SCIOS island travel with virtual reality: studying the return of Australianthreatenedanimals JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERNSEPTEMBERAUSTRALIAVOLUME672022
Aboriginal Perspectives in Science
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This journal aims to promote the teaching of science with a focus on classroom practice. It provides a means of communication between teachers, consultants and other science educators. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the various authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Science Teachers’ Association of Western Australia (STAWA), the editorial committee or the publisher.
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Forensic Glass Analysis
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CONTENTS
FromEditorialthe President
Editorial Committee
From the Archives
Graphic Designer
CONSTAWA 2022
Chief Executive’s Report
New Return to 1616 Education Resource
EDITORIAL
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Thisworld.issue
acknowledges the valuable contribution of a wealth of “classroom-ready” resources created by a group of dedicated science teachers, primarily Natalie Christopher, Joelene Pearson and Linah Enosa working with educators from Yawuru country
opportunities for all students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the world’s oldest continuous living cultures
in Broome that are based on elaborations set out by ACARA Curriculum Specialist and Jingli man, Joe Sambono. The resources facilitating science teachers to actively integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge into the national curriculum have been completed from Foundation to Year 10. It has been noted that Indigenous peoples often hold considerable knowledge of a particular place in their oral histories and traditional practices. With such an integration of the First Nations’ perspectives, we acknowledge the diversity and ways people come to know the world and not perpetuate a narrow view of science practices and knowledge. Thanks to Natalie’s presentation on the First Nations’ Perspectives in Science Curriculum, science educators can now tap into this wonderful resource and continue to explore new ways to educate ourselves about Indigenous ways of knowing the world and broadening our understanding of the nature and history of science across different cultures.
In this issue, I would like to focus on two of our Cross-curriculum priorities – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures and Sustainability. The reason is simple – in considering these two priorities in the science curriculum, we can engage our students with science in ways that are meaningful, authentic, and relevant. On the one hand, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures priority (ACARA, 2022) provides opportunities for all students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the world’s oldest continuous living cultures known to be strong, resilient, rich, and diverse; on the other, there is a place for us to recognise that Indigenous ways of knowing can help students develop complex and multi-logical understanding of the natural
Dr. Siew Fong Yap
The other cross-curriculum priority is “Sustainability” which provides authentic contexts for creating preferred futures. These are often presented in the form of opportunities by socio-scientific issues that are societal challenges which are both scientific and social in nature, such as we see in the important ecological restoration project `Dirk Hartog Island National Park Return to 1616”. In a delightful narrative, Wendy Payne inspired us with of one of Western Australia’s most exciting conservation undertaken by the Department
Dr Siew Fong Yap
About the editor
Dr Siew Fong Yap is the Head of Science at Perth’s Kingsway Christian College, a sessional teaching academic at Curtin University and Honorary Teaching Fellow of University of Western Australia. She is also part of the Oxford Science Curriculum Publishing team. She is on the Advisory Board of LASAR, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education, Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom.
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This September issues brings forth for our science teachers some precious classroom resources that we can implement to help our students develop and use understandings of the complex, cross-cultural, multi-logical and interdisciplinary systems and create opportunities for students to make sense of real, current and consequential issues. Enjoy!
We also featured an article written by 2022 CONSTAWA keynote speaker Dr Kari Pitts on “Forensic Science Analysis – A Pane in the Glass” which outlines how glass is used in forensic analysis and encourages schools to participate in an upcoming “Shake-it-outfor-Science” citizenship program.
of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and “The Return to 1616” Education Resource was officially launched at our CONSTAWA on 13 July. We are fortunate that this gem-packed resource is freely available for all primary school use.
The AGM was held on the 22nd of August at Curtin University in the School of Education. I am very grateful to Rachel Sheffield and her colleagues for enabling the use of such a great venue with the capacity for many attendees and an ideal area for food and beverages following the meeting. The AGM was well attended both in person and online. The reports from the President, CEO and Treasurer were very positive, outlining the many activities that have been occurring over the last year. The work done by Rachel, John and Angie has been outstanding, enabling STAWA to be in an excellent position financially moving forward, especially now that we have decreased our debts and have a reasonable cash flow. All committees have been hard at work. The Primary committee chaired by Mady
Welcome to the September Issue of SCIOS.
Colquhoun, help to organise what was a successful CONSTAWA and continue to provide great support through PL and resources for Primary Teachers of Science. The Psychology committee chaired by Sarah Langley, continued their great work including the Psychology teacher’s convention and assisting with the changes to the curriculum. It was decided at the AGM that STAWA fees would not be increased over the next financial period and that out of field teachers of science, such as many of our Psychology teachers and Marine and Maritime teachers can join STAWA as Associate members. We farewelled Julie Weber and Colette Ballantyne from Council after many years of service and welcomed Geoff Quinton as President Elect, Janene Sproul as Secretary to the Executive and Geoff Lewis to Council.
Annabel Kanakis
CONSTAWA was a great success, with exceptional work by Mady Colquhoun and the Primary Team, Geoff Quinton, Lance Taylor, Angie Ng and John Clarke. Mady led her team with true professionalism, with everything well organised and occurring seamlessly on the day. I would also like to thank all the volunteers from the various committees, and Council members for their assistance with the preparation, and attendance and help on the day. A special thanks to Lance for providing such a fabulous venue, amazing food and for organising all the signs, rooming, areas for the trades and ensuring that everything went to plan. The workshops were well received and the keynote from Dr Kari Pitts was
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
So much has happened since the last issue, not least of which has been the move from the Cannington office to the Osborne Park office, following the successful sale of Cannington. We have also secured a storage space with office facilities near to the Osborne Park office so that publications and other materials can be stored and distributed by Angie Ng, our accounts and office manager, as before. Hopefully by the time the next SCIOS is published, we will also have a new staff member who will be responsible for our online presence and contribute to other communication and media activities.
