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Australian academy of Technological sciences and engineering (ATSE)
Number 147
December 2007
Bringing relevance
to STEM education
Contributors focus on education – including
ATSE’s role – and key aspects relating to
engineering, mathematics, curriculum,
technical education and skills development
FOCUS www.atse.org.aucontents
3
10 Maths Matters
12 The future of schooling
from a STEM perspective
Bringing relevance 14 Education shortcomings
to science education limit opportunities
through STELR
By Alan Finkel 17 Technical skills demand
5
and supply
19 urban water planning
below par, says ATSE
21 DO PUTS hold the key to
Education: a core urban transport?
ATSE priority
By Lesley Parker
7
Rethinking Australian
engineering education
Page 21 A new approach
to urban transport – the
interior of the Nissan Pivo II.
By Robin King and
Mary O’Kane 22 issues in nanotechnologies
for australia
24 henzell’s remarkable
history
Front cover: A proud tradition in education.
Photo: University of Adelaide 27 ATSE in Focus
ATSE is an independent body of eminent Australian engineers and scientists
established to promote the application of scientific and engineering knowledge to
practical purposes. Focus is produced to serve this goal.
Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors, and do not necessarily
reflect the views of ATSE. Material published in Focus may be reproduced provided
ATSE Focus is produced to stimulate discussion and appropriate acknowledgement is given to the author and the Academy.
public policy initiatives on key topics of interest Cheif Executive Officer: Dr Trevor Evans
to the Academy and the nation. Many articles are Editor: Bill Mackey
contributed by ATSE Fellows with expertise in these Technical Consultant: Dr Vaughan Beck FTSE
areas. Opinion pieces on topics of national interest, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE)
particularly the Academy’s key interest areas – climate Address: Ian McLennan House, 197 Royal Parade, Parkville Vic 3052
change, water, energy and education – will be Postal Address: PO Box 355, Parkville Vic 3052
considered for publication. Items between 800 and Telephone: 03 9340 1200
1500 words are preferred. Please address comments, Facsimile: 03 9347 8237
Email: editor@atse.org.au
suggested topics and article for publication to
ACN 008 520 394
editor@atse.org.au. ABN 58 008 520 394
Print Post Publication No 341403/0025
Deadline for the receipt of copy for next edition of ISSN 1326-8708
Focus is 8 February 2008
Design and production: Coretext 03 9670 1168 www.coretext.com.au
www.atse.org.au FOCUSeducation
Bringing relevance to science
education through STELR
ATSE has initiated a science and technology education program for secondary
schools with the ultimate aim of building the basis of a national science curriculum
By Alan Finkel
A
alan@finkel.net they are, the innovative extracurricular activities on offer
s professionals, Academy Fellows are con- suffer from several limitations. First, they do not reach all
cerned about the education of their succes- secondary school students. Second, they mainly appeal
sors, the next generation who will underpin to students who already have a commitment to science
Australia’s long-term ability to capitalise on and technology. Third, they are of limited duration.
its current economic prosperity. Beyond this job-skills Inside the classroom, some well-resourced and high-
need, it is important to broaden the reach of science initiative schools have been able to modernise their
education within the general population to maximise secondary school science programs and are enjoying
the viability of Australia’s participatory democracy. participation rates in Year 12 science in excess of 50 per
The future voters of this country need an appre- cent, several times the national average. However, the
ciation of science and technology in order to interpret majority of secondary schools do not have the equip-
and contribute to national debates about issues such as ment or personnel to reform their curricula to intro-
vaccination, water desalination and recycling, medical duce contemporary science and technology into their
therapies, nuclear energy, environmental sustainability programs in a way that will engage students’ interest.
and genetic modification. To positively influence declining national partici-
It is well known that participation rates in second- pation rates, new curriculum-
ary school science have been declining steadily, espe- level initiatives based on a
cially in the so-called ‘enabling’ disciplines of physics, highly relevant context are
chemistry and mathematics. There are many reasons needed, and ultimately should
for this, not the least of which is that there is little rea- be made available to all sec-
son for students to choose ‘difficult’ subjects in Year 12 ondary schools. Further, to
given that, at most universities, physics, chemistry and compensate for whatever lack
mathematics are no longer prerequisites for entry into of expertise teachers may have
science; even engineering faculties, in many cases, have in contemporary science and
only a single science subject as prerequisite. technology, it is necessary to
Numerous studies have been published on the rea- help them acquire the knowl-
sons for the decline in participation rates in secondary edge they need and to facili-
school science and they all share a common theme: the tate their efforts by providing
problem of lack of motivation. Time and again it is re- curriculum support material
ported that students do not see science and technology and professional training.
as relevant, either to their daily lives or their future ca- To address the issues of
reers, despite living in a world driven by and dependent relevance and the facilitation
on science. For example, Goodrum and Rennie’s 2006 of teacher training and re- Capturing student interest - Professor
issues paper said: “Many students find the school sci- sources, the Academy has initi- Ian Frazer FAA FTSE, former Australian of
the Year and 2007 Florey Medal and ATSE
ence curriculum on offer to be unimportant, disengag- ated a novel, curriculum-based Clunies Ross Award winner, works with
ing and irrelevant to their life interests and priorities.”1 secondary school science and students at the 2007 Extreme Science
Experience.
