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After recruiting and interviewing undergraduate STEM students who can’t wait to share their enthusiasm for science, In2science training prepared mentors to enter the classroom. A total of 128 new in-person mentors and eMentors were trained in the final stage of mentor induction before being matched with schools to begin placements.

In2science mentors at La Trobe University getting to know each other

The sessions at each of the four partner universities covered a range of topics to equip new mentors with the skills for maximising their impact on placements. They ranged from explaining science and maths to make them relevant to the lives of young people, to awareness of the various learning styles of students and tips for working with a teacher in the classroom.

Josh Farr from Teach For Australia gave new mentors an insight into the teachers perspective

The new mentors were fortunate to be visited from representatives of Teach For Australia, Josh Farr, who visited Swinburne University of Technology, The University of Melbourne, and RMIT University, and Lauren Smith at La Trobe University. Josh and Lauren gave the mentors an excellent insight into the perspective of teachers, fostering a growth mindset in students, and preparing  for various behaviors of students.

Lauren Smith from Teach for Australia

In2science mentors-in-training at Swinburne University of Technology test out some hands on demonstrations.

The training for new eMentors was delivered on the same online video platform that they will be using to connect with their mentees at regional schools during placement. The eMentors were given first hand practice at communicating via the platform and using its features, such as screen sharing, drawing and the use of virtual rooms for breakout discussions. It was also a good opportunity for eMentors to encounter some limitations of the medium and learn strategies to overcome them.

The mentors now get to use their skills and enthusiasm where it counts – in the classroom.

Want to become an In2science mentor? Click here!

Innovative approaches to teaching STEM was the topic of conversation at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, in January. In2science was invited to share the benefits of peer mentoring with future secondary science and mathematics teachers at The Innovations in Education Marketplace, organised by Teach For Australia for its 2016 and 2017 Cohorts. The exhibition featured a range of innovative STEM education providers.

At the In2science stall, Program Manager Joanna Oreo and La Trobe University Coordinator Oliver Barrand, spoke with many Associates from Victoria and Interstate. The Associates were interested to hear about the impact of volunteer student mentors in keeping secondary students engaged with their STEM studies. 

“We focus specifically on low socioeconomic schools, so for many of the high school students it might be the first time they’ve had a meaningful encounter with a university student,” Jo told Associates.

A number of Associates were keen to sign up for updates on the program, with several Victorian Associates expressing interest in registering for the program.

The event brought together Teach For Australia Associates from across the country, and was an opportunity for them to get up to date on the latest innovations in STEM education that they could employ in the classroom.

Read more about the event on Teach For Australia’s news page.

The number of mentor placements in 2016 by region.

Welcome to the final post for 2016. The In2science Awards night was a fantastic way to celebrate the end of what has been a very busy, productive and successful year.

• Specalised mentor training and support: the team has focused on specific mentor training based around growth mindset, mentoring, and enhancing science communication skills.
• Staff professional development: the In2science team has attended numerous workshops and presented at conferences, all focused around increasing students’ engagement and aspirations in STEM.
• Mentor manager and placement application: In 2017, coordinators will be able to visually see a mentor’s location in relation to a school and match mentors availability with teachers requests based on times and common interests.
• Additional funding to launch and accelerate online mentoring for regional schools: Feedback from the 2016 pilot has been overwhelmingly positive.  We look forward to expanding this in 2017.

Feedback and support about the In2science program has been extremely positive.  Preliminary analysis of survey results reveal that, after having an In2science mentor, students:

• are more confident in science and maths
• are more likely to know how to find information to help them solve a science problem
• enjoy finding out answers to science questions
• identify that the problem solving skills they use in science can be helpful in everyday life; and
• recognise that studying VCE science/maths subjects at year 12 will give them lots of options

What the students say

“The mentor didn’t give me the answers but helped me work through all the problems”
– Year 8 maths student

“I have learnt a lot from my mentor. Insights of uni life and her future career have been great to think about for my future”
– Year 8 science student

What the teachers say

“The mentor must have instilled something in the students that is very rare and hard to achieve in a secondary college – Intrinsic motivation”
– Kylie Lambert, Maffra Secondary College

What the mentors say

“Students became more engaged with the work when we worked together”
– Selda Ekri, In2science mentor

We would like to thank the Chair, The Honourable Professor John Brumby, for his support and leadership and all Advisory Board members for their ongoing commitment to ensuring the program is well governed.

In2science is fortunate to have a team of highly motivated and dedicated staff.  The team is looking forward to working with current and new partner schools and further expanding the program to support digital learning and girls in STEM in 2017.

The Hon. James Merlino MP, Minister for Education, Tarik Zepcan, La Trobe University eMentor, Genevieve Lazzari, In2science Director, and The Hon. Judith Graley MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Education.

The achievements of the In2science eMentoring program were recognised by Victorian Minister for Education, The Hon. James Merlino MP, and Parliamentary Secretary for Education The Hon. Judith Graley MP at a morning tea held at Parliament House on the 5^th of December 2016.

Along with nine other mentoring programs across a range of areas, the eMentoring program was given special mention for connecting secondary science and maths students in regional Victoria with university mentors. In 2016, In2science eMentoring connected 64 students from five regional schools with 19 mentors, and will continue to grow in 2017.

