News

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.

May has been a busy month for the In2science team attending events in the education community, in addition to running the program. Here’s a round up of events:

In2science mentor Eloise Molan helps students program their robot at Quantum Victoria

In2science & Quantum Victoria Event  Quantum Victoria, with assistance from In2science, hosted a day of immersive STEM workshops. Over 100 students from 3 schools, participated in workshops including 3D design through CAD software, playing with logic gates in Minecraft, and reverse engineering robots.

The students were accompanied by five In2science mentors, and had opportunities to ask the mentors about further studies in STEM and their experience of university. The event concluded with a Q&A panel session featuring the mentors, the In2science Program Director, Program Manager, and the Director of Quantum Victoria.

Encouraging Girls in STEM  Maddy Yewers, In2science Coordinator at The University of Melbourne, attended the “Encouraging Girls in STEM” event as part of Melbourne Knowledge Week. It was hosted by a start-up called Power of Engineering which runs one-off events in schools for girls to show the possibilities of engineering for women.

A number of great resources and ideas were discussed, including the importance of role models and incorporating Growth Mindset in STEM classrooms.

The language that people use when speaking to girls about studies and careers STEM is also important.  Girls benefit from collaboration, especially when they can participate and communicate fairly. Girls are motivated by projects they find personally relevant and meaningful.

Furthermore, it is useful to discuss careers in STEM in terms of the personal characteristics they require, not what STEM professionals ‘do’. Research also shows that, on average, women self-identify using adjectives (e.g. helpful, organised, friendly, shy) whereas men self-identify through activities that they are involved in like jobs, hobbies and interests.

These valuable insights will be passed onto In2science mentors in training sessions to further encourage girls in science and maths classrooms.

ACER workshop makes maths fun   What is the best way to get students to have fun with maths?  The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) ran a workshop last week to explore this question and RMIT University In2science Coordinator Claire Farrugia went along to find out more.

The workshop highlighted the importance of language when developing maths literacy and offered a plethora of examples, activities and games for developing maths language and skills.

Words that we know as having a mathematical meaning like volume or takeaway have other more common meanings for students. The workshop suggested that language is extremely important in teaching maths, and extra time should be spent to understand the context of these words so students become familiar with them.

The workshop also provided a number of different cooperative logic problems to build language, teamwork and confidence in mathematics.

These resources will be used to train In2science mentors heading into maths classes in semester 2, 2016 and beyond.

ACER run a wide variety of professional learning workshops across Australia. For more information visit their website.

Encouraging students to explore career pathways in STEM  Genevieve Lazzari, In2science Program Director, delivered a presentation at the Department of Education and Training’s STEM Education and Careers Workshop.

The presentation focused on the importance of mentoring in schools by university students studying science, engineering and mathematics courses. Genevieve was joined in the presentation by Sally IP of CSIRO’s Scientists and Mathematicians in Schools.

The event was a showcase of STEM careers resources provided to teachers in order to plan for enriched student learning experiences.

In2science acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government

In February, In2science received a grant as part of $1 million for commitment from the Victorian government to develop new mentoring programs or expand existing ones for disadvantaged young people. This funding from Department of Education and Training (DET) will be used to enhance, accelerate and broaden the rollout of the online mentoring aspect of the program.  In2science eMentoring is an innovative online mentoring program that connects secondary students in regional Victoria with eMentors studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at one of our four partner universities.

In2science has worked for 12 years with science students in disadvantaged schools in the Melbourne region with significant success. With research showing regional areas have significant unmet needs and reduced learning experiences In2science aims to inspire, motivate and mentor regional and rural students interested in studying STEM to year 12 level and beyond.

The new funding will support the employment of a dedicated eMentoring coordinator as well as the technology required to run the program effectively.  It will build on key elements of the existing program, currently funded by the Federal government Australian Maths and Science Partnerships programme, by extending its reach and giving students in regional and rural secondary schools the opportunity to interact with university maths and science students.  In2science will train and pair an eMentor with regional school students based on their interests, aspirations and/or competencies in science and mathematics. eMentors and students will meet digitally once a week for a 10-week placement period via a customised platform to discuss topics ranging from schoolwork to university life and study skills.

In2science eMentoring is preparing to roll out a pilot program with 3 Victorian regional schools in the first half of 2016 with plans to have 18 eMentors working across 6 regional schools in semester 2 and further growth in 2017.