One way to tackle this problem is through the pro- technology education pro-
vision of extracurricular activities. However, as good as gram known as STELR, an
FOCUS www.atse.org.au Education
Practical classes based on the use of wind and teacher-support materials based on modern peda-
turbines and solar panels to create electricity, gogical principles. Our two projects are independent
and based on the conversion of vegetable but loosely linked through an exchange of ideas and
oils and sugars to biodiesel and bioethanol funding, and in future there may be a merging of ideas.
can be combined with inquiry-based learning The STELR project is at a fledgling stage. Since
methods to stimulate students’ interest in physics, securing funding for the proof-of-concept program,
chemistry, biology and mathematics. we have established a steering committee of teachers,
university education specialists and nominees from
acronym for Science and Technology Education Lever- the various representative associations concerned with
aging Relevance. If all goes as planned, the educational science and technology education. In 2008, the proof-
modules in STELR will serve as a testbed for elements of-concept program will be offered in four schools for
of a future national science curriculum. Years 9 and 10. If, after an evaluation process, the proof-
The first challenge for the STELR program is the of-concept program is deemed to be successful, further
matter of relevance. There are numerous science and funding will be sought to broaden the reach into more
technology issues that attract substantial press cover- schools in all states. The eventual goal is for the tech-
age, including genetic modification, nanotechnology, nology and the teacher-facilitation materials developed
cancer therapies, stem cells and human genetics. But in the STELR program to contribute to a national sci-
none of these has such extensive media coverage as ence curriculum.
climate change. Further, climate change is a topic that Further, while the STELR approach is expected to
students care about. A survey this year by the Austral- work well for Years 9 and 10, there is so much scope
ian Childhood Foundation found that 52 per cent of within the renewable-energies context for teaching
children were worried about not having enough water the fundamental principles of science, technology and
in the future and 44 per cent were worried about the mathematics that it should also be highly applicable in
impending impact of climate change. Years 11 and 12.
Yet climate change, in its broadest context, is not a There are so many competing choices for students
suitable subject for teaching the enabling science and when selecting subjects, and so many high-tech prod-
technology disciplines, because it is highly complex ucts such as iPods and PlayStations fill their lives, that
and multidisciplinary. There is, fortunately, a subset unless we add a modern, extremely relevant context to
of climate change that is simpler than the whole, but secondary school science and technology education
nevertheless sufficiently sophisticated that it forms a there is no reason for the majority of students to choose
powerful platform for teaching the fundamental sci- science subjects.
ence and technology disciplines. This subset is renew- The necessary changes to reverse the existing trends
able energy. will require a commitment to curriculum reform,
Practical classes based on the use of wind turbines teacher support and the provision of resources. The
and solar panels to create electricity, and based on the STELR program and other curriculum-based initia-
conversion of vegetable oils and sugars to biodiesel and tives will explore this approach and, if successful, will
bioethanol can be combined with inquiry-based learn- serve as a guide to the development of a national sci-
ing methods to stimulate students’ interest in physics, ence curriculum. t
chemistry, biology and mathematics.
1. Denis Goodrum, Mark Hackling and Leonie Rennie, The Status and
The second challenge for the STELR program is Quality of Teaching and Learning of Science in Australian Schools,
to facilitate the jobs of existing teachers, through the research report prepared for the Department of Education,
Training and Youth Affairs, Canberra, c2001, 5.
creation of curriculum units that will build upon the
supplied renewable energy technology and provide Dr Alan Finkel AM FTSE, an electrical engineer and
neuroscience Research Fellow at ANU, founded Axon
support materials and professional development train- Instruments in California in 1983 to supply electronic and
ing. These units will facilitate the teaching of the funda- robotic instruments and software for cellular neurosciences,
genomics and pharmaceutical drug discovery. Axon was sold in
mentals in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics 2004 and Dr Finkel co-founded Cosmos, a magazine of science
that students should be exposed to by Year 10, which is, in society, and G, a lifestyle magazine about sustainable
living. He is Chairman of the National Research Centre for the
at present, the last compulsory year. Prevention of Child Abuse, a Governor of the Clunies Ross
A similarly motivated program is also being trialled Foundation, Chairman of the Australian Course in Advanced
Neuroscience, and a Board member and Governor of the
by the Australian Academy of Science. Its Science by
Florey Neuroscience Institutes. From January 2008 he will be
Doing program also seeks to provide a relevant context Chancellor of Monash University.
www.atse.org.au FOCUSatse’s role
Education: a core
ATSE priority
As one of ATSE’s four priorities, mapping a way forward in STEM education in
Australia is important, but prioritisation is even more important
By Lesley Parker
A
lparker@curtin.edu.au ‘irrelevant’) and of the basic tenets of good teaching in
fter many years of valuable work by the ATSE these subjects.
Education Working Group, the Academy’s in- In addition, during the decade from the mid-1980s
volvement in education took an exciting new some projects that focused specifically on making sci-
direction recently with the establishment of ence more inclusive were associated with gains in female
education as one of four priority areas in the 2006–12 participation and achievement, but the gains appeared to
Strategic Plan. The others are water, energy and climate reach a plateau once the appetite for funding such pro-
change, and each is served by a topic forum. grams disappeared. Most recently, resources have been
This is a timely step forward and recognises the dedicated to the development of high-quality, online sci-
crucial role of education in building the scientific and
technological capacity of Australia and opening up
discussion among Fellows about ways in which ATSE
can act to initiate and enhance activities in this area. In
clarifying and enacting its role in relation to the educa-
tion focus, ATSE has indicated that its emphasis will be
on the impact and influence the Academy can have and
on positioning the Academy as an important player.
Background
ATSE’s commitment occurs against a background rich
in evidence about science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) education, national and inter- Keeping the focus – ATSE sponsors STEM teaching awards. ATSE SA Division
President Dr Rob Lewis with Salisbury High School Assistant Principal and
national. In recent years, many Australian reports have science teacher Debra Turley, the 2007 ATSE award winner, and school principal
drawn attention to inadequacies in STEM education. Helen Symeonakis.
