ARTICLES
Increasing Scientific Literacy and Confidence: Immersing students in STEAM (continued)
The Science Festival originated to cater for the need to increase
scientific literacy and confidence in Australia, and has been
working for years to encourage learners to become more confident
in their ability to engage with STEAM. The immersive and hands-
on nature of the event enables students to interact in a multitude
of ways with the content, with student-led discovery, and to the
investigative problem solving central to the experience.
Over the many years that the event has been running, evaluation
data has provided evidence of a definite increase in confidence
and interest in STEM areas after attending the Science Festival,
often due to the nature of interaction the students experience on
site.
2018 Evaluation data from Attending Schools
Primary School Students
• 82% found that science was more exciting after coming to the
Science Festival;
• 80% were more interested in science after attending the
Science Festival;
High school students discover the wonders of polymers
with 3M.
• 68% felt more confident about doing science at school and
home after the day;
The event launched with a dynamic primary school week
consisting of 4 days of explosive shows and a diverse timetable
of activities covering a broad spectrum of topics. Students were
able to get creative with Code Club, gaining new skills and
exploring the world of coding, while also having the opportunity
to learn the applications of maths in everyday tasks with UTS
in their ‘Mathemagics’ workshop. First Nations perspectives and
expertise were presented in the ever popular ‘Aboriginal Bush
Foods and Medicine’ workshop, and the specialised ‘Science in
the Pacific’ tour.
• 82% stated they want to know more about Science after
attending the Science Festival;
• 75% feel that science is an important part of their lives.
High School Students
• 78% found that science was more exciting after coming to the
Science Festival;
• 74% were more interested in science after attending the
Science Festival;
• 65% felt more confident about doing science at school and
home after today;
• 76% stated they want to know more about science after
attending the Science Festival;
• 82% feel that science is an important part of their lives.
The 2018 program continued to reflect the breadth of STEAM
fields and focused on further breaking down the stereotypes
that have emerged around science topics and careers. This
included sessions that held discussions around fields that aren’t
necessarily the go-to answer when considering science careers,
such as innovation and science journalism. Another focus of the
program this year was highlighting the significant role women
have had in various fields of STEAM, the journey they have had
into the careers they currently hold and their experience with
STEAM in school.
Students experiencing Australian Wildlife first hand at the
Science Festival.
45
SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 1