Teachers of Stage 6 Physics and Chemistry courses

Course title: ANSTO HSC Revision videoconferences Date/s: Once a term Time: After school (3.30pm) Duration: 2 hours Target group for the course: Teachers of Stage 6 Physics and Chemistry courses Short explanation of how the course relates to the standard descriptors at the Proficient Teacher level 2.1.2 Apply knowledge of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area to develop engaging teaching activities Teachers and ANSTO Education staff will facilitate active collaborative revision of Stage 6 Physics and Chemistry nuclear science topics by facilitating a revision conference between classes from different schools via videoconference. Teachers will put groups of students in charge of preparing a short ~3 minute presentations to summarise content for a particular dot point/s in the syllabus. Teachers and students from each school will be able to see and hear these presentations, ask questions and provide constructive feedback in a safe and friendly virtual environment. 2.2.2 Organise content into coherent, well-sequenced learning and teaching programs 3.2.2 Plan and implement well-structured learning and teaching programs or lesson sequences that engage students and promote learning Teachers develop and deliver a well-structured sequence of lessons that bookend the collaborative videoconference with ANSTO and other schools. Teachers select and use ANSTO-developed teacher resources to plan and deliver one lesson to prepare their students for the videoconference. Teachers then plan and deliver a part or whole lesson following the excursion to consolidate concepts and contextualise experiences with theory. 2.6.2 Use effective teaching strategies to integrate ICT into learning and teaching programs to make selected content relevant and meaningful 3.4.2 Select and/or create and use a range of resources, including ICT, to engage students in their learning

Teachers select from ANSTO-developed multimedia resources for the preparatory lesson, and then use videoconferencing to connect their students with other schools and ANSTO to create a truly collaborative and meaningful learning exchange. Teachers will also put their students in charge of operating the videoconference equipment, to make the conference truly student-led. 3.3.2 Select and use relevant teaching strategies to develop knowledge, skills, problem solving and critical and creative thinking Teachers implement teaching strategies to encourage students to apply their knowledge and skills to develop and present an engaging presentation to help revise nuclear science topics in the HSC Physics and Chemistry syllabuses. Teachers will work with their students to promote creative ways of presenting and revising content, asking questions of other students and providing constructive feedback during the conference. 3.5.2 Use effective verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support students understanding, participation, engagement and achievement Teachers encourage their students to consider their audience and communication medium for their presentations, and incorporate visual, verbal and kinaesthetic means of conveying ideas. Teachers will use ANSTO-developed resources to work with their students to develop and present engaging presentations about nuclear science topics. Research basis of the course. Videoconferencing can be a very powerful tool for connecting school students. However, research about the use of videoconferencing to link science organisations with schools suggests that it can often become a very didactic form of interaction (Falloon 2012). To make videoconferencing a more student-centred learning experience, teachers can collaborate with videoconference providers to facilitate studentdriven syllabus-relevant content and student-driven technology (Tholander 2011). Teachers also foster a sense of place, context and meaning for their students by connecting them with ANSTO as Australia s leading nuclear science organisation. Tholander, M. (2011). Student-led conferencing as democratic practice. Children and Society. 25(3):239-250. Falloon, G. (2012). Using videoconferencing in a school-scientist partnership: Students perceptions and scientists challenges. Research in Learning Technology. 20: Rationale for the course There are several reasons for this course:

- Both students and teachers need to become comfortable with collaborating as digital citizens - Videoconferencing is a crucial tool that allows teachers to facilitate collaboration between their students and the rest of the world - There are a plethora of videoconferencing programs offered to schools, but few programs are free, student-led, feature student-developed highly-syllabus relevant content, and put students in contact with one of Australia s leading science organisations - Some teachers require training in how to use different videoconferencing technologies and how to make it an effective teaching tool with their students Summary of the course This course gives teachers experience in integrating an HSC revision videoconference connection with other schools and ANSTO into their teaching program. 1. Videoconference planning and preparatory lesson (1 hour): Organise a videoconference with ANSTO, including communicating with ANSTO Education staff about the requirements of their students and their in-class progress Select and use ANSTO-developed teacher resources to plan and facilitate syllabus-relevant preparatory activities (either a part or whole lesson) before their videoconference 2. HSC Revision conference with ANSTO and other schools (non-accredited time): Teachers collaborate with ANSTO Education staff to help their students facilitate a videoconference with ANSTO and other schools Teachers collaborate with students and teachers from other schools to provide constructive feedback on student understanding of nuclear topics Teachers critique their students engagement and level of understanding during the excursion and provide feedback to ANSTO Education staff 3. Post work at school (1 hour): Teachers select and use ANSTO-developed teacher resources to plan and facilitate a whole or part lesson back at school to contextualise their videoconference with ANSTO and other schools with syllabus content and in-class revision strategies. Further teacher learning opportunities Teachers will also benefit from this course by seeing