In 2002, the Academy’s own report, The Teaching of Sci-
ence and Technology in Australian Primary Schools: A ence and mathematics curriculum materials by the Learn-
Cause for Concern, based on a national research project, ing Federation (www.thelearningfederation.edu.au).
proposed a number of urgent reforms in Australian pri- It is disappointing that, despite these kinds of invest-
mary schooling and teacher education to address read- ments, the fundamental problems remain: the partici-
ily identifiable shortcomings. pation of students in the enabling sciences continues to
Over the past two decades in Australia, millions of decline and the critical shortage of people with STEM
dollars have been invested in national, state and local knowledge and skills continues to be a national concern.
programs aimed at the problems, particularly at upper Perhaps because of the apparently modest return
primary and secondary school levels. on investments to date, the most recent reports at na-
Research, together with programs such as these, has tional and state levels have shifted from documentation
led to some improvements, especially in relation to un- of research to recommendations for the development
derstanding some of the issues (such as the major bar- of ‘action plans’. For example, the Commonwealth has
rier posed by students’ perception of STEM studies as sponsored the initial phase of production of a National
FOCUS www.atse.org.au Atse’s Role
Action Plan for Australian School Science Education place its collective effort, recognising successes and
2008–12, the Queensland Government has produced a failure of the past, and recognising that constraints on
discussion paper putting forward possibilities for a 10- ATSE’s potential contribution (in terms of funds, skills
year plan for STEM education and skills, and the WA and Fellows’ time) tend to dictate that ATSE’s work
Government has produced ‘Creating a Future with Sci- will need to be carried out in partnership with govern-
ence’, which recommends a range of actions aimed at ment and/or industry.
capacity-building in STEM. This shift to an emphasis
on action plans is mirrored by the UK and the US. A way forward
Drawing on the discussion at the August meeting and
Taking stock taking heed of the Academy’s concerns and resources
At the Academy’s strategic planning meeting in August (real and in-kind), it appears feasible for ATSE to move
2007, discussions about STEM education revealed four forward on four main fronts in education. These reflect
main areas of concern for Fellows: the Academy’s previous commitments to engage with
ò inadequate student enrollments in the enabling government, industry and the community; to provide a
sciences at secondary and post-secondary levels; forum for debate; to undertake projects in key areas; to
ò the quality of students’ educational experience in foster and recognise excellence; and to raise the profile
STEM subjects at all levels of education (a matter of science and engineering.
involving teachers and curriculum);
ò the standard and appropriateness of student Contributing to debate and policy
learning outcomes (in terms of STEM-related
knowledge, skills, attitudes and values) at all
educational levels; and
1 Ideas already put forward in this area include high-
lighting key issues through, for example, an ATSE
‘distinguished lecturer’ national program or the choice
ò the limited understanding of ���������������
STEM career of education as the theme for a future symposium. Oth-
possibilities by
������������������������������������
the community (including parents er strategies are more of an ongoing nature. For example,
and teachers). providing thoughtful and academically sound responses
As with other focus areas, ATSE’s education aims to reports, and participating in reviews of STEM areas,
involve identifying the unique or distinctive contribu- such as the National Numeracy Review and the current
tion ATSE can make, then planning and implement- Review of Engineering Education in universities funded
ing action to achieve desired goals, taking account of by the Carrick Institute (www.carrickinstitute.edu.au).
possible impediments to and metrics for determining Strategies include ATSE ensuring that its voice is heard
success. The reports mentioned earlier send a clear mes- in the policy area, for example, seeking representation
sage about the need for new and innovative solutions on bodies such as the proposed National Council for
to the problems underlying Fellows’ concerns, and re- School Science Education, and also relationship build-
garding ways in which ATSE can act to complement ing with state departments of education and training
rather than replicate existing initiatives. In some cases and with state-appointed chief scientists. All of these
the message has already been heard – for example, the kinds of activities would also serve the purpose of high-
Academy’s highly innovative STELR project (Science lighting the profile of ATSE in education.
and Technology Education Leveraging Relevance)
builds on understanding of ‘relevance’ as an issue. Helping increase �������������������������
STEM education ����������
enrolments
ò
Other important messages concern are:
the need for sustained effort (as shown by the
reduction of female participation and achievement
2 Strategies in this area would help position ATSE as
a key stakeholder in STEM education, prepared to
make an active and purposeful contribution. This would
once special initiatives were discontinued); involve initiating strategic alliances (for example, with
ò the importance of university prerequisites as universities to pursue possibilities for ARC and Carrick
determinants of students’ STEM choices and grants) and building on existing initiatives (for exam-
success in those areas of study; and ple, the ATSE 2002 report and the STELR project). It
ò the existence of gaps in policies and programs could also involve leveraging ATSE’s expertise in labo-
that may signal areas in which ATSE could make ratory/workshop occupational health and safety, given
a significant contribution (for example, early the identification of health and safety requirements as
childhood education and higher education). an impediment to practical activities in school STEM.
The conundrum for ATSE involves where best to u more on page 9
www.atse.org.au FOCUSEngineering
Rethinking Australian
engineering education
The needs of future engineers will be at the heart of a new national
review of tertiary engineering education, supported by ATSE
By Robin King
and Mary O’Kane
robin.king@eng.uts.edu.au
A
mary_okane@okaneassociates.com.au their development in specific engineering sciences and
t this time of high demand for engineers, the specialisations.