Mr Merlino acknowledged the contribution of mentors in the lives of young people, “We’re so proud to see the success these mentoring programs have had empowering students from across Victoria. Sometimes it takes a mentor to help show us what we are capable of and these  programs have connected great mentors with hundreds of students.”

Mr Merlino presented a certificate of recognition to eMentor Tarik Zepcan and Acting Program Director Genevieve Lazzari on the day.

In2science eMentors Tarik Zepcan and Mitchell Griggs with In2science staff on the steps of Parliament House.

Mitchell Griggs, who mentored students at Cobram Secondary College, reflected on his experience as a eMentor, “The In2science eMentoring program has given me a great opportunity to share my enthusiasm and encourage more regional students to take on a rewarding career in science.”

Networking with regional schools in Mildura

During October, In2science staff travelled to Mildura and supported La Trobe University’s science outreach programs, which were offered to secondary students from five different schools in the Mildura region.  On the day, La Trobe hosted over 300 regional students who had opportunities to see real-world applications of science and participate in Biotechnology, Physics, Psychology and Robotics workshops.    This was a fantastic opportunity for regional and rural students who usually have limited access to educational experiences compared to their metropolitan counterparts.

Regional teachers had the opportunity to talk with In2science staff about the online mentoring program.  After a successful online mentoring pilot this year, In2science will work with more regional schools in 2017, with the aim of connecting interested secondary school students with like-minded volunteer university students who act as mentors, where students are opened up to the possibilities of pursuing their interests in STEM to year 12 and beyond.  Students and mentors are matched on shared science interests to maximise learning opportunities for students.

National Mentoring Week 23-29 October

The last week of October not only saw semester two placements come to a close, but also coincided with National Youth Mentoring Week. To celebrate mentoring week, In2science staff have been hosting afternoon teas, handing out certificates and saying thanks to our semester two mentors. 2016 has seen over 200 In2science mentors make an impact in 45 Victorian schools where they have remarkably volunteered over 2200 hours!

August has been another busy month, with mentor placements finalised and underway, including the first full-scale group of eMentors connecting with regional schools. With a multitude of activities for National Science Week, the In2science team was also out and about at various events:

Teacher Felicity Wilmot from Alexandra Secondary College trying out the eMentoring technology at the STEM Careers Expo in Wangaratta

eMentoring at Wangaratta STEM careers expo

eMentoring Coordinator, Ana Garcia-Melgar, hopped on a train to attended the STEM Careers EXPO at Galen Catholic College in Wangaratta. There, she gave teachers and students a live demonstration of eMentoring in action. They were able to connect online via Zoom to talk to In2science staff, see how eMentoring works in practice and to learn about the benefits of online mentoring for regional students.

Conversation with Dr Alan Finkel

Australia’s Chief Scientist, and In2science Patron, Dr Alan Finkel met in conversation with ABC’s Natasha Mitchell at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. There, he shared his insights and reflections on Australia’s place in the ever-changing science, technology and research landscapes. Three In2science Coordinators were in attendance, as well as one new La Trobe University mentor, Marianne Haines, who posed an excellent question that was addressed by Dr Finkel.

YSA lends a hand to train mentors

This semester, In2science partnered with Young Scientists of Australia (YSA) to help new mentors build their science communication skills. Four YSA volunteers (including one former In2science mentor) joined mentor training sessions at three partner universities to lead activities on relating science to real life and communicating a passion for science. The YSA members also invited mentors to join their national network of budding science enthusiasts.

Rewire Luncheon

Several In2science team members and mentors attended The Australian Newspaper’s Rewire luncheon. This event hosted a panel of experts, who examined some of the big questions around STEM education in Australia. They addressed questions such as why existing programs have not resulted in a national approach to STEM, the obstacles of student participation in STEM, and how Australia can increase its STEM teaching workforce.

Quantum Victoria STEM workshop

University of Melbourne Coordinator, Madeleine Yewers, attended a STEM best practice workshop at Quantum Victoria. The workshop was designed for teachers to build capacity in STEM Education and further engage students.  The workshop combined hands-on activities in programming, applying mathematics to the real world, and confronting well-known misconceptions in science as real-life examples (e.g. there are more than 5 human senses including pain, balance and body temperature). Maddy picked up some great ideas to inspire our mentors in the classroom!

Semester one has been another successful and impactful placement period for In2science. Our four partner universities coordinated 92 placements in 32 schools, with over 1500 students mentored over a 10-week block.

Our student, mentor and teacher evaluations measure many aspects of the program. In this snapshot, we take a look at the direct impact mentors have had on students in semester one, and the teacher and mentor perceptions in relation to this impact.

Impact on students:
This semester the In2science program was able to survey students in a whole class setting and group students based on if they worked with the mentor nearly every week or not.  All students were exposed to the same learning environment and this lead to the formation of a control group (students not directly working with mentors) to compare and measure the impact a mentor may have when working directly with the same students nearly every week.   Preliminary data from this has been overwhelmingly positive:

Click on the tabs below to see what teachers and mentors say about the In2science program

What teachers say:

Teachers ranking on what was of most value after having an In2science mentor

“Nathan was an excellent mentor. He really connected with some of the students who needed a reason to want to do mathematics. I hope at some point in the future he might consider a career in teaching.”

