Training workshop 2014Top 10 Hints

STANSW

ScientistAw ards

you n g

Age groups

There are four age groups for entries:

• Years K-2

• Years 3-6

• Years 7-9

• Years 10-12

A Few Opening Comments:

These Booklets were sent out to every Primary and Secondary School in NSW, in May

A Few Opening Comments:

Our last Booklet was produced in 2001. It was then replaced by our website.

A Few Opening Comments:

An electronic version is able to be downloaded from the Young Scientist website.

A Few Opening Comments:

The Booklet contains extra information that you will not find on the Young Scientist website.

A Few Opening Comments:

2015 Booklet, Due for release in February

A Few Opening Comments:

Thanks to sponsorship from the University of Wollongong, 3 students will travel to Pittsburgh to represent Australia at Intel ISEF in May 2015

ISEF Finalists

Chanum Torres & Alexandra GarthRedeemer Baptist School

ISEF Finalists

Josie Jacovac, Hills Adventist College

Young Scientist – Best in Australia!

For the last 15 years, the level of student research projects in New South Wales has surpassed all other states in the national BHP Billiton Science Awards, winning 44.8% of the 58 major awards.

Young Scientist at an International level?

Historically 25-30% of all ISEF projects win a Grand Award. In 15 years of representation at ISEF, our

students have won a staggering 19 Grand Awards!

19 Grand Awards from 36 projects is an amazing 52.7% - more than half of every STANSW entry,

returns from ISEF with a Grand Award!

Taking your Student Research Projects to the Next Level

The Judges are unanimous - any student can produce a top level student research

project if they simply follow the processes of Working Scientifically

Teachers!

If you want to take your Student Research Projects

to the Next Level!

Follow these top 10 hints, put together by judges of

the Young Scientist Awards

Hint 1

Familiarise your students with the scoring rubric early and work to cover all the

criteria of a Level 4 project

• The rubric is what the judges use to categorise projects

• The best entries fulfil the majority of the Level 4 criteria

• Most prize-winners are Level 4 projects

• Any student that follows these criteria will go well, even if their idea is not the most original

Hint 2

Show students early what a good project looks like – most students (and teachers)

have no idea

• Most students have no idea of what a good science project looks like.

• Not only that, most of us teachers also have no idea.

• Generally it is the case of the “blind leading the blind”

• Unless there is a certain level of expectation, students will continue to pump out sub-standard investigations.

Our Most Important Resource!2013 Prizewinning Entries

• 52 of the 58 prizewinning 2013 projects are accessible to NSW teachers due to the overwhelming support of last year’s winners.

• 58 of the 70 finalists for 2014 have allowed their projects to be accessible electronically for NSW teachers.

• Never before have winning projects been available for NSW teachers!

• This is the best resource you can get!

“My student projects are not good enough to enter Young Scientist!”

• Don’t worry, if in the first year of entry your school may not get marvellous results!

• Your just beginning your journey. Next year you can build on your own and student’s skills.

• Each subsequent year you will be taking your student projects to the next level.

• Eventually you will be able to build up your own benchmark resources, that students will be able to reference

Hint 3

Include an engaging introduction that contextualises the investigation

• Like a good story, you need an engaging introduction to make the judges want to read further.

• It needs to provide a context for why you chose your particular area of study.

• You should include photos or diagrams to make the introduction inviting.

Hint 4

The best projects have the best log books

• Log books are your daily record of any activity associated with your project.

• Daily entries should be systematic and comprehensive.

• Take lots of photos and insert them into your log book.

• Log books allow the judges to “get into the mind” of the students

Hint 5

Don’t do an experiment once – have an appropriate number of trials

• Do each experiment as least three times.

• If you are testing people, try to get more than 10 people involved – why not try for 100 or more.

• By having multiple trials and large sample numbers, it enables some form of statistical analysis to take place and trends and patterns are more readily observable.

2008 Primary Young Scientist

The very first Primary Young Scientist was a Year 4 girl who investigated whether musicians can hear higher frequencies than non-musicians.

CASE STUDY

2008 Primary Young Scientist

What set her project apart is that she tested 179 subjects and for each subject she tested them at least three times.