Academy is supporting a national project to re- Engineering education faces several problems:
view and scope future directions for Australia’s ò the number of Australian school leavers choosing
engineering education system. The project is be- engineering is too small and a declining proportion
ing undertaken by the Australian Council of Engineering of women students have taken school mathematics
Deans (ACED) with support from Engineers Australia, and science;
the Academy and the Australasian Association for En- ò the higher attrition from engineering programs (par-
gineering Education (AAEE). The project is funded as ticularly the professional engineering B.Eng.); and
a discipline-based initiative of the Carrick Institute for ò changing corporate operations (such as specialisa-
Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. tion and outsourcing), globalisation and the emer-
Due to report in February 2008, the main objective gence of new science and technologies, for example,
of the project is to provide recommendations for action continually change engineering practice, with conse-
by the higher education sector, the engineering profes- quent impact on education.
sion, industry and government, which will, quoting the Similar dynamics and trends have also been reported
project brief: in studies in the US and UK. Australian dimensions of
ensure that the engineering education sector across these trends need to be understood before proposing sys-
Australia’s universities produces, in a sustainable manner, temic change.
a diverse supply of graduates with the appropriate attributes Clearly, much has been achieved by the participants
for professional practice and international relevance in the in the engineering education sector since the mid-1990s.
rapidly changing, competitive context of engineering in the Engineers Australia has led the way on focusing program
21st Century. accreditation processes strongly on the generic attributes
In formulating its recommendations, the project will of graduates entering professional engineering. This ac-
also reflect on changes and achievements in engineering creditation process is recognised internationally through
education in the higher education sector since the publi- the Washington Accord.
cation, in 1996, of the report of the previous review of en- Most employers contributing to the present study ac-
gineering education, Changing the Culture: Engineering knowledge that typical contemporary engineering gradu-
Education into the Future. Over the past eight months, ates have good verbal communication and presentation
the project team has met with, and received submissions skills, and are better team players than previous gradu-
from, more than 1000 students, graduates, academics and ates. Modern graduates are also likely to be adept at using
members of the engineering industry and profession. advanced software, and understand the contexts of engi-
The architects of the project see engineering educa- neering practice better than previous generations, perhaps
tion underpinning a broad occupational area that must at the expense of what older engineers describe as ‘being
make major contributions, including leadership, to able to work from first principles’. Many students express
maintaining and improving Australia’s economic and en- commitment to environmental sustainability, with a pas-
vironmental health and the wellbeing of its people. Engi- sion to ‘make a difference’ on national and global issues in
neering practice is multi-level, and is also highly diverse areas such as energy and water, and to exploit new scienc-
in terms of its science and mathematical foundations and es in medical applications and product manufacturing.
FOCUS www.atse.org.au Engineering
The 32 universities now offering engineering pro- the low level of participation in engineering at univer-
grams in 17 Australian cities have adapted to develop sity. In 2006, DEST reported that only 5.15 per cent of
and sustain their engineering schools and engineering students commencing higher education entered engi-
research while their resource base has been declining. neering and related studies. Countries such as Finland
The growth and embedding of research can be seen with and Korea report engineering participation rates more
most of the larger engineering schools participating in than double the Australian figure.
one or more Cooperative Research Centre or being as- Students also report that engineering has the rep-
sociated with an ARC Centre of Excellence. utation of being a hard study area, and one in which
Engineering has been one of the three main areas the (long-term) career returns are not likely to match
of internationalisation in Australian higher education others, such as medicine, law or business. Setting the
(along with business and information technology) qualifying cut-off tertiary entrance rank for engineer-
through recruitment of large numbers of overseas stu- ing lower than that of those disciplines, as many univer-
dents into undergraduate and postgraduate coursework sities do in order to meet place quotas, may also deter
programs. some of the best students.
Several engineering schools have worked in col- This is offset by many highly qualified school leav-
laboration with industry and government sectors ers taking engineering in degree combinations with
(such as the minerals and electrical industries, defence these disciplines. That many engineering students also
and water) to form consortia to develop industry and express the intention to move into ‘management’ early
government-sponsored Masters-by-coursework degree in their careers also raises further concern about the
programs to meet specific skills needs. medium-term health of engineering as a strongly tech-
In their provision of undergraduate engineering nically oriented discipline, as surely it must remain.
education, most engineering schools have revised their But herein also lies an opportunity for many of
Bachelor of Engineering curricula significantly to im- Australia’s engineering-educated business leaders to be
prove student outcomes (such as in the areas of generic public advocates for their core discipline and the values
attributes), and offer advanced pathways to selected of an engineering degree to business in general.
students, and foundation or bridging pathways to those The project is therefore exploring several key is-
who commence at university without the traditional sues.
prerequisite knowledge in mathematics and sciences.
New programs that cross traditional engineering The requirements of tomorrow’s engineers
disciplines have emerged. Curriculum innovations
within engineering programs include more active,
project-based and industry-based learning. Several en-
1 Great diversity: some future professional engineers
may work in advanced engineering science and tech-
nologies, others may manage advanced and complex
gineering schools have developed ‘learning spaces’ for systems. Engineering technologists may be component
students for strengthening interdisciplinary collabora- specialists, or be responsible for systems operation/main-
tion and project work. Many engineering schools now tenance. Most will need to be effective project managers.
offer both Associate Degrees in Engineering (two years Graduates need to possess fundamentals and contempo-
of post-secondary study) and three-year Bachelor of rary knowledge and be effective lifelong learners.
Engineering Technology programs, reflecting industry
need for university-educated employees in vital para- Fundamental knowledge requirements
professional roles.
