The ME Program is one of the Major Sponsors for the 2016 National Schools Poster Competition.
The National Poster Competition can be easily adapted to the work completed by your iSTEM students as well as Science, Mathematics and Technological and Applied Studies.
For those already familiar with the competition, key new aspects are listed below under further key points^^
WHAT: Project-based learning activity involving teams of 2 to 5 school students creating an informative poster presentation addressing a practical research question on an area of interest to them and utilising the collection, presentation and interpretation of data.
WHEN: Due by 10 November, 2016. May commence any time.
HOW: FREE Registration and online submission at https://www.ssaipostercomp.info/
WHY: This fun and engaging activity:
- helps to develop students’ critical thinking, investigation, collaboration, communication, reporting and creative skills, and their awareness of how statistics, quantitative and scientific skills can help us better understand the world, no matter the field of interest.
- is aimed at engaging students of all disciplines and tapping into whatever is of interest to them, enabling them to better understand the interdisciplinary nature of investigations.
- maps to National curriculum and State BOS outcomes.
WHO: Open to primary and secondary schools. Years 3-12.
SUPPORT: Facilitators may be available to attend schools and assist; please identify interest for such via the free online registration.
PRIZES: For students & schools for each division, and certificates for all
^^Further key points (see http://www.ssaipostercomp.info/ for more details):
- The scope of the project allows for applications in any field. Members from a debating team won a division one year based on their investigation into how well various ethnicities were represented on television. See https://www.ssaipostercomp.info/winners.htmlfor further examples.
- The Australian Statistics Conference (Canberra 5-9 Dec, http://asc2016.com.au/) will host a special poster display and awards ceremony where schools may attend, receive awards/certificates, liaise with academics & professionals in the field. Conference fees are waived for schools, teachers, students, families to attend the special session – schools will need to make own arrangements to attend.
- To be eligible for the national competition, student projects may be on any topic and can involve teams of 2 to 5 students. Please also review rules at https://www.ssaipostercomp.info/rules.html.
- To be eligible for us to consider submitting a poster to the international competition, with which this competition aligns, a project’s theme must be “Australia’s History” and teams must be 2 to 3 students.
- All submissions, whatever the topic will be judged for the national competition. The best Year 11-12 project and best Year 9-10 project that supports the “Australia’s History” theme (whether winning national competition or not) may then be forwarded to the International Competition, provided they are deemed to be of an appropriate standard.
- NOTE: schools can only directly enter the national competition. Best posters are then forwarded by National Schools Poster Competition coordinators to the international competition (which is judged May-July the following year).
Coordinator: Dr Peter Howley, The University of Newcastle. E: peter.howley@newcastle.edu.au