Focus and content of the Excursion planning and preparatory lesson (1 hour) Teachers organise a videoconference with ANSTO, including communicating with ANSTO Education staff about the requirements of their students and their in-class progress Teachers select and use ANSTO-developed teacher resources to plan and facilitate syllabusrelevant preparatory activities (either a part or whole lesson) before their ANSTO virtual tour 2.1.2 Apply knowledge of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area to develop engaging teaching activities 3.4.2 Select and/or create and use a range of resources, including ICT, to engage students in their learning In this session: Teachers will engage with information about nuclear science which has been explicitly matched to the NSW science syllabus: Stage 6 Chemistry syllabus: Production of Materials (9.2.5) Stage 6 Physics syllabus: From Ideas to Implementation (9.4.3), Medical Physics (9.6.3), From Quanta to Quarks (9.8.3, 9.8.4) Teachers will use a number of classroom activity resources (developed by ANSTO Education) to develop teaching and learning activities that address Attitudes and perceptions regarding nuclear science and technology (debate topics and questions) Organising information to identify and then evaluate the benefits and risks of nuclear science (Benefits vs risks table) Interpreting, summarising and presenting information to describe the historical development of scientific understanding about nuclear science (timelines, flow charts, picture collages)

Focus and content of the 2.2.2 Organise content into coherent, well-sequenced learning and teaching programs 3.2.2 Plan and implement wellstructured learning and teaching programs or lesson sequences that engage students and promote learning Teachers organise content into three learning for their class to ensure continuity in student learning. Teachers plan and deliver this lesson sequence to their class: 1. Pre-videoconference preparatory activities in class 2. Videoconference with ANSTO and other schools 3. Post-videoconference activities in class Teachers will communicate with ANSTO Education staff about which nuclear science syllabus dot points they have covered in class. Teachers will work with ANSTO Education staff prior to the excursion to customise teaching activities for their students during their excursion. ANSTO online resources for this program can be found here: http://bit.ly/1trnaps HSC Revision videoconference with ANSTO and other schools (nonaccredited time) Teachers collaborate with ANSTO Education staff to facilitate a virtual excursion to Australia s only nuclear reactor and related facilities 3.5.2 Use effective verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support students understanding, participation, engagement and achievement 2.1.2 Apply knowledge of the Teachers collaborate with ANSTO Education staff to help students develop a range of visual, verbal and kinaesthetic-based components within their student presentations, such as: - Pictures, animations and videos about nuclear science applications in industry, medicine and

Focus and content of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area to develop engaging teaching activities research - Using scintillation counters to measure radioactivity 3.3.2 Select and use relevant teaching strategies to develop knowledge, skills, problem solving and critical and creative thinking - Simulating a fission reaction with ping pong balls - Simulating beta radiation via dance - Drawing and labelling diagrams of nuclear medicine canisters and scans - Writing nuclear chemical equations - Asking questions to clarify concepts and contextualise information - Recording and analysing data from first-hand investigations of radiation using cloud chambers and scintillation counters Teachers encourage their students to lead the conference, directly collaborating with students from other schools by asking questions and giving constructive feedback. 2.6.2 Use effective teaching strategies to integrate ICT into learning and teaching programs to make selected content relevant and meaningful By videoconferencing with ANSTO and other schools to revise HSC Physics and Chemistry content, teachers integrate ICT into their learning program in a way that makes concepts relevant and meaningful in the context of real nuclear

Focus and content of the science research. 2.2.2 Organise content into coherent, well-sequenced learning and teaching programs 3.2.2 Plan and implement wellstructured learning and teaching programs or lesson sequences that engage students and promote learning Teachers collaborate with ANSTO Education staff to customise content and teaching strategies used during the videoconference to suit their students needs. Teachers organise content into three learning for their class to ensure continuity in student learning. Teachers critique their students engagement and level of understanding during the virtual tour to: - provide feedback to ANSTO Education staff - customise post-work activities for their class Postvideoconference activities at school (1 hour) Teachers select and use ANSTO-developed teacher resources to plan and facilitate a whole or part lesson after the virtual tour to contextualise their experience at ANSTO with syllabus content. 2.1.2 Apply knowledge of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area to develop engaging teaching activities Teachers select and use ANSTO-developed teacher resources to facilitate activities in which students apply their knowledge and skills to answer example HSC questions about each topic as part of their exam revision. 3.4.2 Select and/or create and use a range of resources, including ICT, to engage students in their learning 2.2.2 Organise content into Teachers use ANSTO-developed teacher

Focus and content of the coherent, well-sequenced learning and teaching programs 3.2.2 Plan and implement wellstructured learning and teaching programs or lesson sequences that engage students and promote learning resources to plan and deliver a concluding session of activities for their students to: - share their answers to example HSC questions - assess their answers using suggested marking criteria for each question and sample answers - share their thoughts about their experience of collaborative HSC revision by videoconference