Staff and students from most engineering schools
are actively engaged in innovative, but usually under-
2 Engineering programs naturally possess many desir-
able generic graduate attributes, but we need to ex-
press much more clearly the key elements of engineer-
resourced, outreach programs to secondary schools. ing. A possible list for professional engineers includes:
Much of the outreach activity reported above may mathematical modelling, engineering design (as con-
not be necessary, or would take different forms, if en- strained creativity), systems integration, understand-
gineering was regarded as a high-prestige area of study. ing uncertainty (of various kinds), logistics and project
School students, and others, report that engineering, management. New educational program structures and
and the work of engineers is ‘invisible’ to them; simi- employment patterns may be needed to accommodate
lar findings have been reported in a recent quantitative the diversity of occupational needs more effectively than
UK study. they do at present, while giving students flexibility to
This apparent invisibility is likely to contribute to choose their
��������������������������������������
study and career entry pathways.
www.atse.org.au FOCUSengineering
1 Institution of Engineers (1996), Changing the Culture: Engineering
Resourcing these needs
3
Education into the Future, Institution of Engineers, Australia, ACT
Academic staff and laboratories will need to be de- 2 National Academy of Engineering (2005), Educating the Engineer of
ployed more collaboratively between universities 2020, National Academies Press, Washington DC.
3 Royal Academy of Engineering (2007), Educating Engineers for the
and use advanced information technology increasingly 21st century, RAE, London
more effectively. Laboratories and design spaces must 4 P ublic Attitudes to and Perceptions of Engineering and Engineers 2007,
a study commissioned by The Royal Academy of Engineering and
be equipped with modern instrumentation and relate to the Engineering and Technology Board, UK. See www.raeng.org.uk.
real practice environments. Industry must provide more
‘mutual benefit’ support to universities. The educational Emeritus Professor Robin King was Pro-Vice-Chancellor
of the University of SA’s Division of Information Technology,
roles of academic staff will need strong developmental Engineering and the Environment from 1998 to his retirement
support to meet the demanding needs of contemporary in March 2007. Now he is managing the Carrick Institute-funded
project on the supply and quality of engineering graduates
students and the changing requirements of industry.
on behalf of the Australian Council of Engineering Deans. He
Undoubtedly, engineering educators must work is a Fellow of Engineers Australia and of the UK Institution of
more closely with science and mathematics teachers in Engineering and Technology, Chair of the Accreditation Board
of Engineers Australia, and a Board member of the CRC for
schools and curriculum reform to demonstrate the ex- Integrated Engineering Asset Management and the International
citement and creativity of science and engineering, to Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management.
increase the population of school students with the re- Mary O’Kane FTSE is a company director and a specialist in
high-technology commercialisation, national and international
quired aptitudes and knowledge. research strategy and higher education policy. She is Executive
Chairman of Mary O’Kane & Associates Pty Ltd, which advises
governments, universities and the private sector on innovation,
A concerted effort, engaging all of the stakehold-
research, education and development. Professor O’Kane was
ers of engineering in business and government, will be Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide
needed to raise public understanding of the importance from 1996 to 2001 and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) from
1994 to 1996. She was also Professor of Electrical and Electronic
of engineering to Australia’s future. Engineering at the university.
t From page 6
Recognising and rewarding excellence in engineering, but also about the fact that such careers
STEM education at all levels are enjoyable, rewarding and vital to the wellbeing of
3 A wide range of prizes already exist for students or
teachers who excel in STEM, but ATSE could have
modern societies and economies.
an impact by focusing on rewards at the whole-of-school Prioritisation is imperative
level. For example, in each state ATSE could institute an There are many possibilities for ATSE in education, and
annual award for the school with the highest number of further discussion of and prioritisation of these is im-
students progressing to post-secondary STEM study. perative. There is also a need to recognise that individual
Fellows are already part of relevant initiatives through
Increasing the visibility and appeal of careers their professional associations or through activities at
in science and engineering state level – such as science councils, working parties,
4 It is clear from national and international research
that careers in STEM are not consistently attractive
to young people, with the current exception of engi-
projects and reviews – and that the key to a coherent na-
tional contribution from ATSE may well be an effective
internal communication strategy to integrate activities
neering, where labour-market demand and remunera- of relevant professional associations, ATSE State Divi-
tion levels are relatively high. There is also a prevailing sions and, in many cases, individual Fellows.
view among some STEM researchers and practitioners An important role for each of the Academy’s topic
that students are not choosing STEM studies and ca- forums will be to ensure that this kind of communica-
reers because they lack real knowledge of them and/or tion takes place. t
are uninspired by the knowledge they do have. Fellows
lament that today’s students are not inspired by STEM Emeritus Professor Lesley Parker AM FTSE graduated
with a BSc, BEd and PhD. Her career has included leadership,
studies in the way they themselves were as students. research, teaching and policy in all sectors of education, at state,
Changing student and community attitudes about national and international levels. Most recently she was Senior
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Curtin University of Technology
STEM is not an area where the Academy can act alone. (1997 to 2004) and Inaugural Director of the national Carrick
However, it could work with professional organisa- Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (2005-
06). At present, while maintaining a commitment to science and
tions to produce materials and presentations that con- mathematics education at Curtin University, she is also working
vey information not only about careers in science and on educational projects in Australia and overseas.
FOCUS www.atse.org.au mathematics
Maths matters
Reversing the decline in the number of students taking mathematics at
senior secondary level is the concern of a number of recent reviews
By Kaye Basford
A
k.e.basford@uq.edu.au What has contributed to this net decline in take-
s my initial university degree was a BSc with up?
