’s best science journalists and communicators.
Consultative work
The Society carries out a range of activities on contract to other organisations. During the period, it has:
- managed the professional development of teachers for the New Zealand Association of Science Educators (NZASE) through the introduction of “Safety in science: a guidance manual for schools”;
- worked with NZASE on the preparation of “The Science Toolbox” resource for primary schools;
- provided review and comment on resources produced by organisations such as the Ministry of Education, Learning Media Ltd, Huia Publishers, and BP Oil Ltd.