On the evening of Tuesday November 7, at the Perth AAPG Conference, an informal education forum (cosponsored
by PESA and APPEA) was held to initiate discussion on how to further earth science education in schools.

The 21 attendees included representatives from:

PESA state branches, APPEA (Schools Information Programme), SPE (Young Petroleum Professionals Programme), Earth Sciences WA, Mining Hall of Fame Outreach Programme, AAPG (Asia/Pacific), and Australian Geoscience Council.

The attendees demonstrated a robust and fervent interest in wanting to do more to promote geoscience in schools. Several participants recounted to the group initiatives or activities that they were either involved in or had heard about in both primary and secondary schools. The forum also had some discussion of initiatives in primary schools and at tertiary level, where lack of resources has drastically cut teaching staff and, thereby, students. However, the group acknowledged that the funding of staff at the tertiary level was beyond the capacity of bodies such as PESA, and required action from government or industry.

It was generally agreed, that the most effective way to advance geoscience in secondary schools across Australia was to
do so by working within the system (i.e. by assisting and developing earth science knowledge in teachers). Better educated and enthusiastic teachers could influence many secondary school students to consider science and earth science tertiary education pathways.

A key action item was to put together a national Teacher Earth Science Education Programme (TESEP).

This would entail plans for:

1. Selection of enthusiastic, passionate secondary school science teachers with an interest in earth science from each state, ensuring most districts in all states are represented. These teachers would have an interest in utilising earth science in the current secondary school curriculum (especially the influential grades 7 to 10). The Earth Sciences WA education programme could be applied nationally to incorporate earth science content into science classes.

2. Intensive teaching of earth science through workshops, field trips and site visits (similar to what is currently run by Minerals Council) with a focus on all aspects of earth science, but with inclusion of topics on oil and gas exploration, production and other energy and mineral resources, etc.

3.Workshops at teacher conferences (international CONASTA science and technology conference and state based science and geography teacher conferences).

4. Field trips to outcrop locations, wellsites and mine visits (sponsored by companies in each state).

5.Getting Science Teachers Association support for this secondary school teacher initiative, utilising the existing Minerals Council teacher framework as well as Geological Society Outreach Programme teachers.

6. Incorporation of the Earth Sciences WA outreach education programme – this earth science programme and could be applied nationally to incorporate earth science content into science classes. This will need local state outreach support teachers to facilitate this in each state, following WA’s example with teacher Louisa Ivey (fully funded for 3 years).

7. Teaching resource material could be supplied by local state based PESA branches and APPEA (SIP) and Australian Geoscience Council professionals, e.g. APPEA (SIP) school talks and PESA Vic/Tas posters, and rock and oil sample kits.

8. Funding for TESEP from APPEA, PESA, AGC, etc. as well as corporate sponsorship.

At the forum, the very enthusiastic Louisa Ivey (Earth Sciences WA teacher and geologist) was asked to put together a costed two to five year teacher earth science education programme for teachers (with advice from others) and to present this to APPEA/PESA and others for funding approval. Greg McNamara, Geoscience Education and Outreach consultant to the Geological Society of Australia, based in Victoria, will be one of the teachers working with Louisa to develop this programme.

We are hoping that other key people, such as GSA Education Outreach Programme teachers, ESWA , Minerals Council , Mining Hall of Fame, and other teachers from around the country can be funded by TESEP to assist Louisa in putting this proposal together, and to develop and facilitate the teaching workshops and field trips.

Our APPEA/PESA/AGC Education Committee is keen to get in touch with other enthusiastic geoscientists and teachers to refine this proposed teaching programme and see that it has a national application.

Interested geoscientists and teachers please contact:
Louisa Ivey
louisa.ivey@csiro.au

Greg McNamara
geoservices@geoed.com.au

For more information you can also look at similar earth science industry and teacher programmes that have been initiated in other countries such as:

Canada’s EdGeo
http://www.edgeo.org/index.html

Geological Society of America’s Teacher Advocate Program
http://www.geosociety.org/educate/tap.htm

UK Chemistry Society’s Joint Earth Science Education Initiative
http://www.geosociety.org/educate/tap.htm