Science Education News (SEN) Journal 2018 Science Education News Volume 67 Number 1 | Page 17

REPORTS STEM-X Academy (continued) Program Background discuss the purpose and intent of the depth studies and plan how you will incorporate them into your own classes. • Teachers discussed the depth studies and how they can be programmed into class time. You will be able to share your ideas, ask questions, and discuss and develop innovating and fantastic ways to enncourage student deeper learning. • STANSW members were trained to deliver the same program across all schools in line with NESA requirements. Completion of this course contribute 2 hours of QTC Registered professional development .4.2 and 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers) toward ??? • At events teachers present developed shared resources for conducting depth studies by collaborating with other teachers in order to share ideas about possible depth study options. Diving Deep into Depth Studies 2017 This program was run as a new initiative by the STANSW PL portfolio using the concept of existing teacher networks and member hosts to deliver small group professional learning in the suburbs and rural communities. Depth studies were a new concept in all senior science syllabi that were identified as a source of concern for STANSW members and thus the Diving into Depth Studies initiative was added to the PL portfolio’s program for 2017/18. The course, a 2 hour twilight session, has been successfully run at 21 locations across NSW- 10 metropolitan schools and 11 rural or remote schools hosted the event. Completion of this course contributed 2 hours of QTC Registered professional development (addressing 7.4.2 and 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers) towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW. Several of the groups of teachers in attendance at the STEM-X event at Condobolin are discussing the challenges presented, deciding the best approach to a specified problem each group plans to solve separately. 17 SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 1