Distance partnerships

Distance partnerships - CSIRO STEM Professionals in Schools

[Teachers and STEM professionals on slides on screen smiling, and sharing skills]

[The CSIRO logo swirls into the centre of the screen]

[Text on screen STEM Professionals in Schools]

[The sun shining over the schoolyard]

Cheryl Torpey: Tempy Primary School's a long way from anywhere in some regards. Around 150 kilometres south of Mildura.

[A shot of the school sign Tempy Primary School 5366]

[A cow standing in a field]

[Text on screen Distance Partnerships]

Every child needs science in their lives. Our rural children don't have a lot of exposure to formal science specialists.

[Cheryl and Jurg planning their lessons together]

Jurg Schutz was a partnership arrangement that was supported by the CSIRO with their STEM Professionals in Schools initiative back in 2010.

Dr. Jurg Schutz: Science Week is our main event. And that is because we've got 400 kilometres distance.

[Jurg being interviewed in a library, text on screen reads Dr Jurg Schutz Research Scientist CSIRO]

I can't just pop out and sort of have a talk to them.

[Cheryl typing on her laptop and then pointing at the screen]

Even though we're far away we do a lot of preparation. Having conferencing we're using WebEx was very useful so that we could actually talk to each other face to face.

[Students sitting on a table and putting together one of the activities for Science Week]

Kaitlyn Pappin: It would be impossible to access resources that have the same expertise as Jurg in a remote area. So they'll be cutting plants open, or be using our 3D printer and scanners representing

[Kaitlyn giving direction to a student working on a computer]

what they're trying to do if we were ever to go into space. It makes the learning real for them,

[Kaitlyn being interviewed in a library, text on screen reads Kaitlyn Pappin Teacher Tempy PS]

and they're being able to apply what they're hearing actually to real life. So it gives them the chance to play, and to learn through play.

[The 3D printer printing out a small object]

[Shots of a water tower and broken farm equipment]

[A shot of the sign for South George Town Primary School]

Delia White: George Town's in the northern section of Tasmania.

[A shot of the outside of the school]

[A science and discovery themed mural on the wall in bright colours]

Steve is passionate about aviation. Absolutely passionate. He's talked about his career.

[Delia being interviewed in her classroom, text on screen reads Delia White Teach South George Town PS]

He's been a jet fighter pilot which is just amazing to have someone in like that.

[A young student puts on Steve's helmet]

Steve Murray: I felt as a youngster myself there was so many questions I wanted to ask. And to be able to answer those questions to me was very important.

[A young girl asks Steve a question and he answers it enthusiastically]

Children in the remote areas require STEM professionals to come

[Steve being interviewed in a classroom, text reads Steve Murray Pilot and Training Captain (Retired)]

to their schools because they don't see the workings of STEM in their areas.

[A student shoots a piece of paper down a hallway by blowing through a straw]

[The students pull out a measuring tape and measure the distance the object has travelled]

Delia White: The kids have loved it. Anything that's hands on. That way they feel like they're taking charge of what they're building, how they're designing it. Has a lot more meaning than me teaching at them.

[The student inputs the data into a laptop]

Cheryl Torpey: Jurg has generated a lot of that scientific nerdiness appreciation in the community.

[Jurg reveals a bowl of something to the students and they look delighted]

Our parents are passionate about it. Our kids are interested in it.

Dr. Jurg Schutz: It's the most rewarding thing getting some feedback you've been successful in stimulating their imagination and their dreams.

[Jurg shows a small plant to a student]

Maybe there is a chance they might be wanting to do something about making their dream become reality.

[Steve sits with a couple of students and shows them some model planes, while one of the students wears his hat]

Kaitlyn Pappin: This partnership makes STEM real, and relate it to the real world.

[Steve, then Kaitlyn, and Cheryl, and Jurg all smile at the camera in succession]

[The CSIRO logo pops into the centre of the screen, underneath is written Australia's National Science Agency]

[An equation of logos is on the screen with a graduation cap representing teacher, then a plus sign adding it to a STEM professional symbolized by a molecule logo.]

[The equals symbol then connects to a gear logo representing partnership.]

[A circle graph titled Schools with different colours for different percentages on screen, Catholic being 16.3%, Government being 65.8%, Independent/Private being 16.8% and other being 1.1%]

[A map symbolizing national reach with a circle graph to one side. the text under the graph reads "with 29% in regional and remote areas.]

[On the map going clockwise NT 1.5%, QLS 20.8%, NSW 20.9%, ACT 5.9%, TAS 5.2%, VIC 23.9%, SA 8%, WA 13.8%.]

[A graph titled STEM Professionals, the circle graph showing percentages by gender with female at 43.2%, male at 56.6%, and not specified at 0.2%. The text under the graph reads note Female STEM professional representation is significantly higher than the national female STEM qualified population of 17 percent overall asterisk leading to a footnote "from the 2020 program evaluation.]

[Text on centre screen reads The STEM Professionals in Schools project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment. At the bottom of the screen is reads The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment.]

[New Screen, text reading STEM Professionals in Schools would like to thank: Dr Jurg Schutz, Research Scientist CSIRO; Cheryl Torpey, Kaitlyn Pappin and students from Tempy Primary School; Delia White and students from South George Town Primary School; Steve Murray, Pilot and Training Captain (retired)]

[Fade to black]