CASE STUDY

Subject M/F Age Freq. I Freq. II Freq. III Freq. IV Av. Freq. Instrument Music loud Headphones

                     

167 F 17 17200 17900 17900   17667 recent 5+ frequently rarely

168 F 15 18000 17900 17900   17933 recent 5+ always occasionally

169 F 12 15500 15000 15300   15267 recent 5+ always occasionally

170 F 3 19100 19000 19200   19100 none rarely never

171 M 43 13400 13800 13500   13567 none occasionally never

172 F 41 13400 13400 13500   13433 none frequently never

173 M 28 19100 19200 19200   19167 recent 5+ occasionally occasionally

174 F 14 17200 17400 16900   17167 recent 5- frequently always

175 M 19 17600 17900 17500   17667 recent 5+ rarely frequently

176 F 27 16000 16100 16300   16133 none frequently occasionally

177 F 73 11000 10600 8800   10133 recent 5+ never never

178 F 28 16500 16900 16500   16633 past 5+ always rarely

179 F 9 18100 19200 19100 19200 19167 recent 5- always occasionally

2008 Primary Young Scientist

Large sampling data makes it easier to observe trends such as her conclusion - musicians can hear higher frequencies than non-musicians of the same age.

CASE STUDY

More than 5 years recent musical

experience

No musical experience

Hint 6

Control as many variables as possible and only change one variable at a time

CASE STUDY

e.g. Does looking straight ahead, instead ofdown at the sand, significantly increasean athlete’s long jump performance?

2008 Years 3-6 Scientific Investigation Winner

Fair Testing

• Tests ensure constant conditions for valid and reliable results

• Fair tests ensure: - the control of variables - change one variable to be tested - use an experimental control - the use of repeat trials or replication.

To ensure a Fair Test, they used standing long jumps to avoid variations in an athlete’s run up.

Hint 7

Teachers must inform and encourage parents to get involved with projects

Parents have a major role to play in the development of a science project:

•They can provide the undivided time to their child that a teacher is unable to give.

•Parents can encourage routine tasks such as the daily filling in of a logbook.

•Provides parents an opportunity to bond with their child in the completion of a common task.

Hint 8

Contact the scientific community for resources

or seek out a mentor

If you school doesn’t have the right equipment

• Use the internet to look for the equipment you need• Better still – use the Yellow Pages

Amatuers to Professionals with one phone call

• This pair of students needed an ultrasound to accurately measure blood flow for a DVT study• Looked through the Yellow pages and first company they rang gave them the use of a $60,000 portable ultrasound. They went on to win awards at ISEF

Alternatively, you can ring project-related industries to

seek out a mentor

ResMed Mentors at Quakers Hill East Public School

ResMed mentors made a huge impact on the lives of school

children at a local primary school.

 Our mentors helped children learn the value and fun of

science. It was so successful… we’re ready to do it all

again and would like you to join us!

ResMed mentors for the MyScience program

CASE STUDY

ResMed’s Internal Call for Mentors

If you’d like to inspire the next generation of scientists – please become a mentor for the MyScience program at Quakers Hill East Primary School.                                           Mentoring is a valuable skill and will contribute to your own career development. We urge team members to get involved!

“Helping teachers and kids at a local primary school was a fun and rewarding experience, as was the opportunity to meet and collaborate with like-minded ResMed colleagues.”– Ian McKenzie

What’s involved to be a ResMed Mentor

· The MyScience program runs in June/July and requires a total of approx. 8 hours of your time.

· Mentors coach a group of primary school children in Year 5. Mentors visit 3 times, over 5 weeks, assisting their group with a science project.

· The children would love your help with scientific method, practical tips for setting-up equipment and a healthy dose of enthusiasm and encouragement.

ResMed even produce an annual book

A collection of the student projects for that year

Forging strong school-industry relationships

ResMed contact Justin Wise presenting Quakers Hill East Public School staff and students with their annual book.

Hint 9

Photographs are a great tool for providing evidence that criteria have been covered

• Photographs are one of the best tools to show evidence of student work.

• Photographs are an effective qualitative way of showing results that are changing over a constant time.

• Good, clear photographs enhance the presentation of a report.

Hint 10

Steer students in the direction of choosing an idea that will benefit society

• At the “Getting an Idea” stage, get students to explore problems that need addressing – talk to people – listen to the news.

• Projects that benefit society always score well in national BHP Billiton Science & Engineering Awards and ISEF.

• Projects that benefit society generate more public interest, resulting in greater motivation for the student.

Training Workshop

Thank you!

STANSW

ScientistAw ards

you n g