I look forward to continuing the great work done by STAWA and am looking forward to the release of some new senior school publications for Chemistry and General Human Biology being currently completed by teams of dedicated volunteers. 11 and 12 ATAR Resources:
Student name: Class: Teacher: Year 11 General Human Biology Unit 1 Class:StudentHealthyWorkbookBodyname:Teacher:Year11GeneralHuman Biology Unit 2 ReprWorkbookoduction Year
The STAWA Exploring Chemistry, Physics and Human Biology series support the Western Australian Curriculum ATAR HumanCourses.Biology General Course Resources: The STAWA Human Biology resources are available and together cover both the Year 11 and the Year 12 General Course. Member Discount: Members receive a 10% discount on all purchases through STAWA. STAWA PUBLICATIONS NEW EDITION COMING SOON! NEW EDITIONS COMING SOON!
The implementation of the Online Learning Platform has seen some online resources developed, but we look forward to more in the next few months. Keep your eyes open for the Newsletter for members, Spotlight on STAWA that will communicate events, resources and other information about STAWA.
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Annabel Kanakis
incredibly interesting with a focus on the relationship between glass and forensics. This was a great inspiration for Science Week and the Citizen Science program. The speech from the Minister’s delegate, Chris Tallentire, was also inspiring and entertaining. The launch of “The Return to 1616” was a privilege and a wonderful addition to our conference.
• Future Science Friday 2 December 2022 at ECU Joondalup conferences/future-science/https://www.stawa.net/
• PL: Indigenous Science Practical Activities, Monday 12 September 2022 at Lynwood Senior High School practical-activitieseventdetails/15167/indigenous-science-https://www.stawa.net/
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT
CONSTAWA has come and gone and again proved to be very well received by our Primary and Secondary Science Teachers. We had a great program, and much praise is attributed to the keynote address from Dr Kari Pitts entitled “Forensic Glass Analysis: a pane in the glass?” and Honourable Chris Tallentire MLA’s opening presentation and launch of “The Return to 1616” educational resources. CONSTAWA was a faceto-face event hosted at Willetton SHS, which made for great networking. We thank Lance Taylor and his Willetton SHS science team for their support and the student caterers for the wonderful food. A collage of photos for you to enjoy are included in this edition of SCIOS.
Term 3 2022 is at an end. I hope that school life has improved since the COVID ravaged Semester 1.
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Cannington and Osborne Park – As reported in the last edition of SCIOS, STAWA has sold the Cannington. The move has been ongoing since May and is almost complete. The office and boardroom can be found on Level 1, Hasler Suits, 30 Hasler Road, Osborne Park. Storage is also being relocated to just around the corner at 10 Walters Drive, Osborne Park. The phone number remains the same 08 92441987.
The STAWA Psychology Teachers Convention 2022, took place on Thursday 18 August at The Esplanade Fremantle. The 2022 Convention was a face-to-face event, with workshops focussed on the new Year 11 ATAR Psychology syllabus. Teachers had the opportunity to share and work together in preparation for its implementation. As with 2021, we had a great turn out with 110 teachers registered for the event, including a few teachers who participated online. I take this opportunity to thank the STAWA Psychology Committee, chaired by Sarah Langley for the planning and commitment to making the convention a great success.
• Science Talent Search student-activities/science-talent-search/https://www.stawa.net/
Upcoming Events:
• Physics Day @ Adventure World Thursday 22 September activities/physics-day/https://www.stawa.net/student-
John Clarke
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The Premier’s Science Awards ceremony took place Monday evening 29 August at Optus Stadium. The awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding scientific research and engagement taking place in Western Australia.
We hope you can encourage your peers, particularly early career teachers to take up STAWA membership, to take advantage of the events and learning opportunities that STAWA provides and to actively seek to contribute to the goals of the association. Share your thoughts and ideas to help STAWA grow into the future. The strategic plan can be viewed at: net/about-us/constitution-and-strategic-plan/https://www.stawa.HaveasafeandenjoyableremainderoftheTerm.YourChiefExecutiveOfficer,
The Premier’s Science Awards
John Clarke
John Curtin Distinguished Professor Igor Bray was 2022 inductee into the Western Australian Science Hall of Fame. Igor is a great supporter of STAWA and Science, particularly Physics education. Igor regularly presents at CONSTAWA and Future Science, attends Physics Day at Adventure World and has an article in this September issue of SCIOS. Thank you and congratulations Igor. Click here to view a 90 second overview of his research.
Scientist of the year winner was Australian Laureate Fellow and John Curtin Distinguished Professor Kliti Grice. Kliti is an internationally renowned organic geochemist, recognised for her research into compound specific isotope analysis. Congratulations to Kriti. Click here to view an 80 second overview of her Forresearch.fulldetails of all the awards and 2022 winners, visit the website
John Clarke
FROM THE ARCHIVES
includes some young science teachers who became very high-profile individuals in WA education. Please share any stories or background of any of the office bearers, such as Bob Vickery former Director General of Education. Let me know if you have any relatives listed.
STAWA’s AGM was held just recently, 22 August 2022. The annual report is available online @ https://www. stawa.net/about-us/about_agm/. A scan of the 1964 Presidents Report follows. So how are things different to 1964?
Welcome to the second instalment of “From the Archives”. This time, we span 1964 to 1966.
A very interesting list of “Office Bearers for 1965” (fourth image) has also been scanned. Do you recognise any
Thenames?list
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Most teachers would know that this year’s National Science Week theme was Glass: more than meets the eye, inspired by the 2022 International Year of Glass. Now at first glance, this may not seem like the most interesting topic but when you look closer, glass is fascinating. It is ubiquitous, distinctive and in some cases, incredibly complex. In my role as a forensic chemist at ChemCentre, I use glass to help solve crimes, and so I have a different perspective on glass than most. In this article, I will take you on a journey of glass from a forensics perspective.