“Shaurya was excellent in my classroom at engaging with the students. It was also fortunate that the topics we were covering at the time fitted in to his expertise so he was able to help out many of the students develop their understanding. Thank you Shaurya.”

“Sarah was a fantastic mentor. She engaged really well with the kids, asked lots of questions (both of the students, and of me) and was very inspiring. It was also really wonderful to have her”

What mentors say:

“Although I had to mentor two different classes each week, the students were more inviting and accepting than I imagined. I learnt that teaching is much more complicated than I anticipated and have a new found respect for teachers. On the topic of algebra, I had to condense explanations in their most simplest form and use real life analogies for them to really grasp the concepts and by doing so I also learnt more about effective learning strategies that I can use in my own work. During my placement, I met an aspiring politician who discovered he needed math/science to understand budgeting, GDP, and global warming which he was very passionate about. I met a student who told me he was very interested in supernovas and galaxies after watching YouTube videos about space and told me that he now was interested in becoming an astrophysicist. Because of my circumstances I was only able to get really close to a few students but this was a great and rewarding experience and I hope to be an even better mentor next semester.”

“I really enjoyed the placement. The teacher was enthusiastic and it was fun and challenging finding different ways to engage with various students on scientific topics.”

“In2science is a really good program! I feel as though it has a meaningful impact on not only the students, but also the mentors. It was enlightening seeing how schools have progressed since I was in high school, especially the role that technology plays in each lesson.”

 

After three and a half years of dedicated and enthusiastic service to the In2science program, Mr Simon McKeon AO will step down as Chair of the In2science Advisory Board after our August meeting. Mr McKeon has this year taken on the role of Chancellor of Monash University.

In2science would like to thank Mr McKeon for the guidance and support that he has provided to the program during his tenure. Mr McKeon has led In2science in securing funding from the Commonwealth government, and his advocacy at Federal and State levels has contributed greatly to our improved profile and presence. Mr McKeon will continue to be an outstanding advocate of the program.

The Honourable Professor John Brumby

We are very pleased to announce that The Honourable Professor John Brumby has accepted our invitation to be the new Chair of the In2science Advisory Board. As a former Premier of Victoria (2007 – 2010) and Minister for Innovation, Professor Brumby has a strong commitment to Victoria.

Professor Brumby has immense experience in public life, serving for more than 10 years as Treasurer and then Premier of Victoria.  He also served for 7 years as Federal MHR for Bendigo during the Hawke Government.

Since retiring from politics, Professor Brumby has accepted a number of Board positions. He is Chair of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Chairman of the Fred Hollows Foundation, National President of the Australia China Business Council, Chairman of the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA) Superannuation Fund, an Independent Director of Huawei Technologies (Australia) Pty Ltd, and Chairman of Citywide Service Solutions Pty Ltd.

In Government, Professor Brumby was a champion of science, technology and innovation with major new investments in the Australian Synchrotron, the new Florey Neuroscience Centre, the $250 million BioResource Centre, the Australian Centre for Regenerative Medicine, the expansion of WEHI and the new $1 billion Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.  He is known as a strong advocate of education.

The Advisory Board of In2science welcomes Professor Brumby, and looks forward to his guidance to the In2science program as it positions for the next phase of its growth.

To read about eMentoring from a mentor’s perspective, click here.

In2science recently completed a successful trial of its new eMentoring program, which aims to connect students from regional schools with university mentors. In March, In2science received funding from the Victorian Government to support the online mentoring program, which pairs eMentors with regional school students based on their interests, aspirations or competencies in science and mathematics. The completion of this pilot marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for In2science, extending the program’s reach into regional areas of Victoria.

The pilot program started in April this year with three schools participating in the trial. A total of 27 students connected with 9 mentors in weekly audio and screen-sharing sessions. Two of the trial schools were in the Shepparton region, an area that In2science mentors would not normally be able to reach. The students benefitted from being in small groups of two to four during sessions with their mentors, gaining insights into STEM pathways they would not normally have. 

Using the screen sharing function, one mentor took students through her university course selection for semester 2, giving students a ‘real life’ sense of what uni is like and the possibilities open to them if they go onto study science after completing year 12.  Other mentors and student groups had far reaching discussions as to why soft drink cans burst in the freezer, and how it could be possible for a planet to be made from diamonds.

Over the trial spanning 10 weeks, eMentors also worked with students on their classwork, study skills and supported students to consider science outside the science classroom. The trial also gave mentors and coordinators valuable insights into some of the practical challenges of communicating with students over the online platform, and ways to overcome these challenges.

During the semester one pilot, eMentors submitted weekly reflective tasks.  Use the tabs below to get a snapshot on how sessions changed over time.

Next semester the program is set to double in size, lead by our new eMentoring coordinator Ana Garcia Melgar.  If you are interested in the program and would like further information, please get in touch via [email protected].

To read about eMentoring from a mentor’s perspective, click here.