Almost a hundred high school science teachers went back to university in June, attending professional development workshops at UWA with the SPICE program – an experience they described as “inspiring, enlightening, stimulating and engaging”.

The teachers heard from leading UWA research scientists and participated in hands-on laboratory sessions as part of the annual SPICE Science Days.

As part of the activities, the science teachers learned how to use automatic pipettes, were covered in clay as part of a facial reconstruction workshop, tried new astronomy software, explored Perth Zoo, and studied soil fauna.

UWA and the Department of Education and Training have joined forces to add SPICE to science teaching in WA schools. SPICE is a secondary teachers' enrichment program that will give teachers a chance to update their skills and access the latest scientific equipment and techniques.

UWA Vice-Chancellor Alan Robson said investing in the development of quality teachers would help students achieve their full potentials. Over the next three years, 24 teachers will each spend a term as a Teacher-in-Residence at UWA's Centre for Learning Technology. Four teachers are already at the university.

Simplicity is at the heart of a new national teaching and learning initiative to provide online education material for primary and secondary schools in Australia and New Zealand.

DUIT Multimedia, the commercial arm of the Faculty's Centre for Learning Technology, is playing a significant role in developing the science material for the The Le@rning Federation (TLF).