Firstly, let us look at how glass is made. When you think of glass, many would think of windows, and most modern windows are made from float glass, specifically soda-lime float glass. To make float glass, the manufacturer mixes silica sand, soda ash, lime and potentially cullet (recycled glass) and melts it in a large batch. The molten mix is then poured onto a bed of molten tin, on which it floats – hence the name “float glass”. The molten glass spreads out over the surface of the tin bed, creating a large, flat, even layer. This layer is the sheet of glass and is slowly cooled in a series of furnaces, and then is cut, packaged, and treated as needed. Most of Australia’s glass is manufactured this way, though we import a large percentage of our glass, mostly from South-East Asia and only have 1 local manufacturer, based in Melbourne, who make specialty high-quality glass.
FORENSIC GLASS ANALYSIS
There are, of course, other types of glass – cooks or laboratory staff would be familiar with borosilicate glass (sometimes referred to by its’ brand name Pyrex™though modern Pyrex may not be borosilicate). This glass contains boric oxide to increase temperature shock resistance. Additionally, many of us carry specialty glass every day – doped alkali-aluminosilicate glass as mobile phone or tablet screens. There are also glass containers (such as cups or jars), coloured or stained glasses, light globes, spectacle lenses, television screens, framed glass, and mirrors. Vehicle glass, either toughened side windows or laminated windscreens are commonly encountered in my case work, and there are even natural glasses such as obsidian (volcanic glass) and fulgurite (lightning glass). Each source of glass has their own distinctive composition and characteristics, and it is these that I analyse in my forensic casework.
In most forensic cases, there is a `questioned’ versus ‘known’ situation – recovered fragments from a suspect, victim or weapon are compared to a control source of broken glass such as window, windscreen, or bottle. I analyse the recovered fragments (i.e., the ‘questioned’) and determine whether they could have originated from the collected source (i.e., the ‘known’) or not. As typical of a lot of trace evidence analyses, I use a series of tests each with their own strengths and limitations to examine my exhibits, looking for differences between the samples that indicate they are not the same.
Dr. Kari Pitts
Figure 1 - a relatively large glass fragment (centre) surrounded by sand grains and typical debris. This magnification is higher than usually used for searching debris for glass fragments but illustrates the similarity between quartz and glass, as well as the typical appearance of glass fragments. [scale is approximately 500µm (or 0.5 mm)]
However, the first challenge is finding the questioned glass fragments. Take for example, a case where a suspect is alleged to have broken a window to gain entry to a premises. Typically, we shake out suspects clothing and then search the debris for glass fragments. However, there are a few complicating factors. Studies have shown that it is not typical to find large groups or glass fragments on peoples’ clothing, and
I can use the fact that glass is isotropic, and quartz is anisotropic, to tell them apart. Anisotropic means to vary depending on the direction of measurement. In a practical sense, this means I use a microscope with 2 polarising lenses, with the direction of polarisation at a 90-degree orientation (called crossing the polars) to see that variation of the light. The quartz grain that I may mistakenly have recovered will alter the light as it passes through, creating interference colours in my final microscope image. The crossed polars means only light that is altered can be seen – coloured against a black background as shown in Figure 2. Glass doesn’t vary the light (isotropic) so any glass fragments will stay dark. If you have seen the awesome mineral microscopy image tunnel at the WA Museum Boola Bardip, you are seeing interference colours caused by anisotropic minerals in action.
Figure 2 - Image of a quartz grain, in transmitted cross-polarised light, showing the false interference colours (i.e., not the actual grain colour), due to the anisotropic nature of quartz. [scale is approximately 50 µm (0.05 mm)].
if you do, it is typically found in the pockets or soles of the shoes. Hence, we collect surface debris and pockets separately and keep shoes separated as well. Additionally, in Perth, we have a lot of quartz in our soilsthink of the pale grey sand, near impossible to grow anything in because it is predominantly quartz. When I am searching garment debris for glass fragments, I am searching for clear, colourless, hard fragments with a conchoidal fracture…just like quartz. So consequently, I can spend a lot of time looking down a microscope, collecting fragments that hopefully are glass but may be quartz. A relatively large glass fragment, surrounded by sand grains, is shown in Figure 1.
If I find no significant differences, I have evidence potentially useful to a prosecution.
Sometimes I have larger fragments to examinefragments with one or two original surfaces. In larger fragments, and my known glass sample, I can also look for a characteristic of float glass referred to as the `float surface’. This is the surface of the glass that is in contact with the tin bed, and hence, it contains a small amount of tin. I use 254nm UV light (short wave UV) to see this tin – it glows with a pale-yellow fluorescence, and indicates the glass is float glass, rather than another type of glass.
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elements of the periodic table and the concentration of each. It can detect elements down to parts per billion levels (1 part in a billion others) and is used to compare the ‘impurities’ of the glass. For example, the silica sand (basically SiO2) used to make glass is a natural product and it contains low levels of other elements such as strontium (Sr), Zircon (Zr) and Aluminium (Al) as inclusions from the geochemical environment the silica formed. Trace elemental comparison, in simple terms, looks for differences in the impurity fingerprint of the glass, which are caused by differences in the starting ingredients and any refining processes along the way. It allows forensic scientists to distinguish batches of glass that have the same RI and has been shown to be able to distinguish bottles made hours apart in the same factory.
