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Scientific approach pays off for trainee teachers
Seven teaching students from the University of the Sunshine Coast have earned $2,000 awards under a Commonwealth Government program that promotes science education.
Leisha Burgaty, Christopher Butcher, Andrew Hoschke, James Dalitz, Amanda Fanya, Pauline Reid and Michelle Franklin last week received Primary Pre-service Teacher Awards for Excellence in Science Education from the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).
These awards are funded by the Australian Government Quality Teacher Program to recognise teaching students who are most likely to use a new strategy called “Primary Connections: Linking Science with Literacy” in their future work.
USC education lecturer Ken Young said Primary Connections was an innovative approach to teaching and learning that enhanced primary school teachers’ confidence and competence in teaching science.
Mr Young said USC had adopted the strategy for training its Early Childhood and Middle School Education students because it represented good teaching practice.
“The focus of Primary Connections is to provide a comprehensive approach to the development of scientific literacy,” he said.
“The overall aim is to achieve improvements in students’ learning outcomes in both science and literacy.”
Mr Young said he was delighted that USC students had received seven of the 500 awards that were presented nationally.
“Initially we were only offered one, but we argued that we had a strong case to receive more,” he said. “Seven is a pretty good showing, to be honest.”
— Terry Walsh