Training workshop 2014 Top 10 Hints

1. Training workshop 2014 Top 10 Hints

2. Age groups There are four age groups for entries: • Years K-2 • Years 3-6 • Years 7-9 • Years 10-12

3. A Few Opening Comments: These Booklets were sent out to every Primary and Secondary School in NSW, in May

4. A Few Opening Comments: Our last Booklet was produced in 2001. It was then replaced by our website.

5. A Few Opening Comments: An electronic version is able to be downloaded from the Young Scientist website.

6. A Few Opening Comments: The Booklet contains extra information that you will not find on the Young Scientist website.

7. A Few Opening Comments: 2015 Booklet, Due for release in February

8. A Few Opening Comments: Thanks to sponsorship from the University of Wollongong, 3 students will travel to Pittsburgh to represent Australia at Intel ISEF in May 2015

9. ISEF Finalists Chanum Torres & Alexandra Garth Redeemer Baptist School

10. ISEF Finalists Josie Jacovac, Hills Adventist College

11. Young Scientist – Best in Australia! For the last 15 years, the level of student research projects in New South Wales has surpassed all other states in the national BHP Billiton Science Awards, winning 44.8% of the 58 major awards.

12. Young Scientist at an International level? Historically 25-30% of all ISEF projects win a Grand Award. In 15 years of representation at ISEF, our students have won a staggering 19 Grand Awards! 19 Grand Awards from 36 projects is an amazing 52.7% - more than half of every STANSW entry, returns from ISEF with a Grand Award!

13. Taking your Student Research Projects to the Next Level

14. The Judges are unanimous - any student can produce a top level student research project if they simply follow the processes of Working Scientifically

15. Teachers! If you want to take your Student Research Projects to the Next Level! Follow these top 10 hints, put together by judges of the Young Scientist Awards

16. Hint 1 Familiarise your students with the scoring rubric early and work to cover all the criteria of a Level 4 project

18. The rubric is what the judges use to categorise projects • The best entries fulfil the majority of the Level 4 criteria • Most prize-winners are Level 4 projects • Any student that follows these criteria will go well, even if their idea is not the most original

19. Hint 2 Show students early what a good project looks like – most students (and teachers) have no idea

20. Most students have no idea of what a good science project looks like. • Not only that, most of us teachers also have no idea. • Generally it is the case of the “blind leading the blind” • Unless there is a certain level of expectation, students will continue to pump out sub-standard investigations.

21. Our Most Important Resource! 2013 Prizewinning Entries

22. 52 of the 58 prizewinning 2013 projects are accessible to NSW teachers due to the overwhelming support of last year’s winners. • 58 of the 70 finalists for 2014 have allowed their projects to be accessible electronically for NSW teachers. • Never before have winning projects been available for NSW teachers! • This is the best resource you can get!

23. “My student projects are not good enough to enter Young Scientist!”

24. Don’t worry, if in the first year of entry your school may not get marvellous results! • Your just beginning your journey. Next year you can build on your own and student’s skills. • Each subsequent year you will be taking your student projects to the next level.

25. Eventually you will be able to build up your own benchmark resources, that students will be able to reference

26. Hint 3 Include an engaging introduction that contextualises the investigation

27. Like a good story, you need an engaging introduction to make the judges want to read further. • It needs to provide a context for why you chose your particular area of study. • You should include photos or diagrams to make the introduction inviting.

28. Hint 4 The best projects have the best log books

29. Log books are your daily record of any activity associated with your project. • Daily entries should be systematic and comprehensive. • Take lots of photos and insert them into your log book. • Log books allow the judges to “get into the mind” of the students

30. Hint 5 Don’t do an experiment once – have an appropriate number of trials

31. Do each experiment as least three times. • If you are testing people, try to get more than 10 people involved – why not try for 100 or more. • By having multiple trials and large sample numbers, it enables some form of statistical analysis to take place and trends and patterns are more readily observable.

32. CASE STUDY 2008 Primary Young Scientist The very first Primary Young Scientist was a Year 4 girl who investigated whether musicians can hear higher frequencies than non-musicians.

33. CASE STUDY 2008 Primary Young Scientist What set her project apart is that she tested 179 subjects and for each subject she tested them at least three times.

34. CASE STUDY 2008 Primary Young Scientist Large sampling data makes it easier to observe trends such as her conclusion - musicians can hear higher frequencies than non-musicians of the same age. More than 5 years recent musical experience No musical experience

35. Hint 6 Control as many variables as possible and only change one variable at a time

36. CASE STUDY 2008 Years 3-6 Scientific Investigation Winner e.g. Does looking straight ahead, instead of down at the sand, significantly increase an athlete’s long jump performance?

37. Fair Testing • Tests ensure constant conditions for valid and reliable results • Fair tests ensure: - the control of variables - change one variable to be tested - use an experimental control - the use of repeat trials or replication. To ensure a Fair Test, they used standing long jumps to avoid variations in an athlete’s run up.

38. Hint 7 Teachers must inform and encourage parents to get involved with projects

39. Parents have a major role to play in the development of a science project: • They can provide the undivided time to their child that a teacher is unable to give. • Parents can encourage routine tasks such as the daily filling in of a logbook. • Provides parents an opportunity to bond with their child in the completion of a common task.

40. Hint 8 Contact the scientific community for resources or seek out a mentor

41. If you school doesn’t have the right equipment • Use the internet to look for the equipment you need • Better still – use the Yellow Pages

42. Amatuers to Professionals with one phone call • This pair of students needed an ultrasound to accurately measure blood flow for a DVT study • Looked through the Yellow pages and first company they rang gave them the use of a $60,000 portable ultrasound. They went on to win awards at ISEF

43. Alternatively, you can ring project-related industries to seek out a mentor

44. CASE STUDY ResMed Mentors at Quakers Hill East Public School ResMed mentors made a huge impact on the lives of school children at a local primary school. Our mentors helped children learn the value and fun of science. It was so successful… we’re ready to do it all again and would like you to join us! ResMed mentors for the MyScience program

45. ResMed’s Internal Call for Mentors If you’d like to inspire the next generation of scientists – please become a mentor for the MyScience program at Quakers Hill East Primary School.     Mentoring is a valuable skill and will contribute to your own career development. We urge team members to get involved! “Helping teachers and kids at a local primary school was a fun and rewarding experience, as was the opportunity to meet and collaborate with like-minded ResMed colleagues.” – Ian McKenzie

46. What’s involved to be a ResMed Mentor ·The MyScience program runs in June/July and requires a total of approx. 8 hours of your time. · Mentors coach a group of primary school children in Year 5. Mentors visit 3 times, over 5 weeks, assisting their group with a science project. · The children would love your help with scientific method, practical tips for setting-up equipment and a healthy dose of enthusiasm and encouragement.

47. ResMed even produce an annual book A collection of the student projects for that year

48. Forging strong school-industry relationships ResMed contact Justin Wise presenting Quakers Hill East Public School staff and students with their annual book.

49. Hint 9 Photographs are a great tool for providing evidence that criteria have been covered

50. Photographs are one of the best tools to show evidence of student work. • Photographs are an effective qualitative way of showing results that are changing over a constant time. • Good, clear photographs enhance the presentation of a report.