Using Bayesian statistics, glass analysts can use reference databases, and published studies that examined and modelled the transfer and persistence of glass, to calculate a likelihood ratio that evaluates the strength of the evidence for a specific case. This likelihood ratio is based on the evaluation of the conditional probability of finding the evidence, given the hypothesis of the prosecution (i.e., that the glass originated from the window broken at the crime scene) versus the probability of finding the evidence, given the defence hypothesis (often simply that there is a coincidental ‘match’). This can then be reported as a statement along the lines of “these results strongly support the proposition the garment was in the vicinity of a breakage” or “these results support the proposition the fragments originated from
So, assuming I have found glass fragments, and confirmed they are glass and not hard plastic or quartz grains, I then undertake another step in my analysis - measuring the refractive index of the fragments to compare to the known glass sample. The refractive index (RI) of a medium is a measure of the light bending ability. In float glass, this is a number typically between 1.51 and 1.52. I measure the RI of glass by immersing my fragment in a special silicone oil and then heating it, whilst watching the fragment via a camera on my microscope. The oil changes its RI as it gets hotter and at the point where the RI of the oil equals the glass, the edges of the glass fragment disappear, as you can only see something when its RI is different to its surroundings. There are examples of this phenomenon that can be done as demonstrations - the disappearing colourless water crystals (e.g., Orbeez™) in a vase of water or the glass rod that disappears in a beaker of oil. In my case, I know the temperature of the oil that causes the fragment to disappear and using a calibration curve, I can determine the RI of the oil at that temperature and hence the glass fragments. My instrument is very sensitive and can measure RI accurately to 4 or 5 decimal places, allowing me to undertake a t-test for comparing the population represented by my ‘known’ fragments and the population of questioned fragments. If my statistical test supports the hypothesis they originated from the same population – it is evidence.
So, after all my analyses, I have now determined that my recovered fragments cannot be distinguished from my known glass source. I then need to report this in a way useful to the police investigators and eventually the justice system. In forensic science, there are several ways of interpreting and reporting the results of our examinations. We avoid using the word ‘match’ as it implies certainty and science can never be 100% certain, however we can also typically say more than ‘could be’ or ‘could have’ when comparing a questioned sample with a known source.
Now the RI of a glass affects the way it looks and behaves, so manufacturers try to minimise variation in RI in their products. Additionally, there are known overlaps between RI values of glasses made on different days or even by different manufacturers. In ChemCentre, we then use another analytical method to increase the ability to distinguish between glass sources – called ‘laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)’ or trace elemental comparison. In this technique, a laser is used to make a small hole in the glass fragment (ablation), the debris is introduced into a stable plasma (the highly excited 4th state of matter, equivalent to about 8000 K) where it atomises and ionises. The ions are then detected in the mass analyser and counted based on their mass to charge ratio. To put this simply, this technique detects most
There are always avenues for improvements in science and forensic science is no exception. As mentioned previously, published studies showed that it is not common to find large numbers of glass fragments on people’s garments. However, times have changed, and forensic science always needs to ensure the current situation is captured. Lots of people now have mobile phones, many with broken screens and fabrics also change. Hence, ChemCentre, along with Curtin University and the Australian Federal Police are undertaking a pilot study this year to evaluate the ability of citizen scientists to collect debris from garments.
highlights its worth not only as objects of everyday use, but also its usefulness as an avenue to solve crimes. Glass is a valuable form of trace evidence, assisting in answering the how, where and what happened questions in a criminal investigation. So, I wish you all a Happy International Year of Glass and hope you learn there is more to glass than windows.
I hope I have demonstrated that being a forensic scientist gives me a different perspective on glass. I can spend hours looking down a microscope, searching for glass fragments mixed with sand but also need to understand the large-scale manufacturing processes and their impact on the associated characteristics I analyse. Glass has been important to society for thousands of years and will continue to be for years to come. Its widespread occurrence within the community
Dr Kari Pitts is Team Leader in Physical Evidence of the Forensic Science Laboratory at the ChemCentre. Working at ChemCentre for over 15 years, her expertise is trace evidence like paint, glass, fibres and soils. Dr Pitts has reported over 300 cases and testified in criminal trials in Australia and New Zealand.
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Called “Shake it Out for Science” this year’s pilot program (pending ethics approval) will use high school teachers to lead teams of high school students through the collection of debris from outer garments. We will use their feedback, and de-identified collected samples, to evaluate the best way to run a nation-wide project in 2023. Registrations for this year’s project are already full, but I invite all teachers to keep an eye out for the proposed nation-wide citizen science project next year. The ultimate goal of the project is to publish a national study evaluating the current background levels of glass in clothing from our population, further enhancing the relevance and reliability of forensic glass analysis.
the broken window”. Forensic DNA reporting undertakes a similar interpretation, but theirs is based on the frequencies of specific loci occurring within the human population. Within glass interpretation, there is currently research into developing likelihood ratio calculations for trace elemental profiling, as well as efforts into developing the framework for activity level reporting for glass evidence (i.e., interpretation based on alleged actions).
About the Author
As a non-Aboriginal science educator, I have always been enthusiastic about Aboriginal education. Inspired with the hope of strengthening my own cultural responsiveness and in the field of science, I started using Joe Sambono’s elaborations that address the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures and his teacher background information as a foundation to create a bank of classroom-ready resources. It has been a real privilege working collaboratively with a team
At our recent CONSTAWA on 13 July 2022, Natalie Christopher presented some of the work she has meticulously created in collaboration and in consultation with several science educators to bring aboriginal perspectives into the science curriculum. In this brief account, Natalie articulated the process she has been through in building this invaluable resource and alerted our readers on how these resources could be responsibly utilised.
ABORIGINAL PERSPECTIVES IN SCIENCE
Natalie Christopher
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that included Joelene Pearson and Linah Enosa as well as several educators on Yawuru country in Broome. It is important that all science educators using the resources are sensitive and culturally responsive to the individual context as these resources cannot represent all Aboriginal groups of Australia. Instead, these are meant to display common themes across the continent with the expressed unique nature of each group. It is essential that this intention is explicitly acknowledged at the start of any lesson using these resources.
The Department of Education and Aboriginal Education Teaching and Learning Directorate have established the following criteria to assist staff in selecting and evaluating culturally responsive resources: Aboriginal voice in production and/or selection, intellectual property rights and protocols, local context, validity, accuracy and credibility, cultural safety, representation and educational value.
Natalie.Christopher@education.wa.edu.
au if you would like to obtain access to and/or discuss these resources further.
