ANSTO teamed up with the Australian Synchrotron to host a Teacher Professional Development Day at the Clayton Campus in Melbourne on Tuesday 23 June.
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The new national curriculum for science enables ANSTO’s NSW based education team to share education resources with the Victorian based Synchrotron to deliver programs for teachers that increase their science skills and knowledge.
ANSTO’s Teacher Professional Development Days are full-day workshops which demonstrate how teachers can access and integrate these programs and resources into their teaching programs in the classroom including a new e-learning tool which features the Australian Synchrotron’s facilities.
At the workshop high school teachers were given the opportunity to hear from leading scientists and education staff to get some fresh ideas for teaching key areas of the new Year 9 curriculum and VCE physics. ANSTO scientist Dr Helen Maynard-Casely explained how she uses neutrons to study small molecules and ice under pressure to better understand the surface and interior of planetary bodies.
Pioneering Australian Synchrotron scientist Dr David Cookson highlighted the physics behind the Australian Synchrotron and the many ways in which light can be used to analyse materials for a variety of medical, industrial and agricultural applications.
Teachers took a tour of the Australian Synchrotron where they had a bird’s-eye view of the technology from an observation deck, visited the beamlines and experimental stations. Hands-on workshops were also conducted where teachers received new educational resources.
ANSTO is an endorsed provider with the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) for Standards 2 and 3 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, receiving the accreditation after a rigorous approval process in September 2014.
Over 200 teachers in Australia have participated ANSTO’s development programs hearing from experts in nuclear science and technology. By participating in the programs teachers accrue a number of BOSTES- registered professional development hours which is a requirement for ongoing teaching.
ANSTO’s education team is also recognised internationally with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inviting them to run workshops in Indonesia earlier this year.
Teachers can express their interest for Teacher Professional Development Programs by emailing [email protected].