Gladstone Area Mathematics, Science and Engineering Teachers (GAMSET) Enhancement Program (5B3)

Project Status: Complete
Project Leader: Dan Churach (CSRP)

The GAMSET Enhancement Project was a collaborative effort among CSRP, an existing group of teachers (Gladstone Area Mathematics, Science and Engineering Teachers) and the world’s largest alumina refinery (Queensland Alumina, Ltd) in the regional area of Gladstone. The project aimed to work with teachers to help fulfil their desire to enhance skills, tools and efficient systems to further their capacity to teach mathematics, sciences and engineering by providing real-world professional development activities. This first-hand experience of “home grown science” will have a flow through effect on the students within the Gladstone catchment area. Teachers will gain greater understanding to the benefits of the area’s industry and at the same time industry participants develop a greater appreciation of their local educational organisations.

This pilot program differed significantly from the teacher programs in the metro capital city areas, in that regional communities such as Gladstone thrive because of local industries. Residents may pass by various industries every day, have relatives and friends working in them and yet still have no idea what goes on within various businesses.

As this pilot project involved the largest alumina refinery in the world and was limited to a small-sized regional population centre, it allowed for meaningful assessment of the outcomes of the project. The activities included one-day and after school professional development courses in extractive metallurgy, site tours to QAL facilities, a lecture series to teachers and/or students concerning the mineral resource industry in Australia and on-line learning courses concerning the mineral resource industry in Australia.

The research objectives were to:

• To pilot the collaborative support by CSRP, local industry (QAL) of a formal network of science, engineering and mathematics teachers in a regional area to further develop repeated, positive contacts with research and industrial partners.
• Shift teacher attitudes towards the mineral resource industry in regional Australia in a positive way.
• Positively influence science teachers’ perceptions of the mineral resource sector as a high-tech, environmentally responsible industry that adds great value to the Australian community and to the Australian economy in general.
• Raise awareness of and a positive community attitude towards the mineral resource sector with regional secondary school students with the aim of increasing desirability of career options at all levels.
• Measure the effectiveness of teachers as market multipliers in raising the awareness of and developing a positive attitude towards the mineral resource sector with secondary school students with the aim of increasing the number of students choosing careers within the mineral resource industry.
• Raise awareness of and a positive attitude towards the mineral resource sector with all school students and the wider community resulting in a more favourable perception of the industry.