Natalie Christopher is the recently appointed Head of Learning (Science) at Balcatta SHS. Previously employed at Broome Senior High School for seven years, she is enthusiastic about promoting Aboriginal Education. Being a non-Aboriginal Science educator, she has worked in consultation and collaboration to strengthen her own cultural responsiveness and to share these resources with all science educators here in Western Australia.
In sharing these resources at this workshop, the aim is that science educators across the state can have access to authentically linked curriculum. It is hoped that students can relate real-life examples of scientific concepts to a stronger understanding of the rich culture of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Moving forward from these resources, educators are encouraged to continue to seek the creation of “place-based” resources alongside their local cultural knowledge holders. This incorporation of local context and Aboriginal voice lends itself to intellectual property that cannot be shared beyond a school or local area
About the Author
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Pleasecontext.contact
within the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, the majority of Dirk Hartog Island was purchased from the pastoral lease owners and gazetted a national park in
NEW RETURN TO 1616 EDUCATION RESOURCE
Shark Bay Bandicoot
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The island was in a pristine condition with intact flora and fauna when first discovered by Dirk Hartog in 1616. Since then, weeds and introduced animals such as feral cats, feral goats and sheep have degraded the island and many of its original native animals were unable to survive these changes. Return to 1616 aims to turn back the hands of time and restore the island’s vegetation and native animals to something more closely resembling that seen by Dirk Hartog and his Locatedcrew.
The Dirk Hartog Island National Park Return to 1616 project is Western Australia’s (WA) most important ecological restoration project and being coordinated by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). The name “Return to 1616” harks back to when European explorers first set foot on WA shores when they visited Dirk Hartog Island in 1616. Known to Malgana traditional owners as Wirruwana, the island later became known as Dirk Hartog, after the captain of the Dutch East India Company ship the Eendracht that made landfall there.
Wendy Payne
Whilst students in schools across Australia are eager to learn about biodiversity and conservation, teachers may find it time consuming to source good examples of Australian conservation efforts for students to focus on. Fortunately, a project taking place right now on WA’s largest island may help to fill the gap.
In the beginning….
At school, I was fascinated to learn about the animals and plants of the incredible world around us. But as I was studying the amazing boom/bust cycles of the North American lynx and the snowshoe hare, I couldn’t help but wonder “what about Australia?”
Photo – Karl Brennan/DBCA
Sopooping.how
Return to 1616 Education Resource
The interactive and web-based resource is available for students anywhere in the world to study the critical conservation work that’s happening on one of Australia’s most important islands for mammal conservation.
do scientists know which animal species to return to Dirk Hartog Island? Skulls, bones and other remains were some of the clues that helped researchers to know which animals once inhabited the island. In more virtual world fun, the package contains an exercise called Boneheads to help students play ‘detective’, studying the skulls of Return to 1616 threatened animals. Students are able to manipulate 3D images on their computer to study parts of the skull including teeth and eyes to discover how the animal lived and whether it was predator or prey. Or, just for fun, zoom up the nasal passages of a chuditch skull!
A free curriculum linked primary school education resource package has been developed to share the good news and the cutting edge scientific research. The package offers learning opportunities for primary school students and their teachers to explore the science and impact of this world-class ecological restoration project.
One of seven 3D skulls that are a fun way for students to learn about the Return to 1616 project.
Taking a Return to 1616 virtual tour at CONSTAWA 40, Zoologist Mandy Bamford, STAWA President Annabel Kanakis, Chris Tallentire MLA, Wendy Payne DBCA Regional Interpretation Officer, Margaret Byrne DBCA Executive Director, Biodiversity and Conservation Science.
2009 allowing restoration work to begin. The project has de-stocked the island of sheep and successfully removed all feral cats and goats, representing the world’s largest ever whole-of-island eradication of feral cats and goats. The island’s vegetation is regenerating now that introduced herbivores have been removed. The removal of feral cats has made the island safe for the reintroduction of locally extinct fauna. Of the twelve mammal and one bird species planned for reintroduction to the island, six have now been established in the national park and the island’s flora and fauna are flourishing.
But it is not all hard slog! The package is peppered with plenty of fun activities to whet the education appetite including fascinating 3D elements such as a virtual reality tour that allows you to travel to the island and study the amazing suite of threatened Australian animals being returned. Choose between the Google Earth virtual tour suitable for tablet devices and computers or the more interactive Kuula virtual tour, best suited to computers and VR headsets. Students can learn how these animals are ‘ecosystem engineers’, interacting with and changing their new island home with their day-today activities including scratching, digging, eating and
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The package was officially launched on 13 July 2022 in conjunction with the Science Teachers of WA (STAWA) at CONSTAWA 40 by Chris Tallentire MLA (representing Environment Minister Reece Whitby MLA). Conference delegates were able to explore the various features in a workshop and trade display or take a virtual tour of the project on a touchscreen.
Dive into a Virtual World
A series of new and colourful animal fact sheets give students information and fun facts on what the Return to 1616 threatened animals eat, where they live and how they breed.
Wild Challenge Card Game - A series of fun playing cards is used to teach food chains with ‘who eats who’ not to mention memory games and the ‘Wild Challenge’ game to reinforce learning.
The education package is the result of the generous input from many DBCA staff and Biodiversity and Conservation Science researchers; Curtin University HIVE; Curtin University Micro-CT Facility; The Harry Butler Institute and the Veterinary Anatomy Department at Murdoch University; Western Australian Museum; and Perth Zoo. It has been put together with the assistance of Nathan Ducker and Mandy Bamford from Bamford Consulting Ecologists, and Micheal Bryant.
Free Webinars
There is something for all primary school years in the package. Fun card games, memory games, a quiz and even ‘colour ins’ help students to learn about threatened animals and how the project is helping some of these to bounce back from the brink. Even rangers and research scientists found time to get involved through interviews and video, sharing their experiences of maintaining the island and how the conservation project is being carried out.
