Teacher Earth Science Education Program
| Objective: | To develop and initiate the 'wet rocks' (groundwater) element of the Teacher Earth Science Education Program |
| Funding: | $250,000 plus applicable GST. Additional in-kind funding from the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment and from the International Association of Hydrogeologists Victorian Chapter. Exxon Mobil will contribute an estimated $39,000. The total value of the project is $289,000. |
| Jurisdiction: | National (except WA - similar program in place) |
| Commencing: | August 2009 |
| Completion: | March 2011 |
About the project
This project will develop a teacher training module for a curriculum program focussed on groundwater under the Teacher Earth Science Education Program (TESEP). The purpose of TESEP is to enhance the quality of earth science teaching and learning in Australian schools.
This project will assist to address the critical national shortage of young people in the trades and professions of the energy/minerals/environmental sciences industries in Australia. TESEP aims to raise the profile of earth and environmental sciences in secondary schools to a level matching the strategic importance of these industries to the economy.
The wet rocks teaching module will include study materials (fact sheets, project sheets), guidance notes, teaching aids and an educational video. Fourteen two-day professional development workshops for teachers across Australia will support the roll out of the teaching material.
Project benefits
The project will increase the number of secondary schools teaching earth and environmental sciences. A similar program in Western Australia resulted in a 500% increase in the number of schools teaching earth and environmental science and a 1200% in student numbers across the state.
Progress
July 2011
The Wet Rocks website is now live.
The website is an interactive educational site that provides resources and activities for teachers and students.
The site hosts two unique and innovative educational groundwater games developed for the Wet Rocks program, Gnasty Gnomes and Bots and Bores.
The challenge of Gnasty Gnomes is to remove gnomes before they drop pollution, then to treat the groundwater using bugs, chemicals or drilling. The game includes a money system to educate users of the effectiveness and cost of each treatment.
Bots and Bores requires users to destroy robots that are intent on damaging the water bores used by a city. The user can kill the robots and earn money to enable repair of water bores and maintain optimum water levels.
The website also hosts resources, activities and references to guide students and teachers in groundwater education.
Wet Rocks teaching materials that will align with the new national curriculum will also be available on the website towards the end of 2011.
To support the role out of the teaching material a number of professional development workshops have been conducted with teachers, with more scheduled throughout 2011 and early 2012.