During the past 50 years the amount of chemistry applied to the preservation of all sorts of materials, from wood, to ceramics, glass and metallic objects has increased dramatically as materials conservation laboratories became established around the world. In Australia, the finding of a series of historic shipwrecks of ships from the Dutch…

There has been an increasing movement towards the introduction of inquiry based learning in undergraduate physiology laboratories. Students can however find this challenging when there is a sudden transition from traditional didactic practicals to full inquiry based activities. One reason for this could be the students' perceptions about the…

William Henry Bragg moved from Cambridge in Britain to South Australia to take up a professorship at the University of Adelaide in 1885. He brought with him a broad interest in many areas of physics, but when Wilhelm Roentgen discovered X-rays in the 1890s, Bragg's interest was stimulated. William's Australian-born son, Lawrence (WL Bragg), began…

This paper reports multi-layered analyses of student learning in a science classroom using the theoretical lens of Distributed Cognition (Hollan et al. 1999; Hutchins 1995). Building on the insights generated from previous research employing Distributed Cognition, the particular focus of this study has been placed on the "public space of…

Space to Grow is an Australian Research Council Grant that engages high school students in real science and supports their teachers in implementing inquiry-based approaches using astronomy as the focus. Currently, Grade 9-12 students and their science teachers from three educational jurisdictions in one Australian state are acquiring, and making…

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Science Kits provide sets of science equipment, including worksheets and/or teachers' guides, and are valuable science resources for poorly equipped schools, particularly those located in geographically isolated areas. This paper reports an investigation of how four teachers in four different schools used an Astronomy Science…

Describes the organization and function of the Scottish School Science Equipment Resource Centre, and discusses the need for a similar organization in South Australia. (AL)

Discussed is a science project in which secondary school physics students constructed a radio telescope to use in the study of radio astronomy. (PEB)

Equipment needed for teaching the New South Wales (Australia) Natural Science course in grades 3-6 is listed. A general list needed for all grades is supplemented by lists of materials needed specifically for each grade. Whenever possible materials available from students' homes are listed, and many examples of improvised equipment are given.…

The Faulkes Telescope Project and its educational aims are briefly summarised. Research to evaluate its impact in inspiring excitement and interest among students is described. The Faulkes Telescope in Hawaii was used to provide images for assessed coursework based on two of the Faulkes "education/research" projects on galaxies.…

Describes the construction and operation of an apparatus used to study the optical properties of solids using reflection. (JRH)

Presented is the draft form of a handbook for science teachers in the secondary technical schools of Victoria, Australia. This handbook is designed to provide teachers with information concerning the administration and operation of the Technical Schools Division, with information concerning safety hazards, liabilities, and procedures in science…

Describes the results of a report based on a questionnaire and survey conducted on the problems associated with the supply of essential biological materials to secondary schools and suggestions as to how they might be solved. (BR)

Provides solutions to the problems of recording the progress of individuals and providing a comprehensive report to the parent. Poses problems on microscope projection, electronic components in junior science, and innovative science projects throughout Australia. (GS)