Something for Everyone!
Dive into the virtual world and totally immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of Return to 1616 with a virtual reality headset. Upload the link (bit.ly/ReturnTo1616) to your VR headset.
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The Return to 1616 project has been running for many years so there is a lot of information to digest in the education resource. Book yourself for a free webinar to explore the features of the education package and enjoy your voyage of discovery. The education pack is a ‘living document’ and will be continually updated as the project evolves, so keep checking back. Feedback and comments are very welcome.
a forensic scientist at Chemcentre, presented an informative and thoroughly entertaining keynote looking at her work with glass in the world of forensics. We learnt a lot about glass in general, the role of forensics in police investigations and the day-today work which Dr Pitts engages in the pursuit of the truth. And how can we forget that astounding equation!
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An outstanding professional learning event was held at Willetton Senior High School on 13 July in the school holidays. With nearly 100 delegates and plenty of trade displays to explore, there were lively discussions and buzz during the day plus the sun shone in the middle of winter – just as Lance promised it would!
Learners can take a virtual tour of Dirk Hartog Island, meet a scientist, or zoom up the nasal passages of a chuditch skull while they explore these exciting new education resources that celebrate Western Australia’s most important ecological restoration project. This package is available online and a webinar can guide you through the resources. It is well worth looking at – with resources not just for primary schools. Many thanks to Wendy Payne for liaising with STAWA to launch this at DrCONSTAWA.KariPitts,
CONSTAWA 2022
Mady Colquhoun
The official opening by Chris Tallentire, MLA, covered both STAWA and its roles as well as the launch of the Dirk Hartog Island National Park: Return to 1616 resource for primary schools. All delegates received the Dirk Hartog show bag with wonderful resources. The program looks at the eradication of feral animals and plants on the island and the breeding and reintroduction of previously present indigenous mammals – SHE (Science as a Human Endeavour) in sheer abundance indeed.
of sessions were held in the excellent Science block and IT facilities. We set up a trail for participants to follow from the food/trade areas to the classrooms and they were soon in sync with the day. It was very pleasing to note the number of teachers who delivered sessions for other teachers from their own personal classroom experience. This is widely appreciated as successful practical approaches can be shared and early career teachers particularly enjoy interacting with the more experienced presenters.
• liaising with local high schools for transitioning students effectively
My sincere thanks to all the primary committee was well as Lance Taylor and Geoff Quinton for their hard work in planning CONSTAWA 2022. Of course, we had to change dates and venues due to Covid, but everyone worked hard to make the transition as efficient as possible. We are already making plans for 2023. You too can make plans either to attend or present – let’s make it bigger and better!
• providing a hands-on learning environment
Mady Colquhoun is the Convenor of the CONSTAWA Planning Committee.
The 2022 Primary Science Award was presented to Larissa Waghorn of South Thornlie Primary school for her outstanding work in supporting and developing her students’ science engagement and skills. Larissa has motivated her students in many ways including -
• receiving Seeds from Space to plant in the school garden and monitor
We were excited to engage the Willetton Hospitality Group to cater for the conference and they did a fabulous job. In particular, the morning tea choices had people’s mouths watering. As part of their course the students are required to cater for a range of events and with Covid restricting the opportunities to do this, they were very pleased to provide delicious food for
Congratulations to Larissa!
• always reflecting on her own teacher practices to improve
• encouraging them to be independent learners
ACONSTAWA.widerange
Turn out your pockets! Dr Pitts called on teachers at the conference to encourage secondary school students to Shake it out for Science. This is a Citizen Science data gathering pilot project that looks for the prevalence of glass micro shards in our pockets. Data gathered will help guide the future collection of such data on a bigger scale and inform forensic investigations in future. Jump on the Chemcentre website and log in your students and staff to contribute to real forensic science.
• running after school robotics clubs
The sundowner was well attended, and many teachers went home with gifts from the trade’s representatives or STAWA. The opportunity to network all through the day and at the sundowner was relished by delegates and lively conversations were the norm.
The feedback suggests that teachers really value teacher presenting to teachers and this means you! Practical activities that can be used in classrooms are greatly appreciated. We have had sessions which can cover both primary and secondary science combined and primary teachers often attended secondary sessions to further their specific interests. The last few years has seen Indigenous Science being covered more often to assist with curriculum expansion.
About the Author
Feedback from the conference was overwhelmingly positive. For the first time we had more primary attendees than secondary – and many were first time CONSTAWA attendees too. From this feedback we have already begun thinking about how to improve CONSTAWA for next year. All ideas are welcome.
• supporting the school technology program
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• involvement in the Lego League
Have you ever been to CONSTAWA? Have you ever considered presenting at CONSTAWA?
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education package was launched 13th of July at the end of the Conference of Science Teachers Association of WA. You can check out this innovative online resource, including a virtual tour of Dirk Hartog island hartog-island-return-1616/https://www.sharkbay.org/restoration/dirk-here RETURN TO 1616! Dirk Hartog Island National Park Return to 1616 Ecological Restoration Project Education Package for Schools Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
VOLUME 67 | SEPTEMBER 2022 JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Primary school students can now Return to 1616! The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) has launched a new education package on the Dirk Hartog Island Return to 1616 ecological restoration project; which is returning native species to the island following the eradication of feral pests.
The
We begin by defining the terms “Physics” and “Teaching” for our purposes. By “Physics”, I will mean that we start with evidence, synthesise the evidence into general statements which are predictive and hence falsifiable. The focus is on determining true statements that have considerable utility.
Professor Igor Bray
Hence, a key component of teaching to develop a student’s character is by getting him or her to overcome various challenges. With this in mind, it pains me to observe that the number of girls accepting the challenge of advanced mathematics and physics is a factor of two to three fewer than boys (see Figure 1 below). Yet when I was a student in the late 1970s, the numbers were roughly the same. It used to be that smart students took the most challenging subjects. Today, smart students choose their subjects to maximise their ATAR. This ATAR-maximisation game hurts girls even more than boys. Girls tend to mature earlier and show broader skills, and then get channelled towards areas where they will acquire a higher rank.