First Class Honours in mathematics, it is Secondary school students are increasingly told to
not surprising that I believe the discipline of take subjects in their senior years that they like or are
mathematics matters. I would even go so far likely to do well in. This trend is sustained by a belief
as to say that it is a crucial foundation for almost all ca- that, under those circumstances, students will score well
reers in science, engineering and technology. A couple in the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (or
of fairly influential people have similar views: other tertiary entrance scores) and hence be afforded
the opportunity to undertake tertiary studies.
Every advanced industrial country knows that falling Universities have probably contributed to this
behind in science and mathematics means falling behind viewpoint by discarding advanced or even intermedi-
in commerce and prosperity. ate mathematics as prerequisites for entry into certain
– UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, programs. Students can study intermediate and/or
Budget speech, March 2006.
advanced mathematics at university (if they have not
passed these subjects at Year 12 level) and, on successful
In this ever more competitive global economy, Australia’s completion, receive credit for them as electives within a
science, engineering and technology skills need to match particular program.
the best in the world. This process is viewed by some academics as ‘dumb-
– Prime Minister John Howard, speech in Sydney, ing down’ science, engineering and technology pro-
September 2006. grams, as it means that more advanced disciplinary
These quotes are on the back cover of Mathematics courses are displaced. Others see it as an educational ad-
and Statistics: Critical Skills for Australia’s Future, the Na- vantage by enabling students to make decisions at a later
tional Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences Research stage in their development, rather than during their
in Australia.1 It was commissioned by the Australian mid-teens. It fits quite comfortably with the concept
Academy of Science and launched in December 2006. of one’s first university degree being somewhat general,
I was a member of the Advisory Council for that review but followed by a two-year focused masters program
because I was then President of the Statistical Society of (such as in the University of Melbourne’s new model).
Australia Inc., which had commissioned the December In any case, the declining take-up of intermediate
2005 Review of Statistics at Australian Universities.2 and advanced mathematics at senior secondary school
Unfortunately, young people today do not share level seems to be an inevitable outcome of current sub-
the view that mathematics is important. In an analysis ject selection practices in secondary and tertiary educa-
of participation in Year 12 mathematics across Austral- tion. To one who regards mathematics as a central pillar
ia from 1995 to 2004, Frank Barrington3 found that of scientific endeavour, this outcome is concerning. My
although the overall proportion of mathematics enrol- apprehension is shared by many in business, industry
ments had been maintained, there had been a net loss and government. Two key recommendations from the
of students taking intermediate and advanced options mathematical sciences review1 address the challenge of
in which higher-level skills were taught. He inferred reversing this decline:
that “this impacts on the ability of students to under- ò ensure that all mathematics teachers in Australian
take tertiary studies in the quantitative sciences, and for schools have appropriate training in the disciplines
the national capacity for innovation in engineering and of mathematics and statistics to the highest
technology”. international standards; and
10 www.atse.org.au FOCUSMathematics
ò encourage greater numbers of high school students 10-year plan for science, technology, engineering and
to study intermediate and advanced mathematics. mathematics (STEM) education and skills in Queens-
Perhaps the best way to achieve the second outcome land’, identified some areas of concern in professional/
would be to promote the vast and increasing range of tertiary STEM training. However, the Queensland
rewarding careers available to those who obtain some Government does not seem to be as proactive in ad-
training in mathematics and statistics. Their pervasive- dressing these issues as it is for those in the VET sector,
ness is not well understood by the community – just where it is clearly very active.
about every area of employment depends at some point Even though university education is primarily a
on handling and interpreting data, and on predicting Federal Government concern, state governments must
and modelling outcomes.4 Jobs requiring analytical also commit resources to encourage secondary school
skills are advertised in areas ranging from finance and students to consider STEM training at tertiary level.
commerce to the natural sciences and engineering. This should happen now. Employers have already stated
More specifically, undertaking mathematics in the sen- that they have not been able to source graduates within
ior school years opens up science, engineering and tech- Australia in the enabling mathematical sciences1, as il-
nology as possible career paths. lustrated by the following:
The other key recommendations from the math-
ematical sciences review were: Over the past few years it has been difficult for us
ò significantly increase the number of university to recruit top-class graduates in specific areas of the
graduates with appropriate mathematical and mathematical sciences from Australian universities.
statistical training; We have sought to recruit operations research and
ò broaden the mathematical sciences research base; and optimisation specialists from the US and Europe because
ò identify, anticipate and meet industry needs for a of the difficulty of recruiting [them] … within Australia.
pool of tertiary-trained expert mathematicians and – BHP Billiton questionnaire submitted to
the National Strategic Review of Mathematical
statisticians. Sciences Research in Australia, 2006.
If all five recommendations were accepted and
enacted, we would be able to build a critical mass of I will close on a positive note. Any mathematical
research, education, industry and government inter- training is going to be useful, whether that be for every-
action, and ensure we maintained our technical and day life or for career choices. Intermediate and advanced
problem-solving capability, particularly in science, en- mathematical skills are essential if you want any sort of
gineering and technology. We could also improve the career in science, engineering or technology.
percentage of university graduates with a mathematics These analytical skills can be obtained at secondary
or statistics major from the current 0.5 per cent a year school or university, but the earlier they are learnt the
to at least the OECD average of 1 per cent.1 more advantaged the logical reasoning and problem-
I believe these reviews1,2 have contributed to a major solving skills will be in other disciplinary areas.
change in the way mathematics and statistics are viewed Mathematics does matter!
