Science Teachers’ Association of New South Wales Inc.
Providing leadership and promoting excellence in science education
OBJECT 3.2 c. providing publications and resources
Science Education News (SEN) Journal
George Pinniger
Since my appointment as STANSW Editor, my intention has been to make each publication of greater
significance and usefulness to our readership.
Having been provided with a list of members who indicated interest in writing articles or editing articles
four appeals for both authors and reviewers were sent out directed individually. Being a members’
periodical SEN can never attain the status of a peer-reviewed journal, but there have been numerous
original submissions from both school science teachers and academics that would deserve inclusion in
one.
In 2017 the winner of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, K-6, was to another multiple
article submitter to SEN, Neil Bramson, whose “School Birding using iPads” was followed by the
fascinating “The Butterfly Garden”, a marvellous plan that could be followed by interested teachers in
many schools. Many others, including Edwina Butler, Sallyann Burtenshaw and Mary-Anne Kefoulakis,
have been prolific submitters of interesting articles for our readers.
Equally, I have been thrilled with the outstanding work carried out by the reviewers, and the result of their
interaction has been a series of four issues that STANSW readers may truly be proud of. Yet more
significantly, such wonderful and exciting ideas have been introduced, aimed at both K-6 and 7-12
teachers that can be repeated in classrooms to encourage and excite young students.
Members are therefore encouraged to put teaching ideas into practice wherever possible to involve their
own students, and also to share them with colleagues, be they members or non-members, and whether in
their own school or elsewhere. Teaching ideas are always useful, and every one put into practice in a
new class, even a new school, may well stimulate students to work harder, become more fascinated, and
to continue on with science through school and beyond.
With permission, SEN continues to republish significant articles previously presented in ‘The
Conversation’, also by staff of the Australian Museum, for which STANSW is most grateful.
I am most grateful for the fine work of our talented Desktop Publisher, Claire McCabe and support from
Visnja Aw from the STANSW office.
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