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The process of teaching effectively a sizeable and diverse audience is a problem teachers have managed for centuries. All problems benefit from the skills provided by the study of Physics. I argue that the principles of Physics are just as applicable to the process of teaching as they are to their usual domain. I will use the principles of Physics to provide a theoretical foundation for teaching that ranges from motivation through to classroom management.
In defining the terms “Physics” and “Teaching” for our usage, we have thus far emphasised the importance of teaching of physics (and advanced mathematics) for
THE PHYSICS OF TEACHING
I will restrict the concept of “Teaching” to the engagement between a teacher and a considerably younger student. I do so because in such situations the responsibility of the teacher in not only to impart
The ideas expressed below are those I have found useful in my own teaching and engagement with students of university age. How they translate to younger students is not something I have evidence for. The goal here is to raise diverse ideas, but for the reader to decide whether they have utility in their own context.
knowledge to the student, but also to help build their character for success in life. By “character” I mean qualities like being confident, resilient and responsible. I would argue that building character is even more important than imparting knowledge. For example, if a student resists understanding a complicated concept with “I will never need to know this” may be responded to with “addressing and overcoming the challenges you currently face will serve you well later in life by building the confidence to solve difficult problems more generally”
character development. We now focus on the value of understanding the physics of teaching.
We begin by making the observation that life is fundamentally a constant battle against the Second Law of Thermodynamics. For the present purpose, this law states that ordered systems evolve towards disorder, unless external effort is brought to bear. Ageing is an example that can be thought of as a consequence of this Law. Life builds order from disorder, and fights this law by being multigenerational, with every new generation starting from scratch. This induces a natural hierarchy in living systems, which is that the younger generation is more important than the older one. In other words, our children are more important than ourselves, and that life is fundamentally about “paying it forward”.
4.
3.
He explained the relationships between the four levels, with the lowest ones being the most fundamental. For example, before there can be life (biological quality), there have to be the physical ingredients for life such as the heavier elements. Life cannot even begin before sufficient time has passed for stars to have had a
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amount of their time to raising the children. This is not merely a cultural choice, but is a consequence of how life progresses within the constraints posed by the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Consequently, the teaching profession is one of the most important and honourable ones. It maintains and extends the foundation of our society.
In order to progress in time, every child must catch up on much of the knowledge gained by the previous generations. Consequently, if we can agree on the primary importance of our children, then it follows that the next most important people are the parents, families and teachers, i.e., those who devote a considerable
There is yet another important application of Second Law of Thermodynamics. In his book “Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance” Robert Pirsig introduced a hierarchy of evolutionary quality: 1. Intellectual 2. Social Biological Physical
Figure 1 - Number of male and female students taking Mathematics Specialist ATAR and Physics ATAR in Western Australia as a function of year. Source: https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/reports/statistical-reports/secondary-education-statistics
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Another issue teachers face is that compulsory schooling can lead to some students being in the classroom who do not want to be there. How do we teach such students? Borrowing a phrase from Zen-Buddhist philosophy “When a student is ready the teacher will appear”, we realise that without the student’s engagement, effective teaching will not happen. We could make the case to the student that in life sometimes we end up having to do things we don’t like, and that doing them well regardless is a characterbuilding exercise. If (when) this fails, we could appeal to their willingness to help others. In my experience, to really understand some complicated concepts, I need to teach them. I pass this on to all students, and create environments where those who think they understand, try to teach those who are struggling. In this case the weaker students are providing a valuable service to the stronger students, and vice versa. If this fails, then the best we can hope for is that they do not disturb others.
complete life-cycle to release into the universe the heavier elements made in their interiors via supernova explosions. Once multi-generational life begins, we have to wait further for it to evolve into social structures. In turn, with more time, some life evolves to possess intellectual quality as well. From the hierarchy we conclude, for example, that being healthy (biological quality) is more important than social or intellectual quality, and being a good person (social quality) is more important than being a smart person. Another example is the primacy of free speech. Ideas reside at the level of intellectual quality. Bad ideas should not be suppressed, but be addressed via better ideas.
Reference
1. Pirsig R.M. (1974) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance USA: William Morrow and Company.
of quality is very useful when applied to teaching our children. We have to ensure that they focus on being healthy, good responsible members of society, and develop their intellects to the best of their potential. It also follows from the hierarchy that whatever evolved last will show greatest variation. So, while people might all look much the same (from say an alien’s perspective), their intellects can be vastly different. So, we have to acknowledge, when we teach groups of students, that there can be considerable variation in ability in the classroom, no matter what the subject matter is. This is an issue that teachers have managed for centuries, and it is not correct to make statements like “everyone can be good at maths”. The diversity of ability needs to be acknowledged and supported as best as we can by ensuring that the educational challenges are wellmatched to the individual.
Understanding the interaction of the Second Law of Thermodynamics with Life can be helpful in building better societies through education. According to this law, the forward arrow of time ensures that ordered systems evolve to disorder, unless external effort is provided. Education is that external effort that stops our societies from disintegrating. Life builds order from disorder, and is sustainable over many generations only due to the enormous efforts of those who care for the young. Teachers are at the forefront of that effort.
Pirsig gives a lengthy discussion of the interplay of the levels of quality that I found profoundly useful. The question then is, where does this hierarchy come from? The answer is once again the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Disorder is greatest at the lowest level, and smallest at the top level. In other words, this is an example of life evolving contrary to this Law. It is able to do so because life does not evolve in closed systems, but it takes a lot of time and is very rare in the
Conclusion
Pirsig’suniverse.hierarchy
Professor Igor Bray is a world-leader in the field of atomic collision theory, an excellent science communicator and a big-picture thinker, a combination of skills that has made him a great advocate and prominent speaker for science and science policy at local, national, and international levels. His PhD entitled “Gravitational lens effect of galaxies and black holes” was from Department of Mathematical Physics, University of Adelaide in 1986. Currently, Professor Bray is the Head of Department, Physics and Astronomy, Curtin University. Has co-authored over 500 publications on Quantum Collision Theory, which have attracted over 14,000 citations. He was elected to the Australian Academy of Science in 2017.