by those in the Federal Government. The last Budget
1 Australian Academy of Science, 2006, Mathematics and Statistics:
greatly improved the state of mathematical sciences in Critical Skills for Australia’s Future
Australia. The disciplinary areas of mathematics and 2 Statistical Society of Australia Inc., 2005, Statistics at Australian
Universities
statistics are now in a higher funding band shared with
3 Barrington F, 2006, Participation in Year 12 mathematics across
computer science, with an increase of about 50 per cent Australia 1995-2004, ICE-EM Publications in Education
in financial support per student. This is an excellent 4 International Centre of Excellence for Education in Mathematics,
2006, Maths ad(d)s: A guide for students to the job market 2006/07
outcome that will have a big effect on relevant academ-
ics, with resulting benefits for their students. Kaye Basford FTSE is Head of the University of Queensland’s
School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, a multi-disciplinary
Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a cor- cross-campus school focused on agricultural, environmental
responding change in the way state governments view and food sciences. She is immediate Past President of the
Statistical Society of Australia Inc. As Professor of Biometry,
tertiary education in comparison with vocational edu- her teaching and research is at the forefront of statistics
cation and training (VET), where skilled-labour short- and quantitative genetics through the development and
dissemination of appropriate methodology for the analysis
ages have been evident for some years. and interpretation of genotypic adaptation in large-scale
In Queensland, for instance, where the government plant breeding trials. Her awards include the 1998 Medal of
Agriculture from the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science
has supported higher education through its Smart State
and Technology and a 1986 Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship
Strategy, a recent discussion paper, entitled ‘Towards a to Cornell University.
FOCUS www.atse.org.au 11curriculum
The future of schooling
from a STEM perspective
Increasing numbers of students find maths and science too hard or
irrelevant – how can a national curriculum help reverse this trend?
By David Beanland
N
beanland@rmit.edu.au economic background is also considered; and
ational goals for schooling in the 21st cen- ò the percentage of students progressing to Year 12,
tury1 were jointly agreed by the Common- or equivalent – relatively low in Australia (below
wealth, states and territories in 1999 and, 80 per cent) and of concern as many unemployed
over the past year, a steering committee ap- peoople come from the group who do not progress
pointed by the Council for the Australian Federation – has been relatively static for the past 15 years.
(CAF) (which comprises the premiers and chief min- The states are keen to focus additional resources on
isters of all states and territories) has been reviewing supporting the education of students from the lower
these goals with a view to refining them. socio-economic groups, because improvement there is
The steering committee’s report2 has been adopted considered to be the most efficient way of lifting Aus-
by CAF, endorsed by state and territory ministers for tralia’s overall performance.
education, and supported by the Catholic and inde- On national curriculum goals, the review group
pendent schools authorities subject to the endorsement concluded that:
of the Commonwealth. It is yet to be considered by ò more than ever, education is recognised as an
the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, investment crucial to securing Australia’s future
Training and Youth Affairs, the all-government forum economic prosperity and meeting changing
of education ministers. workforce demands;
The report first addresses the effectiveness of school ò young people need the right skills and knowledge
education in Australia and uses in its considerations the to thrive in an information-rich world;
international benchmarking undertaken regularly by ò information is critical to understand and address
the OECD’s Program for International Student Assess- emerging environmental challenges;
ment. This compares the performance of a sample of 15- ò education can promote social cohesion by giving
year-olds in reading, science, mathematics and problem students the skills to relate their own values with
solving in about 40 countries. Australian students rank the experience of others;
relatively well on the basis of the mean performance of ò education is a critical driver for delivering equality
students in these assessments: 4th in reading, 11th in of opportunity in society; and
mathematics, 6th in science and 8th in problem solving. ò while responding to these increased economic and
The review process concluded that: social demands, education remains an important
ò Australia’s overall education standards compare contributor to the spiritual, moral, cultural and
fairly well on an international basis, but the aim physical development of young people.
should be to perform better; Taking these issues into account, the review report
ò the relatively competitive position of Australian suggested modifications to a national curriculum, al-
schooling will not be maintained without though the proposal for such in the report is no more
improvement; than a skeletal overview of the fields to be studied.
ò the main area of poor performance is among These are: English; mathematics and science (including
students from the lower socio-economic groups; physics, chemistry and biology); languages; humanities
ò student performance is relatively independent and social sciences (history, geography, economics);
of school type when the correlation with socio- the arts (performing and visual); health and physical
12 www.atse.org.au FOCUScurriculum
education; and cross-disciplinary 21st century learn- tion in students cannot be achieved without teachers
ing areas (technology, including ICT and design, civics who are familiar with and committed to these disci-
and citizenship, and business). plines. Although there are exceptions, the current social
To influence the detail of the curriculum, ATSE and philosophical factors in schools will often produce
and others with an interest in the outcome will need to a demotivating environment for STEM.
interact with the taskforces involved in its realisation. There is no doubt that science, technology and
What are the most important changes required in mathematics education in schools urgently requires
a revised curriculum? The most obvious problem to fundamental change in the area of achieving effective
address is that the school system is not producing suf- learning and student commitment through experien-
ficient students who are interested in proceeding into tial learning. The detailed knowledge acquired is now
science, technology and engineering (STEM) pro- far less important than the development of the abilities
grams at university and TAFE. Students rule out the to analyse problems, learn independently, find informa-
possibility of a career in these fields by choosing to drop
the prerequisite subjects when this becomes an option
from Year 10 onwards.
