Wednesday, 3 December 2008

Anyone who enjoyed this week's ‘smiley face' in the sky - the upturned waxing crescent moon ‘mouth' with its two eyes, Jupiter and Venus - would probably love to own a revolutionary device that allows you to point and click at stars, planets and constellations to learn more about them.

The Celestron Sky Scout 93970 is one of the prizes on offer at The University of Western Australia's SPICE Program third anniversary on Monday.  Through SPICE, The University of Western Australia is helping to promote interest in science in schools, and in science teaching and science research as career options.

SPICE improves collaboration between secondary school teachers and UWA scientists by enhancing and coordinating communication.

The relationship benefits both partners.  UWA benefits by being able to publicise its world-class science to teachers and potential students, through direct contact during campus visits and through classroom exposure of the scientists through new teaching resources.

And the Department of Education and Training (DET) benefits by offering its science teachers opportunities to re-engage with research scientists and the latest science, and by providing its schools with new teaching and learning resources backed up by professional development opportunities.

The SPICE schools are a vital component of the program.  They are a key source of part-time teachers in residence, their teachers and classrooms are a valuable test bed for the new resources and they receive first priority when opportunities arise at UWA for interactions with teachers and students.

The Sky Scout will be awarded to one of the SPICE schools to celebrate next year's International Year of Astronomy.  It is expected that the Minister for Education, Dr Elizabeth Constable, and the Director General of DET, Ms Sharyn O'Neill, will attend the anniversary from 5pm in the Centre for Learning Technology (Fairway Entrance 1, Ground Floor, School of Physics).

Media references

Emma Donnelly (SPICE Program)  (+61 8)  6488 2492
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716

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