VOLUME 67 | SEPTEMBER 2022 JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA PAGE 32
About the Author
Professor Igor Bray Physics and Astronomy Curtin University GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia igor.bray@curtin.edu.au
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BOOK TITLE: The First Astronomers – How Indigenous Elders Read the Stars
Hamacher highlights the similarities of the First Nations’ findings and how native populations were to the first to note the astronomical changes. It makes for a fascinating read to explore the relationship between constellations, traditional ceremonies and ecological sustainability. It is having these small windows to hunt certain animals that showed the sustainable balance most native populations kept. More poignantly, the elders illustrate the devastating effects when this sustainability and the respect for the ecosystem is broken. The previously utilised astronomy methods of observing and predicting conditions have become increasingly unreliable due to the effects of climate change. What is captivating about this book are the depth of insights that point to the importance and the vast array of knowledge untapped and tucked away in oral traditions. It does beckon the question how far Australia could venture in the field of the astronomy on the international stage if there is a greater collaborative endeavour with the First Nations
BOOK REVIEW
PUBLISHER: Allen and Unwin, Australia, 2022
“A glimpse into Indigenous ways of reading landscapes reflected in the night sky through ancient processes of inquiry”
The First Astronomers is an extraordinary book which is a detailed account of the science behind Indigenous star knowledge presented by the author, Duane Hamacher, and guided by six First Nations Elders and Knowledge Holders: Ghillar Michael Anderson, John Barsam David Bosun, Ron Day, Segar Passi and Alo Tapim. It presents an account of historical and living Indigenous sky knowledges that are passed down through poetic narratives about the great ancestors who made the world. The astronomical science and First Nations cultural expressions of the sky combines to make this book a culturally significant milestone in its adept intertwining of traditional indigenous astronomy with its more familiar Western counterparts.
AUTHORS: Duane Hamacher with Elders and Knowledge Holders
as we unearth the riches from the oral traditions and the Indigenous scientific traditions. We do have much room to work on Indigenous and Western ways of knowing and working together in collaborative and respectful ways to bring about innovative solutions to some of the pressing issues that impact us all.
Dr Tyson Yunkaporta
Dr Siew Fong Yap
As a science educator, my interest was piqued by the epilogue’s inclusion of the various educational initiatives aimed at developing modules for primary and secondary schools in Australia on First Nations’ Knowledge with respect to the three different areas: fire, water, and astronomy. Professor Marcia Langton’s work in 2018 has resulted in astronomy modules for five core subjects (such as Science, Mathematics, Humanities, Health and Arts) for both primary and secondary schools. They include in-class activities and are linked to specific curriculum requirements for each year level. The modules for teachers are available at:
Quote:work.availablebooksecondaryIindigenousknowledge.unimelb.edu.au/curriculumwouldrecommendscienceeducatorsatprimary,andtertiaryagoodreadofthisfascinatinganddelveintosomewonderfulresourcelinkstowardstheendofthisenthrallingbodyof
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Australian Science Teachers’ Association, ASTA, Affiliation
Found on the web at www.stawa.net, For Teachers. Members can upload and downloaded resources (exams, tests, course outlines, etc).
Feature articles should not normally exceed 3000 words plus figures, tables and references. Short, concisely written articles are very welcome. Please use headings and sub-headings to give your article structure. WE also welcome any other type if contribution. Reviewed articles are subject to peer review.
YES, of course you can. So can lab technicians and students... your Year 7 or Year 8 class could write a half page article with a photo that we would love to publish.
Have you recently conducted a new experiment that worked really well?
We are keen to increase the number and variety of types of articles published in SCIOS. SO if the answer is YES to any of the following questions, we want to hear from you. Email your contributions to info@stawa.net
Copyright
These notes are a brief guide to contributors. Contributors should also refer to recent issues of the Journal. Refereed articles are peer reviewed by the Editor and anonymously by at least two reviewers.
Reference style
Are there some safety hints and tips that you’d like to pass on?
Have you used computers or some other technology really effectively?
Send the following to the Editor
What successes have your students had in Arescience?your students involved in science project outside of school?
Please send your document as a word file. Photographs and other images (e.g. diagrams) should be sent as separate files. Photographs often increase the clarity and interest level of your work. Send your photographs as .tiff or highest quality .jpeg files with a resolution of at least 300 dots per inch (dpi). Note to teachers: Parent permission (signed permission slip) must be obtained for any photographs to be included in SCIOS
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE
If you cannot send your contribution in the following recommended form, please send it to the Editor in any reasonable form.
4.3.2.1.
Is there a great demonstration that always gets your students’ attention?
Have you tried a new teaching technique that was fun?
The editorial; board members are keen to increase the number of articles on this topic. We are always keen to review your ideas about experiments, demonstrations, teaching techniques, hints, safety notes, computer applications and anything else that could help classroom science teachers, especially beginning teachers.
SCIOS reference style is based on the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Feature Articles
GUIDELINES FOR AUTHORS
Do you have some helpful hints for new teachers (and not-so-new ones)?
CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE?
Contact John Clarke, STAWA email john@stawa.net
No other publisher should have already published our manuscript, nor should you submit it for publication elsewhere. If SCIOS publishes your manuscript then your text and graphics will become copyright of STAWA. STAWA will, however, allow you to use the contents of your paper for most reasonable non-commercial purposes.
Copyright clearance for any part of your contribution that is copyright of a third party needs to be obtained in writing (email acceptable).
Innovations in the classroom
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Anything else science-related you would like to share with others?
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