This problem is not unique to Australia; it is evi-
dent in many western countries. This disaffection of
senior high school students with science and math-
ematics obviously has several causes that need to be
analysed carefully if the trend is to be reversed. (Par-
ticipation in science and technology programs at Year
12 level fell from 19.1 per cent in 1993 to 15.4 per cent
in 2003.) The starting point is that the approach to sci-
ence and mathematics is not perceived to be relevant or
interesting by the majority of students, which indicates Making it applicable – relevant projects create exciting learning opportunities.
that it fails the test of being useful to know or of being
essential for an attractive career. tion, think consistently, understand interactions, draw
The traditional curriculum approach to science and conclusions and present results.
mathematics emphasises the ordered development of The use of creative hands-on projects to establish
content and understanding through the exploration of interest and relevance, such as is proposed by ATSE’s
more complex and detailed topics. Although this ap- STELR project3 is a good demonstration of a realistic
proach suits some students, and we are fortunate that new approach to learning. It needs to be supported by
many excellent students complete their studies with dis- the provision of qualified teachers, investment in labora-
tinction, an increasing number find the challenge of these tory equipment, use of e-learning, and the development
subjects too hard or irrelevant and choose an alternative. of new curriculum materials for staff and students.
Another key factor is that the school environment If this problem is not addressed, the community
does not provide strong advocacy for STEM. Very few will suffer even greater shortages of scientists, engineers
teachers have studied science or mathematics to a level and technologists and will have increasing difficulty in
at which they could be considered to have competency establishing informed discussion about the technologi-
in these disciplines. Many who teach these subjects have cal issues affecting our future.
an inadequate preparation. Consequently they are un-
1C ommon and agreed national goals for schooling in Australia, (AEC)
able to provide an adequate context for the subject and 1989. www.mceetya.edu.au/mceetya/default.as?id==11577
do not elicit a very high level of student commitment. 2 T he Future of Schooling in Australia, (Federalist Paper 2) September
2007, www.education.vic.gov.au?futureofschooling
The shortage of appropriately qualified and trained
3 Science and Technology Education Levering Relevance (STELR),
teachers in science and technology has been with us for ATSE July 2007
more than 50 years. It is time that addressing this de-
ficiency became a national priority in education. The Emeritus Professor David Beanland AO FTSE is an
electronic engineer who spent most of his career at RMIT
strategy of giving non-scientific teachers an introduc- until retiring as Vice-Chancellor. He is a member of the
tion to science and mathematics, sufficient to teach a DEST committee advising on major research infrastructure,
a consultant to universities and vocational institutions in
syllabus, is clearly inappropriate and ineffective. The
Vietnam, and an adviser to East Timor in relation to human
achievement of a relevance that can produce motiva- resources development.
FOCUS www.atse.org.au 13education
Education shortcomings
limit opportunities
Can Australia create the leadership, foster the skills culture and mobilise
the energy to really address STEM shortages?
By David Hind
I
david.hind@ozemail.com.au tion Round Table (BHERT), of which I am President,
t is certainly not new news that Australia has a hosted a summit on Emerging Skills 2020 and Beyond
shortage of scientists, technologists, engineers and (the papers are at www.bhert.com). The key themes
mathematicians. There is also a shortage of school, presented a strong case that ‘more of the same with fine
vocational and higher education teachers and stu- tuning’ will not provide adequate preparation for the
dents of these disciplines. The causes are no surprise: challenges and opportunities of the future.
a strongly growing economy, underinvestment in edu- ò More than 85 per cent of jobs in a competitive
cation, particularly over the past decade, and a percep- future Australia will require post-secondary
tion of relative unattractiveness of these disciplines as education, but less than half the current working
courses of study and as the basis for employment and population studied beyond Years 9 and 10. “All
career opportunities. workers are (and will be) knowledge workers.”
The effect of these shortages is to restrict the na- ò More than 90 per cent of school leavers will need
tion’s ability to solve many of its societal problems, to complete Year 12 or equivalent, yet the figure
threaten competitiveness and limit the ability to create has been stuck at 75 per cent for a decade.
future wealth. ò We need Australians to have the skills to work
Despite Australia being well aware of the science, longer in life and have the flexibility to change
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. Within a career, deeper and more
skills shortages, business and political response so far specialist skills will be required. Many skills cross
has been less than comprehensive. As a short-term several industries with convergence of technologies
measure there has been a very large increase in skilled and operating systems.
migration and the use of temporary employment visas, ò In addition to the ‘core’ academic content of
and in the past 12 months re-investment has begun in disciplines, employees need to be skilled in safety,
vocational and higher education. customer service, innovation and creativity, and
Many initiatives have been put in place to reassert have broader horizons beyond just the economic
the importance of STEM at the individual institution, and shareholder value aspects of work, important
enterprise and school levels. The decision by the Acad- as they are. The concept of ‘learning ecologies’
emy to make education one of its four priority forums was described, recognising that the future
is one welcome example and provides the Academy will not be about ‘work/life balance’, but the
with the opportunity to reawaken public and political interconnectedness of all aspects of people’s lives
interest. But a broadly based intellectual and financial and their place within a global society and local
reinvestment in STEM is unlikely to happen in isola- communities.
tion from a recommitment to investment in higher and ò Workplaces will be more flexible, utilising
vocational education more broadly. opportunities provided by the continuing IT
As an important step in identifying the quantum revolution.
and operating model for re-investment, we should take ò A critical mass of people with STEM skills and
the opportunity to briefly reassess Australia’s skills knowledge will be a key factor for the future.
needs for the future. Let us look briefly at where we are, how we got there,
In November 2005, the Business Higher Educa- the size of the gap and the feasibility of closing it.
14 www.atse.org.au FOCUSYou can also read
